Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program

The Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program (MCHEP) is a collaborative effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Since 1987, the MCHEP has assigned more than 35 senior CDC epidemiologists focused on MCH epidemiology capacity building and applied research to 20 states, and 6 other public health agencies and organizations (including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, US-Mexico Border Region, CityMatCH, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, and the Indian Health Service Epidemiology Office). The program has also sponsored 18 national scientific conferences, fellowships, and training initiatives.
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The MCHEP mission is to promote and improve the health and well-being of women, children, and families by building capacity at state, local, and tribal levels and to use and apply sound epidemiologic research and scientific information to maternal and child health programs and policies. This mission is accomplished domestically and internationally by developing Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology leaders, promoting peer exchange forums, supporting continued education and training, and providing fellowship opportunities.
MCHEP’s many partners in this effort include organizations that provide direct services or influence policy and practice guidelines, state health departments, tribes, local universities, and others.
We also support work to reduce long-standing and substantial MCH disparities between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and other U.S. populations. The MCHEP mission lays the groundwork for improving reproductive and MCH among AI/AN communities throughout the United States.