To ensure maternal and child health (MCH) populations are considered during emergency preparedness and response (EPR) activities at the local level, NACCHO’s Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) team supports local health departments (LHDs) to increase collaboration among MCH and EPR programs for all-hazards preparedness, including infectious disease threats, natural disasters, and other public health emergencies. This portfolio highlights the critical role that LHDs play in responding to public health threats across the country and helps build capacity for LHDs to integrate MCH populations in emergency planning in their jurisdictions. NACCHO’s new MCAH/Preparedness webpage showcases promising practices, tools, and resources for LHDs looking to initiate or expand MCH/EPR cross-collaboration.

The recently launched webpage features a comprehensive resource repository for LHDs to utilize to support and further integrate their MCH and EPR domains, including toolkits, checklists, exercises, guides, and other materials from NACCHO, LHDs, and partner organizations. In addition to providing information about emergency management for all-hazards preparedness, these resources also address topics such as infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IYCF-E), infectious disease response, disability preparedness/inclusive planning, and other considerations impacting maternal and infant health and pediatric populations.

For those looking to expand or initiate collaborative work across MCH and EPR programs at the local level, visit NACCHO’s new MCAH/Preparedness webpage for additional information and resources.