HRSA is releasing six grants totaling $1.5 million to universities around the nation for research to improve the health care of mothers and children.
 
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, recipient of two awards, will conduct research on early childhood development and on the capacity of maternal and child health programs and professionals to assure the health of children with special health care needs (CSHCN).  Georgetown University researchers will investigate access to dental services through Medicaid for CSHCH who live in the Washington, D.C., area.
 
The University of California at Davis will examine problems associated with breastfeeding during the first few weeks after delivery.  The University of Maryland will continue its work in health promotion and reduction of overweight in low-income, urban African American teenagers.  And a University of Utah research team will examine the use of oral Dexamethasone to treat infant bronchiolitis, the most common lower-respiratory infection in infants.
 
A table of grantees follows:
 

Maternal and Child Health Research Program, FY 2005
Organization	City	State	Award
Regents of the University of California	Davis	Calif.	$393,501
Georgetown University	Washington	D.C.	274,646
Univ. of Maryland, School of Nursing	Baltimore	Md.	200,000
University of North Carolina	Chapel Hill	N.C.	183,879
University of North Carolina	Chapel Hill	N.C.	89,866 (CSHCN)
University of Utah	Salt Lake City	Utah	399,999
Total:			$1,541,891