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Database Maternal And Child Health Database

Updated February 20, 2023
Related Topic: Health

Through the interactive database on this page, find up-to-date information about enacted maternal and child health (MCH) legislation. Legislative topics include newborn screening, women's health, childhood obesity and nutrition, maternal and infant mortality, maternal and child mental health and the impacts of substance use on the MCH population.

You can search legislation by state, topic, keyword, year, status or primary sponsor. Topics include fourteen categories related to maternal and child health. See a detailed list and explanations of each term.

MCH Database Features and Notes

2017-18 Session. There were more than 400 enacted bills and resolutions in state legislatures.

2018-19 Session. There were more than 300 enacted bills and resolutions in state legislatures.

Childhood Obesity Note: NCSL included certain acts on physical activity and physical education that reflect states’ commitments to data collection and analysis, awareness and raising education and activity standards that can address childhood obesity, although childhood obesity may not be expressly mentioned. 

Appropriations/Budget Note: NCSL excluded appropriation and budget bills, except in the case of legislatures that included substantial policy-specific language directing the implementation or coordination of funding appropriated.

Full Text: The full text of bills is now available to members and all users by clicking on the bill number. All visitors to this site may access all features at no charge and without use of a password.

The explanations of topics provided below are brief highlights of filed legislation contained in the database and are not intended to include all features or provisions. Users can search text for examples and specific keywords.

Maternal And Child Health Database

For faster performance, please use the fields below to filter your results. If you select nothing, the default search will pick up all topics and states in the most recent session year available. The full text of bills is available by clicking on the bill number. This feature is available for bills from 2015 and later.

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Keyword
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Bill Number
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Explanation of Search Keywords

  • Childhood Obesity

    State policies that focus on decreasing rates of childhood obesity. This includes policies that address how healthcare providers and communities prevent, diagnose and treat childhood obesity. Please note: While related to childhood obesity, childhood nutrition is a separate category for ease of classification.

  • Children's Nutrition

    State policies that address the nutritional value of food provided to children in public schools and other settings, such as “lunch shaming,” policies or programs related to children’s food in schools such as shared table, school meal programs, WIC (Women, Infants and Children’s program) and others.

  • Children's Mental Health—Schools

    State policies that address a student’s mental health through increased access to mental health prevention services, screenings and/or treatment in schools.

  • Children's Mental Health—Services

    State policies that address children’s mental health outside of a school setting. This includes prevention services, screening services, insurance mandates or requirements and inpatient and outpatient services and treatment.

  • Maternal Mental Health

    State policies that address access to care or provide programmatic supports and services for women from the preconception period to the post-partum period.

  • Infant Mortality

    State policies addressing infant mortality. These may include infant mortality review commissions, labor and delivery procedural or payment policies, data collection and community-based approaches.

  • Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

    State policies addressing maternal mortality and/or morbidity. These may include maternal mortality review commissions, labor and delivery procedural or payment policies, data collection, and community-based approaches.

  • Childhood Immunization Requirements

    State policies related to public school vaccine requirements for children and other related policies.

  • Newborn Screening

    State policies related to screening newborns for developmental, genetic, and metabolic disorders through a blood test, identifying potentially fatal diseases.

  • Children's Oral Health

    State policies related to children’s oral health in school settings or community settings. This may include provider education and screening for diseases. Includes policies and programs that improve children’s access to oral health services.

  • Breastfeeding

    State policies that facilitate women’s ability to breastfeed. Includes state laws related to breast milk banks, breastfeeding in the workplace and supporting breastfeeding through various state programs and agencies.

  • Long-acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs)

    State policies related to increasing access to post-partum LARC insertion.

  • Oral Health and Pregnancy

    State policies related to access to oral health coverage, services or oral health education for pregnant women.

Related Resources

State Contraception Policies

States expand upon federal requirements to address access to contraception through various policy levers, including insurance requirements, scope of practice modifications for advanced practice clinicians and pharmacists and other provider requirements.
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Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce

Several states have implemented additional training requirements to address patient safety and prepare workers to handle the challenges associated with direct care work.
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  • Contact NCSL

  • For more information on this topic, use this form to reach NCSL staff.