Skip to main content

Cynthia
Schaffer
Minkovitz
,
MD

Chair, Population, Family & Reproductive Health
William H. Gates Sr. Professor
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine
Professor

Cynthia Minkovitz, MD, MPP, focuses on enhancing the quality of preventive services for children and understanding how policies and programs impact child and family well-being.

Contact Info

615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E4527
Baltimore
Maryland
21205
US        
410-955-2303

Research Interests

Population, Family, and Reproductive Health; early childhood systems; service coordination; early childhood services; child development, policies, and programs; community pediatrics; maternal depression; children's health care utilization; preventive services; provider behavior; health systems reform
Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
MD
Harvard University
1991
MPP
Harvard University
1991
BA
Harvard College
1986
Overview
Cynthia Minkovitz, MD, MPP, is the William H. Gates, Sr. Professor and Chair of the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine. Her research focuses on enhancing systems of care and the quality of preventive services for children and families. As Director of the Johns Hopkins Maternal and Child Health Center of Excellence in Education, Science and Practice, she also examines the impact of systems reforms on the health and well-being of children and families. Dr. Minkovitz serves on the Leadership Team for the Home Visiting Applied Research Collaborative (HARC); HARC’s mission is to promote precision research in the delivery of early childhood services—to assure that the right children get the right services at the right time. Dr. Minkovitz has led national and state evaluations including Healthy Steps for Young Children, the Dyson Community Pediatrics Training Initiative, and New Jersey Project LAUNCH. Dr. Minkovitz co-led efforts to develop a framework to promote coordination in the early childhood system and currently collaborates on multiple state-specific and national initiatives to enhance early childhood systems of care.
Honors & Awards
Academic Pediatric Association Research Award (2016)
Nemours Child Health Services Research Award (2005)
Society for Pediatric Research (2005); Delta Omega Honor Society (2002)
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award (2001, 2003, 2010)
Ambulatory Pediatric Association Special Projects Grant (2001)
Harvey Colten Achievement Award, Washington University (2001)
Rochester Child Health Congress, AAP Center for Child Health Research (2001)
Select Publications
Selected publications highlight work focused on early childhood systems of care, maternal and child health, and preventive services for children and families.
  • West A, Duggan A, Gruss K, Minkovitz C. Service Coordination to Address Maternal Mental Health, Partner Violence, and Substance Use: Findings from a National Survey of Home Visiting Programs. Prev Sci. 2021 Jul;22(5):633-644. doi: 10.1007/s11121-021-01232-9. Epub 2021 Apr 9. PubMed PMID: 33835378.
  • Taylor RM, Minkovitz CS. Warm Handoffs for Improving Client Receipt of Services: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J. 2021;25(4):528-541. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-03057-4. Epub 2021 Jan 3. Review. PubMed PMID: 33392929.
  • Minkovitz CS, O'Neill KM, Duggan AK. Home Visiting: A Service Strategy to Reduce Poverty and Mitigate Its Consequences. Acad Pediatr. 2016 Apr;16(3 Suppl):S105-11. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2016.01.005. PubMed PMID: 27044687.
  • Sosa S, Kogan MD, Garcia S, Strobino DM, Minkovitz CS. Strengthening the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health: Implementing the New Performance Measurement Framework for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Matern Child Health J. 2021;25(2):221-229. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-03018-x. Epub 2021 Jan 4. PubMed PMID: 33392933.
  • Minkovitz CS, Strobino D, Mistry KB, Scharfstein DO, Grason H, Hou W, Ialongo N, Guyer G. Healthy Steps for Young Children: Sustained Results at 5 ½ Years. Pediatrics. 2007; 120: e658-e668.
Projects
New Jersey Preschool Develompent Grant Birth Through Age Five
Home Visiting Applied Research Collaborative
State Policies and Children's Oral Health
Strengthen the Evidence for MCH Programs
New Jersey Maternal, Infant & Early Childhood Home Visiting Program