You might have read something I wrote called, “Title This, Title That” where I wrote about Title V, Title XIX and Title XXI… three programs you hear quite a bit about because they provide funding to help us do our work.  The Title V program is the one that helps the work we do with maternal and child health prevention programs.  “Title V” is the shortcut way of talking about maternal and child health because it’s Title V of the Social Security Act.  Our Bureau of Women’s & Children’s Health and our Office of Children with Special Health Care Needs execute the Title V program in Arizona. 

Title V programs are a little different than the other funding.  We get the money through Block Grants.  Each state decides its own priorities based on the needs of that state.  In Arizona we choose our priorities by asking you what we need to improve in the next 5 years.  Not too long ago, we completed the process and set the priorities for maternal and child health including reducing teen pregnancy, reducing the rate of injuries in our state and reducing obesity.  You can read the whole list online, but there are many that overlap with our strategic map.  Setting priorities for the block grant is an ongoing process and we are working on the next block grant application right now.  We’d love to hear your comments.