The Title V MCH Block Grant funding comes to NM Department of Health through the Family Health Bureau (FHB) to support salaries, project design and implementation in each program area. Title V blends with multiple funding streams, including state general fund match, program revenues, private funding and other federal grants. For example, the MCH Epidemiology section receives Title V funds and is also supplemented by the State Systems Development Initiative (SSDI) grant, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funding, Medicaid revenue and private funding.

The Children’s Medical Services program uses Title V and state general matching funds to support social work care coordination for children and youth with special healthcare needs that also brings in Medicaid revenue to support the work.

The Maternal Health Program uses Title V funds with general fund match for high-risk prenatal services across the state to supplement care coverage for underinsured people. The CDC ERASE grant supports maternal mortality review committee operations and analysis, but the program depends heavily on Title V analytic and administrative support.

Post pandemic, Title V efforts are still enhanced by private funding and federal grants to navigate families most impacted by the devastation of losing employment, housing or childcare. These funding mechanisms have been crucial for meeting direct and enabling services Title V provides or refers for families with the greatest need. Blended funding also facilitates significant public health and surveillance coordination between MCH Epidemiology and Tribal Epidemiology Center staff.

Because Title V funds are flexible, they can support statewide infrastructure and system-building. For example, the CYSHCN program (Children’s Medical Services) works on policy and systems level change as well as providing care coordination and direct service through outreach clinics. Maternal Health and epidemiology staff participate in Medicaid policy and managed care organizations care content review.

The Office of Oral Health, Office of Injury Prevention, and the Office of School and Adolescent Health provide training,  supplies and evaluation through Title V and state fund matching.   Although limited, Title V supports community-based projects and partnerships in breastfeeding promotion, injury prevention and safe sleep training for home visiting and hospital staff.

Funding from the state block grant is sometimes misunderstood by people advocating for health within state agencies or by those partnering in other sectors. The funding, while flexible in applications, is tied to the federal population distribution requirements, and the staffing or activities funded must be working to advance the stated priority areas, objectives and strategies articulated in the grant from year to year.