Maternal and Child Health

Nearly four million babies are born each year in U.S. hospitals.

As hospital executives, your commitment to women’s health, a healthy pregnancy and a good start for all children is a cornerstone to improving the nation’s health. Still, 8.1% of babies are born low birthweight and 9.6% are born preterm; 17.4% of children aged 6-11 are obese; 3.2% of children aged 5-11 miss 11 or more days of school a year due to illness or injury; and, overall, more than 15% of children aged 5-11 years are not in very good health.

The American Hospital Association and its members take aim on these maternal and child health challenges. Together, we are driven to advance women’s and child health through partnerships and innovation in the quality, cost and delivery of care.

Consistent with our goals, this web page is designed to provide easy access to information and tools that will assist in navigating the changing maternal and child health care system. Every day, our nation’s hospitals work in their communities sponsoring family health education, prevention and outreach services. Look here to find news, resources, data, and best practices shared by other health leaders that can help you on the journey to accessible, affordable and safe care for women and children.

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Learn more about the MCH Council

Medicaid

Medicaid is the nation’s largest single source of coverage primarily serving low-income populations – children and their families, adults, seniors and disabled individuals. The program provides a broad array of health care services such as primary and acute care services, as well as lon...

Behavioral Health

One in four Americans experiences a mental illness or substance use disorder each year, and the majority also has a comorbid physical health condition. Hospitals and health systems provide essential behavioral health care services to millions of Americans every day. The American Hos...

Addressing the Opioid Epidemic - Resources

AHA Resources Stem the Tide: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic (October 2017) This toolkit, released by the AHA, provides guidance and information to hospitals and health systems on how they can partner with patients, clinicians and communities to address the opioid epidemic. Deve...

The 340B Drug Savings Program

For 25 years, the 340B program has provided hospitals with financial help to expand access to life-saving prescription drugs and comprehensive health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals in communities across the country. Section 340B of the Public Health Service Ac...

Drug Prices

Unchecked drug price increases are not sustainable, and are a serious economic threat to the patients and communities we serve. They not only threaten patient access to drug therapies, but challenge providers’ abilities to provide the highest quality of care. Did you know? In 2015, ...

Clinical Integration

Some hospitals and health systems already are using a broad range of approaches to integrating more closely with physicians and other health care providers.Clinical integration spans the spectrum from initiatives aimed at achieving greater coordination around a single clinical condition...

Workforce

An aging population, better care coordination and integrating behavioral and physical health care are all challenges the changing health care workforce must address. The American Hospital Association’s Workforce Center supports hospitals facing unique workforce issues by providing the ...

Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities

For millions of Americans living in vulnerable rural and urban communities, their hospital is often the only source of care. However, many of these hospitals are fighting to survive – potentially leaving their communities at risk for losing access to health care services. The AHA'...