The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.
The Model Continuums of Care Initiative (MCCI) exists to promote the planning phase aimed at advancing health equity and ending health disparities among women and girls in racial/ethnic minority and other underserved communities. It leverages dissemination and implementation science to mitigate the prevalence and impact of multiple morbidities, including mental health disorders, substance use disorders, chronic stress, cardiopulmonary diseases, metabolic disorders like diabetes, cancer, and HIV/AIDS among racial/ethnic minority women and girls of reproductive age. The initiative emphasizes an integrated continuum of care that spans preventive health services, primary care, behavioral health, and specialty care to holistically address healthcare needs, focusing on those aged 15-44 due to the early onset and progression of multimorbidity in this demographic. MCCI underscores the importance of stakeholder partnerships, provider training, and infrastructural improvements to enhance healthcare accessibility for the most underserved subgroups within its target population.