The Black Maternal Health Caucus recently shared several important opportunities to get involved in advancing health equity through new initiatives and advisory committees. These initiatives aim to address systemic barriers, improve outcomes, and expand education and leadership in maternal and child health.
These opportunities are critical steps toward addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable maternal and child healthcare. We encourage schools, organizations, and individuals in our community to explore these programs and apply or nominate candidates where applicable.
Nominations for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services new Health Equity Advisory Committee:
This new committee will advise and make recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the identification and resolution of systemic barriers to accessing CMS programs that hinder quality of care for beneficiaries and consumers. The Committee shall consist of 20-30 individuals who will serve at least a 2-year term.
Who Can Apply: Nominees should have experience working with underserved communities which are populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.
Deadline for nominations is December 12, 2024
Learn more here, or contact HEAC@cms.hhs.gov
Partnership for National Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership:
This opportunity through the Health Resources and Services Administration will support national organizations in building the capacity of state MCH program, urban MCH programs, Healthy Start programs, and MIECHV programs to achieve the long-term goal to improve national MCH health outcomes and reduce associated disparities by better serving specific populations and awardees.
Who Can Apply: Nominees should have experience working with underserved communities which are populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.
Deadline to Apply: All applications must be submitted by 1/3/2025
Learn more here, or by contacting Erin Patton (mchbpartnerships@hrsa.gov)
Maternal and Child Health Public Health Catalyst Program:
This opportunity through the Health Resources and Services Administration will recruit and train diverse graduate students in MCH public health, expand MCH curriculum and degree offerings in schools and programs of public health where there is currently a lack of, or limited offerings, and build MCH faculty capacity within schools and programs of public health. This opportunity offers two Catalyst Program tracks, of which applicants must select one: Track 1: MCH Curriculum Start-up; Track 2: MCH Curriculum Expansion.
Who Can Apply: Public institutions of higher education, Non-profit private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments and organizations that are institutes of higher learning (education).
Deadline to Apply: All applications must be submitted no later than 1/23/2025
Learn more here, or contact Katie Van Nuys (KVanNuys@hrsa.gov)
Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, Education, Science, and Practice:
This opportunity through the Health Resources and Services Administration will strengthen and expand the MCH workforce by training graduate and post-graduate public health students in MCH, and advance MCH science, research, practice, and policy through a well-trained public health workforce.
Who can Apply: Public institutions of higher education, Non-profit private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments and organizations that are institutions of higher learning.
Deadline to Apply: All applications must be submitted by 1/27/2025
Learn more here, or by contacting Ayanna Johnson (ajohnson5@hrsa.gov)
Understanding the Impact of Healthcare System and Clinician Factors on Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality:
This opportunity through the National Institutes of Health IMPROVE Initiative will support multidisciplinary and innovative intervention research to understand and address maternal mortality and maternal morbidity in the US, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and underserved rural populations. This research should help to bridge the gas about understudied healthcare systems and clinician factors across prenatal, perinatal and postpartum continuum of care.
Who can Apply: Higher Education Institutions, Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education, For-Profit Organizations, Local Governments (State, County, City or Township, Special District, Federally and Other than Federally Recognized Indian/Native American Tribal Governments), Federal Governments (Eligible Agencies and U.S. Territory or Possession).
Deadline to Apply: Next deadline for New Applications is 2/5/2025; latest date for New Applications in 10/5/2026 Learn more here.