• Enhancing education and support services for high-risk pregnant women. Preference will be given to interventions that focus on reducing disparities in birth outcomes
• Increasing participation in state or local maternal child health programs through enhanced outreach, education and public awareness.
• Enhancing preconception/interconception education and support services for women at high-risk due to previous poor outcomes, chronic conditions (i.e. diabetes, hypertension) or other risk factors.

Increasing Availability of Prevention Services

• Increasing smoking cessation services available to pregnant women who smoke. Preference will be given to prenatal health education and information/referral services that utilize the "5 A's" counseling approach. For more information on the “5As” visit http://www.acog.org/.
• Increasing education, screening and treatment (excluding billable services) for urinary and reproductive tract infections in women. This may include sexually transmitted infections.
• Increasing prenatal health education and information/referral services available to pregnant women who use alcohol or other drugs.

Increasing Availability of Genetics Services and Folic Acid Education

• Enhancing the availability, quality and utilization of genetics services and/or other patient services related to preventable birth defects.
• Increasing folic acid education and use of multi-vitamins among women of childbearing age.

The Chapter funds grants at two levels:

• Community awards may be funded up to $3,000. Conferences and projects of limited size are appropriate for this category.
• Community grants range from $10,000 to $25,000. Application for these funds is more rigorous and starts with the letter of intent.

All award and grant requests are reviewed by a committee of volunteers with expertise in the field of maternal and child health.