Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program (Title V)
The Wisconsin Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programs work for a future where all people and families are healthy and thriving. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the state’s:
- Infants.
- Children, including Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN).
- Adolescents.
- Pregnant, Postpartum, and Parenting People.
- Families.
Programs and resources
The Well Badger Resource Center is a health information and referral program. If you have questions or are looking for resources for your family, Well Badger Resource Center can help you! There are many resources available to families in Wisconsin. Select a link to learn more. For help, visit the Well Badger Resource Center.
For health information and referral services:
Call 800-642-7837, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday through Friday,
email help@wellbadger.org
or go to the Well Badger website
For those working in family health, visit the Family Health Data page to find maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health data and recent reports. These resources are freely available from state and national data sources. You will also find a guide for using WISH (Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health) to show you how to do your own data queries on a wide-range of health indicators in our state and communities.
Babies and pregnant people
Reproductive Health and Family Planning
The Reproductive Health and Family Planning program (RHFP) helps clinics provide family planning, reproductive health, and sexual health services.
Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
Maternal mortality represents not just the loss of a person’s life, but the impact of that loss on the person's family and community.
Genetic Services
Genetics is important in the diagnosis and management of birth defects and rare disorders. It is also a factor in many common conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Family Foundations Home Visiting Program
Family Foundations Home Visiting Program serves people who are pregnant and continues that support until their child is 5 years old.
Newborn Screening Program
The goal of the Wisconsin Newborn Screening program is to make sure that all Wisconsin newborns are screened, diagnosed, and treated for certain conditions.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is considered one of the most effective ways to help ensure a child's health and has many nutritional, economic, and emotional benefits to the lactating person and the baby.
Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant Programs
Wisconsin receives federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to support programs and infrastructure to promote the health of Wisconsin’s families. We are now in our 2021–2025 grant cycle. View the Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant FY 2025 and FY 2023 Annual Report (PDF), that describes the activities funded by our grant in 2023 and our plans for 2025.
Wisconsin gets funding for the Maternal and Child Health and CYSHCN programs through the federal Title V Block Grant. This grant is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
With our grant, we give funding to local public health departments, Tribal agencies, and other organizations across the state.
Upcoming 2026–2030 priority areas
We complete a comprehensive, statewide needs assessment every five years. During our 2025 Needs Assessment, we used information from the following sources to develop our priorities:
Title V used many sources to create priorities for the 2026-2030 cycle. Sources included:
- Needs assessment surveys completed by Wisconsin organizations and individuals in 2024.
- Needs assessment focus group data, collected in 2024.
- Existing state and national data identified by program staff and partners.
Our selected priorities based on the 2025 Needs Assessment are:
- All women experience the safe and stable supports they need to live and thrive from preconception through 12 months postpartum.
- All women of reproductive age have nearby and affordable contraceptive care options and have safe, positive sexual experiences.
- All infants experience the safe and stable supports they need to live and thrive starting from birth to celebrating their first birthday.
- All children and their families experience timely, nearby, uncomplicated, coordinated care and supports to live and thrive.
- All adolescents have the reliable, timely, nearby mental health supports that they need, and are free from the harms of untreated mental health conditions.
- All children and youth with special health care needs and their families experience timely, nearby, uncomplicated, coordinated supports to live and thrive.
- All families experience emotional and physical safety in their communities, are free from discrimination, and have the social support they need.
- All families have enough food and adequate nutrition to live and thrive.
Our 2021–2025 priority areas
During our 2020 Needs Assessment, we used information from the following sources to develop our priorities:
- A public input survey
- Community conversations with people all over the state
- Data from vital records (birth and death records, for example)
- Information from national and state surveys of parents, youth, and birthing people
Our selected priorities based on the 2020 Needs Assessment are:
- Assure access to quality health services.
- Cultivate supportive social connections and community environments.
- Enhance identification, access, and support for individuals with special health care needs and their families.
- Improve perinatal outcomes.
- Foster positive mental health and associated factors.
- Promote optimal nutrition and physical activity.
Our team
The state Title V Block Grant team includes individuals from the Maternal and Infant Health unit, the Child and Adolescent Health unit, the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) unit, the Reproductive Health and Family Planning (RHFP) unit, the Data and Evaluation Unit, and the Community Health Operations Unit.
Our team includes people from a variety of backgrounds and training, including public health nurses, data analysts, health educators, and grants specialists.
Questions? Email DHSDPHMCH@dhs.wisconsin.gov.