Center of Excellence in MCAH

As just one of 13 HRSA-funded Centers of Excellence (CoE) in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH), we draw on over 70 years of demonstrated expertise in training and preparing future leaders in the field of MCAH. We have provided superior graduate training, continuing education, research, and service since our founding in 1953. The program has over 1,250 alumni across the country and world. It is our mission to develop the next generation of leaders equipped to solve the health challenges facing women, birthing people, children, adolescents and families of the 21st century. 

The purpose of our CoE in MCAH is to:

1. Strengthen and expand the MCAH workforce by training graduate and post-graduate public health students in MCAH

2. Advance MCAH science, research, practice and policy through a well-trained MCAH public health workforce. 

Fact Sheet for HRSA Centers of Excellence in MCH in Education, Science, and Practice

How does being a Center of Excellence benefit our MCAH students?

Students who are accepted into UC Berkeley’s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Master of Public Health Program are automatically considered trainees of the CoE in MCAH. By being a trainee of the CoE they are exposed to numerous opportunities especially created to strengthen their leadership in MCAH through knowledge and skill building that is necessary to build public health capacity. This is done through a multi-pronged approach that includes: 

• Multifaceted and interdisciplinary graduate curriculum

• Dynamic learning environments that are designed to respond to newly emerging issues in MCAH and address the unique needs of the diverse communities and cultures of the San Francisco Bay Area, State of California, the United States, and the world

• Supplemental funding to support academics and professional development opportunities (e.g., traineeships, student employment, funding for conference presentations, etc.)

• MCAH-focused summer practicum placements

• Collaborative projects with MCAH communities and Title V partners

• Dedicated faculty and staff to support MCAH trainee career exploration and workforce development

• Prepare future leaders in the service of MCAH populations across the state, nation and world;
• Recruit, train and mentor a diverse cadre of MCAH students responsive to changing economic, political and demographic trends;
• Train students to identify how health equity, social determinants, and risk and protective factors contribute to health outcomes for women, children, adolescents, children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), and families; analyze data that support these observations; and design interventions to improve health outcomes;
• Develop, foster and sustain cultural and linguistic competence in MCAH across all aspects of our academic curriculum, research, and programmatic activities;
• Conduct cutting-edge research that addresses priority needs of MCAH populations, nationally and globally, and increases the evidence base for decision makers and practitioners; and
• Build strong partnerships with other MCAH Training Programs and CoE, Title V stakeholders and MCAH communities to advance and share knowledge and skills, strengthen professional networks, and provide technical assistance and continuing education in MCAH.