The University of Michigan School of Public Health has been named one of 13 Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. With a five-year, $1.8 million grant, the new Center of Excellence for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health will focus on addressing workforce gaps in maternal and child health.
“This award recognizes our school’s longstanding commitment to tackling the urgent public health challenges facing mothers, children, and families,” said Kendrin Sonneville, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences and project’s principal investigator. “We’re excited to create new pathways for students to become leaders in maternal and child health and to strengthen partnerships with community and government health organizations supporting maternal and child health.”
The U.S. faces significant maternal and child health challenges, including the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries. Disparities particularly affect Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women, as well as rural communities. In Michigan, challenges like high cesarean rates among low-risk mothers, racial disparities in dental care, and sleep-related infant deaths among Black infants are pressing.
The Center will address these issues by tackling workforce development gaps, enhancing academic-practice partnerships, and rolling out comprehensive evaluation and dissemination strategies.
Providing interdisciplinary training in maternal and child health
This fall, Michigan Public Health will launch a school-wide Certificate in Maternal Child Health, a first for the institution. This interdisciplinary program will train graduate students across six academic departments in specialized competencies aligned with national leadership standards.
The certificate program plans to enroll at least 25 students annually, combining rigorous academic coursework with hands-on experience through partnerships with community health and local government organizations. Students will engage in practice or research experiences, supported by partnerships with organizations like Washtenaw County Health Department and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Support includes targeted funding for students with financial need and those from underrepresented backgrounds, offering internship stipends, PhD dissertation funding, and tuition awards. Additionally, the Center aims to engage at least 50 students annually in related coursework or research activities.
The program will also enhance the Maternal and Child Health Student Association by funding to eliminate membership fees and expand leadership development, community building, and professional networking opportunities.
“We are excited to support both students who want comprehensive training in maternal and child health through the new certificate program and those who are interested in supplementing their education with maternal and child health coursework, applied practice or research experiences, or engagement in a student organization,” Sonneville said.
Fostering academic-practice partnerships
The Center will strengthen collaborations with at least 10 maternal and child health agencies, providing technical assistance and support for policy development through applied research and student-led initiatives.
Laura Power, director of the school’s Office of Public Health Practice and project’s practice lead, will ensure these partnerships provide real-world experience for students while addressing community needs. “Our academic-practice partnerships are essential for bridging the gap between research and practice,” Power said. “Students will gain invaluable experience while helping agencies address complex maternal and child health challenges.”
Tapping existing faculty leadership and expertise
Faculty experts from all six academic departments will lead the program, each with a designated Maternal and Child Health Departmental Faculty Lead to mentor students and develop coursework. The initiative will introduce a formal faculty designation to recognize substantial expertise in maternal and child health.
“The Center of Excellence draws on the incredible depth of maternal and child health expertise across our school and builds on a legacy of critical maternal and child health work led by Michigan Public Health faculty and community partners over decades,” said Karen Peterson, professor and chair of Nutritional Sciences at Michigan Public Health. “From our established research centers to faculty working in a wide range of areas from nutrition to health behavior to environmental health, we’re drawing on deep expertise to train the next generation of maternal and child health leaders.”
Ensuring long-term impact and sustainability
The Center of Excellence aims to establish a sustainable pipeline of well-prepared maternal and child health professionals. The program will track graduates’ career progression for five years to assess training impact. Research findings and curriculum innovations will be shared with other institutions to expand nationwide impact.
The University of Michigan joins an elite group of institutions, including the University of California Berkeley, Harvard University, Emory University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in receiving this award. Funding begins in 2025 and continues through 2030.
This initiative is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant Number HRSA-25-027, Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science, and Practice.
Media Contact
Andrea LaFerle
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University of Michigan School of Public Health
734-764-8094
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