Highlighting the Partnership Between Academia and Title V MCH
Winter 2024
This newsletter comes from the National MCH Workforce Development Center. As leaders in Title V MCH, state and local public health, and academia, this newsletter is a great way to learn about best practice, collaborations and share your expertise. This newsletter will be sent out three times a year.
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Partnership Spotlight
The Relationship between Training of the MCH Workforce in Schools and Programs of Public Health and Title V MCH Partners
Since 2014, the National MCH Workforce Development Center has been working with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health (CoE) to implement and evaluate the Title V MCH Summer Internship Program. To date, more than 160 student interns have participated in the program.
Title V MCH Internship Alumni Spotlight
Name: Alexa Gonzalez Laca (she/her)
Program: Emory University Rollins School of Public Health – Global Health and MCH Certificate Program.
In the summer of 2023, I had the privilege to intern at the Minnesota Department of Health, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Section. During my internship, I assisted in conducting in-depth interviews with various organizations to identify system change strategies that would help support caregivers for the state of Minnesota. Additionally, I conducted a literature review search and created evaluation forums to aid in the planning of a family caregiver forum.
After graduation, I plan to continue working in the field of public health supporting and advocating for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
My advice for future Title V MCH Interns is to connect with individuals who serve in various roles by setting up a time to chat with them and learn more about how state government operations work; it will help you get a better idea if this is the career path you want to pursue.
Name: Jennifer Farnsworth (she/her)
Program: The George Washington University Miliken Institute School of Public Health
In the summer of 2023, I had the amazing opportunity to work in Vermont as part of the Title V MCH Workforce Internship through HRSA. I worked with the Vermont Department of Health in their Family and Child Health Division. My preceptor…was the Division Evaluator, and had a wide range of expertise. She was so proactive in learning about my interests and connecting me to the right people within the Division. My internship partner and I worked on a broad project to inform the upcoming 2024 Title V Needs Assessment on elevating historically marginalized communities and their perspectives. I loved seeing how well Vermont collaborated with their state and local partners and cut down on the bureaucracy.
I also loved exploring Vermont! It is beautiful, and I had the unique opportunity to see Vermont’s citizens in action as I was there during the time of devastating floods. This internship has taught me so much, and I hope to use what I learned to continue to work synergistically with local and state governments.
Joel Rubio and Dr. Julianna Deardorff present at APHA 2023
As a first-time participant, Joel Rubio presented at the 2023 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo. Currently a second-year MPH student at UC Berkeley, he delivered a poster presentation titled “Abolish I.C.E. – The Consequences of Immigration Enforcement Among Latinx/e Adolescents,” focusing on family separation and the impact of anti-immigrant rhetoric policies.
Drawing on his experiences as an adolescent separated from his parents, he used personal lived experiences to guide his research. By incorporating existing literature, Joel created a policy brief that focused on the effects of immigration enforcement on the mental health of Latine adolescents, including highlighting the 287(g) program and its enabling of discrimination, racial profiling, and attacks on immigrant communities.
Overall, his presentation aimed to inspire professionals to advocate for new inclusive immigration policies that humanize immigrants, not criminalize them, such as calling for the abolition of ICE.
Growing the Pathways for MCH Students to Work in Governmental Public Health
Now Accepting Student Applications
In summer 2024, the National Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Workforce Development Center will support at least 6 teams of MCH students to participate in internships in state and territorial Title V programs. To learn more about Title V, click here. Why Should you Apply to the Title V MCH Internship Program? As a Title V MCH Intern, you will receive the following opportunities: – Work on a project focused on improving the health of women, children, and/or families – Learn about the MCH system of care in your assigned state or territory – Network with leaders in the field of MCH and students from other MCH Training Programs – Receive training in MCH systems, leadership, team-building, equity, and mentoring |
Who is Eligible to Apply? – Students in one of the following MCH Training Programs: – Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health – Maternal and Child Health Public Health Catalyst Programs – Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) Training Programs – Students who will enroll in the Fall 2024 semester – Students who are U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents Questions about the Internship? Need more Information? Please contact Gabriella Masini at titlevmchinternship@uic.edu |
Research and Practice
Lessons Learned from New York State Title V Program & University at Albany MCH Program Academic-Practice Partnership
Authors: Rachel de Long, MD, MPH1, Christine Bozlak, PhD, MPH1, Kirsten Siegenthaler, PhD, MSPH2, Emily DeLorenzo, PhD, MSW2, Megan Tyrrell2
Introduction Ten years ago in the spring of 2014, Dr. Christine Bozlak – then an Assistant Professor at the University at Albany School of Public Health – was teaching an undergraduate honors course on maternal and child health. She reached out to Dr. Rachel de Long, then Director of the Division of Family Health/Title V Program at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), to give a guest lecture in the class. Little did they know that this invitation would be the seed of a unique MCH academic-practice partnership that would blossom over the next decade.
The following year, HRSA’s Division of MCH Workforce Development released its first Notice of Funding Opportunity for the MCH Public Health Catalyst Program, offering grants to develop new MCH programs in schools of public health that did not yet have MCH courses or degree offerings. Recognizing the unique 30+ year history of the UAlbany School of Public Health as a joint venture of the University and NYSDOH, Christine and Rachel submitted a successful collaborative application for MCH Catalyst funding, and the MCH Program at UAlbany was born.
Fast forward to 2024, and the UAlbany MCH Program is thriving. Now in its second cycle of HRSA MCH Public Health Catalyst Program grant funding, the program continues to be jointly directed by Christine (now an Associate Professor) and Rachel (who moved to a SPH position in 2020). In addition to foundational courses for both graduate and undergraduate students, the program offers a 12-credit MCH graduate certificate, applied practice experiences, and a wide range of professional development opportunities for both students and faculty. The program’s goal is to engage and support students – especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – to become the next generation of MCH leaders.
NYS MCH Academic Practice Partnership At the core of this successful program is a strong and evolving academic-practice partnership (APP) with the NYS Title V Program, which has continued to flourish under the leadership of current NYS Title V Director Kirsten Siegenthaler and Associate Director Emily DeLorenzo, both alumni of UAlbany. This partnership is formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and supported with Title V funding. It focuses on supporting both the current and emerging MCH workforce for NYS. Key elements of this partnership include:
- Student internships. The Division of Family Health/Title V Program hosts up to six graduate student interns every semester throughout the year. Students are funded through the MOU, hired by UAlbany, and assigned to NYSDOH under the mentorship of Title V staff. In addition to earning required applied practice experience credits for their MPH or DrPH degrees, these field placements allow students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world issues and settings. They help the state’s Title V program develop and advance priority projects they otherwise would not have the capacity to carry out. Moreover, they provide Title V staff with the opportunity to serve as mentors, enhancing the development of their supervisory and leadership skills, often with significant professional gratification.
- Teaching, Service, and Professional Development. Title V staff regularly provide guest lectures in MCH courses at SPH. They also participate in seminars, networking events, community service projects, and other professional development activities hosted by the MCH Program. Sometimes Title V staff are leading these sessions, while other times they are participating and learning alongside students and colleagues. This collaborative approach shares MCH knowledge within and beyond the classroom, facilitates networking, and models a lifelong commitment to professional development for both students and staff already working in MCH.
- Technical Assistance. The MOU directly supports a percentage of MCH Program staff time to help coordinate and write the state’s annual Title V Needs Assessment and grant application, a cornerstone of their ongoing funding and work. MCH Program staff share resources, consult with NYSDOH colleagues on a variety of ongoing topics, and facilitate connections with other faculty for applied research and evaluation opportunities.
We are especially proud of our efforts to support the professional development of the next generation of MCH leaders. Since 2019, the APP has funded and mentored 55 graduate student placements within the Division of Family Health to work on over 30 priority MCH projects (Table 1). Several of these students are now employed within the state Title V Program, while many others are working in other MCH-related state and community programs.
Table 1. Examples of NYS MCH Student Applied Practice Experiences, 2019-Present |
– Assessing access to oral health care for emergency department diversion – Communication strategies related to reproductive health and adolescent mental health. – Evidence-based strategies for MCH community health workers – Health equity improvement project for CYSHCN Program – Home visiting and birthing hospital collaboration project – Incorporating community voices in a statewide family planning education campaign – Investigating the association between female fertility and COVID-19 infection – New York State Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Equity Project – Postpartum depression screening tool capacity to identify social determinants of health – Using surveillance data to improve screening and follow-up for newborns with hearing loss |
Lessons Learned This past year, we reflected together on our experience and lessons learned to date.
First, we acknowledge that collaboration is work. It takes time, attention, patience, and resources. Working together sometimes takes longer and is more complicated than working on our own! We must be willing to make adjustments as we go based on what’s working well, what should be modified, and what we can simply let go.
Second, we need to understand and appreciate each other’s roles and agendas. Organizations have different needs, authority, and responsibilities. We don’t always have the same priorities, and that’s okay. Tuning into these differences, accepting them, and figuring out where we can leverage them to help each other make the partnership mutually beneficial and respectful.
Third, it’s important to be transparent about what we can and can’t do for each other. We strive to be up front about things like how much time we can invest in collaborative activities, what relevant skills we can (or cannot) contribute, and what we each need to get out of a collaborative project. We also need to be clear about practical things like internal review processes or accreditation requirements that must be considered as we work together. This allows us to set realistic expectations and reduce frustration on both sides.
Fourth, making connections is key to a successful partnership. Luckily, this is something MCH programs are experts at! When we can’t provide what our partner needs directly, we try to connect them with others who can. We keep our partner in mind as opportunities come up that may be a good fit for them, and we are mindful of how we represent our partner within our own organizations.
Finally, and most importantly, maintain a focus on workforce development. A shared stake in the MCH workforce of both today and tomorrow is at the core of our APP. Thinking about what approaches will mutually support students, faculty, and practice partners helps us prioritize where to put our efforts and how to turn needs into mutually beneficial solutions.
Summary We believe that the academic-practice partnership between our state Title V program and School of Public Health MCH Program is an important part of a larger effort to develop a well-trained and diverse MCH workforce. As our partnership continues to evolve, we aim to maintain our focus on this shared goal in ways that mutually benefit and build on the unique strengths and capacities of our respective organizations. We are grateful to our funders, and to each other, for the opportunity to do this important work together.
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank our respective federal funders, the Division of MCH Workforce Development and the Division of State and Community Health, both within the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration. Special thanks to Carol Rosenberg at UAlbany SPH and Deb Rock at NYSDOH for their administrative expertise and support for our MOU, to all the Title V staff mentors, our UAlbany MCH program staff, and to our MCH students for their contributions to New York State’s MCH initiatives.
This article is adapted from a poster presentation originally presented at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) annual conference in April 2023.
- University at Albany School of Public Health Maternal and Child Health Program and Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior
- New York State Department of Health Division of Family Health/Title V Program
Academic Practice Partnerships: A Case Study with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health
By: Chelsea B. McGraw, M.A./M.S., & Leslie deRosset, MSPH, MPH
Introduction The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) oversees the state Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program. The IDPH is housed in Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The University of Iowa’s (UI) College of Public Health (CPH) and IDPH have developed an academic practice partnership (APP).
The UI CPH houses the MCH Public Health Catalyst Program for graduate students in public health. The purpose of this program is to “provide an increased focus on fundamental MCH content and competencies within schools of public health where is currently a lack or limited MCH offering.”1
In the Spring of 2023, a semi structured interview was conducted with Marcus Johnson Miller, CPM, Title V Director and Bureau Chief for IDPH; Sylvia Navin, MPH, Public Health Consultant at IDPH; and William T. Story, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health and Director of the MCH Public Health Catalyst program at the UI CPH. The purpose of the interview was to understand the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of their APP.
According to Marcus Johnson Miller, Sylvia Navin, and William T. Story, there is a long standing relationship between the Iowa DHHS, IDPH, and CPH of working together. Prior to the most current collaborations between IDPH and CPH, there had been previous collaborations between IDPH and the Departments of Community and Behavioral Health, Epidemiology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and many other Departments at UI.
Most recently, this collaborative team has been working on two main projects. The first is a collaborative evaluation for the Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) program. The second was the development and implementation of a Title V evaluation.
In addition, UI CPH has been and continues to create more opportunities for students from diverse disciplines and perspectives to understand work in public health and MCH, specifically.
Key Takeways There are three key facets of this partnership that have been supportive in working together effectively.
- Focus on a Specific Project Whether the project is MHI evaluation or the MCH Catalyst Program, key partners at CPH and DHHS agreed that having a specific project with organizational vision helps pull the interdisciplinary team together toward reaching a common goal. The team unanimously agreed that “having a specific project to focus on is helpful,” as it keeps the team focused when external influences pop up that influence each member of the team differently.
- Trust-based Partnerships A trust-based APP between the Iowa DHHS and UI CPH is a foundational element that’s established through transparent communication, shared values, and a demonstrated commitment to the well-being of the community. Both parties recognize the expertise and unique contributions that each brings to the table.
- According to Dr. Story, modeling this trust-based partnership has also extended to his students involved in the program, in that “the students can feel that there’s a mutual trust and respect, and that these are viable places to go work.” He continued to explain that “great collaboration…has opened our students’ eyes to the opportunities to work at the state and local levels. Many collaborators from DHHS speak in Dr. Story’s MCH classes, where students are “hanging on every word” when they hear about innovative programs and see that their professor knows these partners well. Dr. Story explained that the benefit to already having a partnership benefits his work more in that “it’s more meaningful to the students when you have somebody come in and speak to your class who knows you and you’re already working together, and you have existing relationships and programs.” This enables him to promote MCH-related opportunities with IDPH with more ease. Modeling the strengthening of this trust-based partnership has engaged students, and so the team is able to shift workforce efforts to promote public health, rather than clinical workforce-initiatives alone.
- According to Dr. Story, modeling this trust-based partnership has also extended to his students involved in the program, in that “the students can feel that there’s a mutual trust and respect, and that these are viable places to go work.” He continued to explain that “great collaboration…has opened our students’ eyes to the opportunities to work at the state and local levels. Many collaborators from DHHS speak in Dr. Story’s MCH classes, where students are “hanging on every word” when they hear about innovative programs and see that their professor knows these partners well. Dr. Story explained that the benefit to already having a partnership benefits his work more in that “it’s more meaningful to the students when you have somebody come in and speak to your class who knows you and you’re already working together, and you have existing relationships and programs.” This enables him to promote MCH-related opportunities with IDPH with more ease. Modeling the strengthening of this trust-based partnership has engaged students, and so the team is able to shift workforce efforts to promote public health, rather than clinical workforce-initiatives alone.
- On-going Collaboration This collaborative relationship was established on trust, mutual respect, and shared goals between these two entities. Such partnerships are designed to leverage the strengths and resources of both organizations to address critical healthcare and public health challenges in the state of Iowa. Trust-based partnerships typically involve joint initiatives, such as research projects, community outreach, healthcare program development, and policy advocacy.
Addressing Challenges in APPs Concurrently with success, challenges that have arisen have been easily managed due to aspects of Iowa’s APP that make the longevity of its programs so successful. The following challenges, due to this trust-based partnership, have been countered with ease.
- Addressing Human Capital Constraints in MCH Work As a relatively small state public health department, IDPH has limited staff and bandwidth to conduct needs assessments and evaluations throughout the state. However, because of this APP, IDPH provides funding to UI CPH to conduct them. This enables the college to employ students to assist with the development and implementation of the needs assessments and evaluations. On-going communication within this APP has led to student opportunities, where they learn experientially through program evaluation, conducting focus group discussions, and applying case study methodologies, all due to the expansion of human capital through this partnership.
- In addition, due to the MHI evaluation that Dr. Story and his students conducted, they have identified additional needs and disparities throughout the state, especially among Black and African American communities. They have identified the need for targeted interventions to address MCH inequities. Currently Dr. Story and the IDPH are having conversations about how to address these disparities within their collaboration.
- In addition, due to the MHI evaluation that Dr. Story and his students conducted, they have identified additional needs and disparities throughout the state, especially among Black and African American communities. They have identified the need for targeted interventions to address MCH inequities. Currently Dr. Story and the IDPH are having conversations about how to address these disparities within their collaboration.
- Working Together to Learn from Our Mistakes Getting everyone on the same page has been a challenge in collaborative work in many settings. Organizations, such as IDPH and UI CPH, come to the table with diverse perspectives that could impede communication and progress. However, Mrs. Navin stated that the process of being able to “reflect back” on previous challenges and communication issues is important to be able to move the work forward. The team agreed that “there are a lot of challenges when you’re dealing with relationships and making sure that you’re meeting the objective.”
- It is important to lay out the details together to ensure an efficient way to approach each new initiative and work together. The team naturally regarded their relationships, trust, and collaboration as strengths because they have “laid the groundwork as far as what needs to happen when we come together next year” to catalyze and improve efforts in the future.
- It is important to lay out the details together to ensure an efficient way to approach each new initiative and work together. The team naturally regarded their relationships, trust, and collaboration as strengths because they have “laid the groundwork as far as what needs to happen when we come together next year” to catalyze and improve efforts in the future.
- Funding Cycles and Decision-making The Iowa DHHS and UI are not in the same fiscal years and have varying processes for the distribution of funding and contracts that do not always align. At times, the contracts and funding from the Iowa DHHS is delayed in reaching UI CPH in a timely manner. Thankfully, because of the APP between IDPH and UI CPH, there is a strong foundation of trust built into the communication dynamics, thus whenever funding is late, one entity trusts the other that it will arrive, and necessary support is implemented until funding is allocated.
- The other challenge is the high Facilities and Administrative Costs (i.e., indirect c0sts) from UI to the State. However, this is not unique to the University of Iowa and IDPH.
- The other challenge is the high Facilities and Administrative Costs (i.e., indirect c0sts) from UI to the State. However, this is not unique to the University of Iowa and IDPH.
- Value in Diversity of Perspectives Supported through on-going evaluation and assessment of data-driven results, value in diversity manifests when the team works to ensure they are achieving their intended outcomes. This requires regular feedback and adjustments to optimize the partnership’s effectiveness.
- For example, Ms. Navin mentioned that including faculty from the Department of Epidemiology to collaborate with the MHI program shed light on new perspectives to the work. She shared, “People kind of come into the picture, and at different times, bringing in different skill sets,” regarding the value of diversity in position to achieve collaborative goals. It was agreed that leveraging diverse skill sets is valuable, as well. Representatives from both IDPH and UI CPH unanimously shared, “So you can really leverage those strengths, because if you try to do things on your own, you’re not going to get nearly as far as if you work together.”
Summary Overall, the relationship between the IDPH and UI CPH can be viewed as a success due to trust-based partnerships and on-going collaboration centered around valuing diversity of perspectives.
The National MCH Workforce is grateful to Dr. William T. Story, Marcus Miller-Johnson, Sylvia Navin and co-author, Chelsea McGraw, for their contributions to this case study.
Read the Latest Practice-based Research on Building Partnerships!
A Qualitative Study on Trainees’ Perspective on the Benefits of the Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Programs By: Charlene Portee
“The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the benefits of the Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Program (MCHPTP) to the program participants. The MCHPTP exposes undergraduate students to a series of activities designed to introduce them to career choices in health or health-related professions, which serve maternal and child health populations. A qualitative research interview design was utilized to conduct this study. Data were collected from 15 undergraduate trainees at six Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Programs from colleges and universities across the U.S. The results showed that all the trainees would recommend the MCHPTP to other students, they were satisfied with their career interests, and there were many benefits of the MCHPTP.”
Resources and Tools
ATMCH is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023-2024 Innovative Teaching Awards
- “Harnessing Knowledge Translation to Bridge the Research and Practice Divide in MCH: An Innovative Short-Term Training” – Vickie Dugat, Abraham Salinas-Miranda & Cheryl Vamos (University of South Florida)
- “Health Equity in a System of Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs” – Emily Graybill (Rutgers University), Erin Vinoski Thomas (Georgia State University), Michael Kramer & Eve Rose (Emory University)
- “The MCH Community Engaged Learning Lab (MCH CELL) for Instructional Development” – Lois McCloskey & Anisa Saleh (Boston University), Julianna Deardorff & Jessica Ross (University of California Berkeley), Shokufeh Ramirez (Tulane University), Christine Bozlak & Rachel de Long (University at Albany) & Jessie Kemmick Pintor (Drexel University)
To learn more about previous ITA-winning projects, click here
Do you teach an existing course that involves community partners as partners in teaching or where students work with community partners as clients?
Do you want to start a new course like this? If so, then the MCH CELL webinar series is for you! This series focuses on engaging with community partners as partners in teaching and as clients. It covers topics such as program development, program evaluation, leadership, and communication.
Check out the 3 available webinars here
Be in the Know
CityMatch’s 2024 Conference “Reaching New Heights: Strengthening MCH Across Generations” will be held in Seattle, Washington from September 9 – 11, 2024. For more information or to submit an abstract, click here.
Save the date for the 2024 Annual Meeting! Coming March 21 – 24 in Arlington, VA. Click here for more information, click here
Now Accepting Applications for Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP) Interns and Host Sites!
The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) is accepting student and host site applications for the Summer 2024 Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP) from January 10, 2024 – February 21, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. This leadership and career acceleration program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and administered by AMCHP.
Click here to learn more about GSEP, including host site and student eligibility, expectations, and benefits.
This year, we are issuing a special call for Adolescent and Young Adult Health (AYAH) proposals, actively seeking up to five (5) host sites for graduate student placements with a primary focus on adolescent health. While host sites are not required to focus on AYAH, proposals related to AYAH will undergo the standard application process, adhering to established criteria such as epidemiological soundness, equity, and leadership development potential. It is strongly recommended that proposal teams include both an epidemiologist/data specialist and the State Adolescent Health Coordinator (SAHC) or related program staff.
A few notable highlights of this competitively paid, 10-week, 100% remote graduate student summer internships to develop leaders in MCH epidemiology:
Intern Highlights (click here to apply) Explore projects and diverse career pathways in MCH Epidemiology. Work with state and local public health agencies without relocating and receive thoughtful mentorship from practicing, applied epidemiologists. Optional, in-person site visits with costs covered. Learn practical skills and expand professional networks in ways that provide advantages as you enter the workforce. | Host Site Highlights (click here to apply) No associated costs for host sites; AMCHP covers all intern stipends and site visit expenses. Technical assistance is available from AMCHP to support project scoping. AMCHP handles intern recruitment and supports host sites throughout the summer. Interns can focus their efforts on agency/organization priorities. Staff can gain meaningful mentorship experience. |
- Please Contact
- Candice Simon (csimon@amchp.org) with any questions about the GSEP host site experience or application process.
- Mikayla Frye (mfrye@amchip.org) with any questions about the GSEP intern experience or application process.
Job Boards
Click the images to find out about job opportunities in Public Health!
About this Project This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 5-UE7-MC26282-10 – National MCH Workforce Development Center Cooperative Agreement ($1,720,000). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.