Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | Rockville, MD |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | Health Resources and Services Administration |
| Website | www.mchb.hrsa.gov |
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), is one of six Bureaus within the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in Rockville, Maryland.
MCHB administers the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Blockgrant Program (enacted in 1935 as part of the Social Security Act) and other maternal and child health programs. Through the Title V MCH Services Block Grant, MCHB provides funds and direction to strengthen MCH infrastructure in state public health agencies. The mission of MCHB is to improve the physical and mental health, safety and well-being of the maternal and child health population which includes all of the nation’s women, infants, children, adolescents, and their families, including fathers and children with special health care needs.
On November 3, 2011, Michael C. Lu, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., was named associate administrator of MCHB.
The roots of MCHB trace back a century to the 1912 creation of the Children's Bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor. The goal of the Children's Bureau was: "To serve all children, to try to work out standards of care and protection which shall give to every child fair chance in the world."
With the passing of Social Security Act in 1935, the federal government pledged its support of State efforts to extend health and welfare services for mothers and children. This landmark legislation resulted in the establishment of state departments of health or public welfare in some states, and facilitated the efforts of existing agencies in other states. Title V of the Act established Grants to the States for Maternal and Child Welfare. Administration of the Title V grant program was initially assigned to the Children’s Bureau, giving maternal and child welfare equal status with the unemployment compensation and old-age provisions of the Social Security Act. In 1945, five of six functions of the Children’s Bureau were transferred to the Federal Security Agency. The move was intended to simplify the relationship between number grant-in-aid programs and complex intergovernmental efforts related to education, health, welfare and the social security in the Nation.
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