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FAQs: MCH Pediatric Research Network Program (HRSA Cooperative Agreement)

What is the MCH Pediatric Research Network Program?

The MCH Pediatric Research Network Program is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) cooperative agreement focused on strengthening and expanding a national, practice-based pediatric research network. The goal is to improve children's health through primary care by connecting front-line child health clinicians across many real-world community settings and supporting collaborative, multi-site studies that can directly inform everyday practice.

What is the main purpose of this program?

The purpose is to build and sustain a national pediatric primary care research network that produces practical, usable evidence and accelerates translation into routine care. The program emphasizes translational research, meaning the expectation is not only to publish results, but also to turn findings into practical tools, evidence-based guidelines, and routine care improvements that can be adopted quickly by providers and health systems.

What does "practice-based pediatric research network" mean in this context?

It refers to a research network rooted in everyday clinical practice settings, especially community-based primary care environments where most children receive ongoing care. The network is intended to support studies across multiple sites and real-world settings so findings are relevant to day-to-day pediatric primary care, not only to academic medical centers.

How is a cooperative agreement different from a standard grant?

This opportunity is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which means the federal agency (HRSA) is expected to have substantial involvement with the awardee compared with a standard grant. In practice, that typically implies a more collaborative relationship with the funder during implementation.

Why does the program emphasize a national and diverse network?

The program expects the network to be national in scope and diverse so it can meaningfully study and address disparities across racial and ethnic groups and across rural and urban communities. A diverse network also supports research that reflects the needs of children and families who face barriers such as poverty, geographic isolation, systemic inequities, and limited access to services.

How does this program prioritize health equity?

Health equity is prioritized by expecting outreach to underserved populations and by supporting research that reflects the experiences and needs of children and families facing barriers to care. The program also aims to generate evidence that helps primary care teams deliver more equitable care across a wide range of community settings.

Which child populations are specifically called out as priorities?

The opportunity specifically highlights children with special health care needs and children at elevated risk for adverse developmental outcomes across physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains.

What kinds of organizations and partners are expected to participate in the network?

The funded recipient is expected to build and maintain collaborations across a transdisciplinary mix of pediatric providers and partners. Examples mentioned include pediatric and family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health professionals working in community health centers, public health departments, school health centers, and other community-based settings.

What types of research activities does the program support?

The program supports the development and conduct of studies addressing high-priority issues in child health and pediatric health care delivery. It also emphasizes building network infrastructure that can support innovative projects and advanced methods where appropriate.

Is health informatics or technology use part of the program expectations?

Yes. A major emphasis is developing infrastructure for innovative, health-informatics-oriented projects, including studies that leverage electronic health data, clinical decision support tools, and other technology-enabled approaches that improve care delivery and outcome tracking.

Does the program include capacity-building for clinicians and network members?

Yes. The network is expected to build the research capacity of its members by helping primary care practitioners and affiliated partners generate, refine, and implement strong research ideas grounded in clinical practice.

Are evidence-based guidelines an expected deliverable?

Yes. A required outcome is the creation of evidence-based guidelines derived from network findings that clinicians can use to improve child health services.

How are findings expected to be shared outside the network?

The program expects robust dissemination so results do not remain internal. Examples of dissemination channels include peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, webinars, websites, and other communication approaches aimed at health professionals, policymakers, and the public.

Does this opportunity include workforce development?

Yes. Workforce development is part of the program expectations. The network is expected to foster development and mentorship of junior and new investigators from within its membership to support sustainability and build the next generation of pediatric practice-based researchers.

Is the network encouraged to pursue funding beyond this award?

Yes. The network is encouraged to leverage its infrastructure to bring in additional research support, implementing studies not only through MCHB resources but also by competing for or partnering on external funding opportunities.

What is the legal authority for this program?

The program is authorized under Title V of the Social Security Act, section 501(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 701(a)(2)), reflecting alignment with national maternal and child health priorities.

What is the CFDA number associated with this funding?

The funding is listed under CFDA 93.110, titled "Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs."

Which federal agency sponsors this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

How many awards were anticipated for the archived opportunity HRSA-15-089?

The archived opportunity HRSA-15-089 anticipated one award.

What was the estimated funding amount and maximum award size?

The estimated total funding amount was $200,000, and the award ceiling was $200,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The archived posting stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who was eligible to apply under the archived opportunity?

Eligible applicants included public or nonprofit institutions of higher education and public or private nonprofit agencies engaged in research or programs relating to maternal and child health and/or services for children with special health care needs, consistent with 42 C.F.R. 51a.3(b).

When did the application window open and close for HRSA-15-089?

The application window opened on December 31, 2014, and closed on March 2, 2015.

When was this opportunity archived?

The listing was archived on May 1, 2015.

How long has MCHB supported this type of pediatric research network?

The opportunity notes that the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) has supported this type of network since 1986, indicating a long-standing federal interest in maintaining a national platform for pediatric primary care research.

Why is there a focus on primary care settings rather than only academic centers?

The program highlights the importance of primary care networks because most children receive ongoing care in community-based primary care settings. Building evidence in these settings helps ensure interventions and guidelines fit the realities of busy, resource-variable community environments and can be adopted broadly.