University of Arizona public health team produces Title V Maternal and Child Health Report for Arizona Department of Health Services
Working with the Arizona Department of Health Services, a team of faculty and students from the U of A Zuckerman College of Public Health produced a Title V Maternal and Child Health Needs Assessment: Community Perspectives report for Arizona that will guide health services the state.
The University of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Health Services are pleased to share the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Needs Assessment: Community Perspectives final report for Arizona. The report is the result of a statewide project that captured the voices and experiences of Arizona families, healthcare providers, community health workers, and underserved communities to help guide MCH priorities for 2025-2030.
Title V is a federal program that focuses on improving the health of all mothers and children. In 1981 a Title V block grant was created to serve three populations: pregnant women and infants, children, and children with special health care needs (CSHCN). The grants are managed by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Every five years, state Title V MCH agencies are required to conduct comprehensive needs assessments to identify state maternal and child health needs and prioritize them for Title V block grant funding. The state agency responsible for Title V in Arizona is the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The Zuckerman College of Public Health team included that produced the MCH needs assessment report includes Principal Investigator (PI) John Ehiri, PhD, MPH, MSc, and Co-Investigators Sheila Soto, DrPH, MPH, Martha Monroy, MA, Kelly Palmer, PhD, MHS, Kathryn Tucker Ortiz y Pino, MPH, Tania Felix Parra, Rodrigo Valenzuela Cordova, and Michelle Perez-Coronado, MPH.
View the 2025 Title V MCH Needs Assessment Report
By listening directly to families and frontline healthcare providers, we can better shape programs and policies that improve maternal and child health outcomes in Arizona.
The report highlights major challenges facing MCH populations across the state, including access to healthcare, mental and behavioral health services, housing, childcare, transportation, and respectful maternity care, and underscores the importance of community-driven, equity-focused solutions.
“This assessment reflects the lived experiences, strengths, and concerns of MCH populations across Arizona,” said Prof. John Ehiri, Project Director and Principal Investigator. “By listening directly to families and frontline healthcare providers, we can better shape programs and policies that improve maternal and child health outcomes in Arizona.”
The report reinforces the importance of strong community partnerships, culturally responsive care, and inclusive public health approaches in advancing health empowerment statewide.