
Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant
Title V, enacted in 1935, is the only federal program solely dedicated to maternal and child health. Title V operates as a federal-state partnership through the State Block Grant, which gives money from the federal government to state government programs to improve the health of women, infants, children, and youth, including those with special health care needs. The Maternal and Child Health Section of the Georgia Department of Public Health administers the Title V Block Grant for the state of Georgia.
The 2021 Title V Application is available for review under the Application/Annual Report section.

Although each state and territory receives the block grant, the amount differs depending on the proportion of children living in poverty in the state. States have the flexibility to spend the grant money in a way that suits the needs of their populations. However, states do have to meet the following requirements:
- No more than 10% may be spent on administrative costs
- 30% must be directed toward children and youth with special health care needs
- 30% must be spent on primary and preventive services for children
- Pregnant women, mothers, and infants must also be supported by the block grant
The block grant is intended to fund and help provide a wide spectrum of services. Each level of the pyramid above represents the different services. The size of each block on the pyramid represents how much funding should be given to each service category. Thus, the majority of funds should be spent on public health services and systems, while the least should be directed toward direct reimbursable health care services.

What does Title V do in Georgia?
Title V Funded Programs
Although some funding is provided to public health districts and other organizations, the majority of funding supports the following state programs:
- Babies Can’t Wait
- Children First
- Children’s Medical Services
- Family Planning
- Injury Prevention
- Data and Surveillance
- Newborn Screening
- Oral Health
- Perinatal Health
State Selected Priority Needs
Each state has the flexibility to spend the funds to meet its unique needs. These needs are determined through a needs assessment or a process for choosing which health issues will become a priority. The state needs assessment occurs every five years. Georgia completed its most recent needs assessment in 2020. Based on the latest assessment Georgia will focus on improving the following needs through 2025:
- Prevent Maternal Mortality
- Prevent Infant Mortality
- Promote Developmental Screening
- Promote Medical Homes for Children
- Increase Bullying and Suicide Prevention
- Improve Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
- Promote Oral Health Among MCH Populations
- Increase Father Involvement Among All MCH Populations
Application/Annual Report
The application/annual report is submitted each year on July 15th. The application shows accomplishments Georgia has made using the grant and outlines our plan for the upcoming year.
The Maternal and Child Health Title V Block Grant 2021 Application/2019 Annual Report, in its entirety, and subsets of the document are broken into population groups below:
Additional Resources
We welcome any comments you may have related to the Title V Block Grant, Maternal and Child Health or the operation of Title V. Your comments help us improve our programs and ensure that we are moving in the best direction possible.
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Page last updated 12/16/22