Policy Update: Congress Passes Comprehensive Spending Bill Funding Many Maternal-Child Health Programs
On February 4, 2026, Congress passed a comprehensive spending bill to fund several branches of the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026, which ends on September 30, 2026.
This spending bill includes funding for two important maternal mental health programs within the Department of Health and Human Services, which we have advocated for since 2019, bringing over $100 million to the field of maternal mental health.
MMHLA's Advocacy Secured $20 Million in Federal Funding for Maternal Mental Health Programs
MMHLA’s two programs that received federal funding are:
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA), which was funded at $8 million for FY2026, an increase of $1 million over previous funding levels. The additional funding will be used for public awareness, especially among military families, Tribal communities, and individuals living in rural locations. The Hotline has received over 90,000 calls/texts since it launched on Mother’s Day 2022.
The Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Program, which was funded at $12 million for FY2026, an increase of $1 million over previous funding levels. Currently, 12 states and Los Angeles County receive grants through this program; the additional funding will expand grants to additional states and/or Tribal entities.
Congress Passed 3 Pieces of Maternal-Child Health Legislation
As part of the comprehensive spending package, Congress passed three pieces of legislation addressing the health and welfare of our nation’s mothers, infants, and families.
Huge congratulations to the March of Dimes and Shades of Blue Project for leading advocacy on these important laws (listed below) that will help save lives and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.
The Preventing Maternal Deaths Act supports state-based Maternal Mortality Review Committees, which are multi-disciplinary committees that review all deaths that occur during pregnancy and the first year postpartum. (Advocacy lead: March of Dimes)
The Prematurity Research Education and Expansion for Mothers who deliver Infants Early (PREEMIES) Act will provide resources to prevent premature births and to improve care for infants with specialized needs. (Advocacy lead: March of Dimes)
The Newborn Essentials Support Toolkits (NEST) Act will provide funding for supply kits for new mothers. (Advocacy lead: Shades of Blue Project)
Many Maternal-Child Health Programs that were Slated for Elimination Secured Federal Funding—Advocacy Works!
As part of this comprehensive spending bill, Congress included funding for many programs that support the health and well-being of our nation’s mothers, infants, children, and families.
Last year, several of these programs were slated for elimination in earlier budget drafts. But now—as a direct result of ongoing efforts from advocacy organizations—funding for these programs was reinstated in the final budget. This is a huge win that demonstrates the power and influence of our collective voices!
We are grateful to both Congress and the Administration for continuing to fund these vital programs that provide support and resources to mothers, infants, and families, as well as the healthcare professionals who care for them. And, as always, we are grateful to everyone in our network who called, emailed, and advocated to make sure their elected officials know that maternal-child health programs deserve to be funded and supported.
See below for a list of the maternal-child health programs that received federal funding:
Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health ($17.3 million)
Develops patient safety bundles on specific maternal health topics to improve the quality of care during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period.
Head Start ($12.4 million)
Supports children's growth from birth to age five through services centered around early learning and development, health, and family well-being.
Healthy Start ($142.5 million)
Invests in communities to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy by tailoring services to community needs, with the goal of enhancing mothers’ health and preventing infant deaths. This funding also includes $250,000 for a blood pressure monitoring pilot project.
Hospitals Promoting Breastfeeding ($9.75 million)
Provides critical support to advance breastfeeding, continuity of care, and increase access to lactation-friendly environments in states, hospitals, and communities.
IMPROVE Initiative ($63.4 million)
Supports research to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths and improve health for women before, during, and after pregnancy with a special emphasis on populations that are disproportionately affected.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health ($15 million)
Improves outcomes for children from birth through age 12 by developing, maintaining, and enhancing infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment services.
Integrated Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women ($10 million)
Improves services that impact a woman’s health before, during, and after pregnancy by connecting clinical care, behavioral health, and social services.
Maternal Produce Prescriptions ($15 million)
Provides grants to community-based organizations to develop interventions for low-income and underserved urban and rural maternal populations at risk of poor health outcomes due to nutrition insecurity and other health-related factors.
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities ($205 million)
Administers programs that address birth defects, developmental disabilities, blood disorders, genetic conditions, and people living with disabilities.
Newborn Essentials Support Toolkits ($5 million)
Provide supply kits for new mothers through partnerships with local entities, including hospitals, health centers, and community-based organizations that serve mothers and infants.
Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Programs ($13 million)
Help pediatric health professionals with consultation, training, resources, and referrals to support children’s mental health.
Pregnant and Postpartum Women Program ($38.9 million)
Provide residential treatment for pregnant and postpartum women experiencing substance use disorder. This program allows children to stay with their mothers, removing significant barriers in accessing care.
Safe Motherhood Initiative ($113.5 million)
Provides programs that support safe maternal and infant health, including Maternal Mortality Review Committees, Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, and the Pregnancy-Associated Risk Assessment Survey.
Safe to Sleep Campaign ($1.3 million)
Funds public awareness to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related infant deaths.
State Maternal Health Innovation Program ($55 million)
Improves maternal health by establishing maternal health task forces, increasing access to care, improving data collection, and launching new initiatives.
Surveillance to Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies ($23 million)
Collects and analyzes data to detect the effects of emerging and reemerging threats on pregnant women and their infants.
Stillbirth Working Group ($2 million)
Implements the recommendations of the Stillbirth Working Group: improved record-keeping, data collection and analysis, addressing disparities, supporting families, and research and prevention.
Title V Maternal-Child Health Block Grant ($818.7 million)
Is a federal-state partnership that improves public health systems for mothers, infants, and their families. The federal government uses a formula to determine each state's grant amount based on its population and need. States apply for funding each year and must match $4 in federal funding with at least $3 in state funding.
Other Public Health Wins in the Federal Spending Bill
Congress also made several directives to the Executive Branch, including:
Requiring that the Department of Health and Human Services provide Congress at least three days notice before terminating any existing contract.
Requiring state Medicaid programs to conduct studies on the costs of providing maternity, labor, and delivery services in rural hospitals and hospitals that serve a high proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Read the Full Federal Spending Bill to Learn More
Click here to read the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026.
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