PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is pleased to announce that Aasta Mehta, MD, MPP, is the new Director of the Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health (MCFH). In this role, Dr. Mehta oversees aspects of the City’s maternal and infant health services and leads efforts to ensure high-quality, equitable care for Philadelphia’s mothers, children, and families through a comprehensive approach that includes direct services, maternal and infant health outcomes surveillance, coalition building, and innovative public health initiatives.
Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson said, “We are thrilled to announce Dr. Mehta’s appointment to lead our Maternal, Child, and Family Health division. Dr. Mehta is a national leader in family and children’s health who will help lead us into the future on these salient and timely issues.”
Under Dr. Mehta’s leadership, MCFH manages programs such the Community Doula Support Program, Philly Joy Bank, Philly Families CAN, and Birth Justice Philly. Dr. Mehta also spearheads the division’s advocacy efforts, working with legislators, governmental agencies, and community partners to shape policies, secure resources, and address health disparities. Additionally, she oversees policy development, program evaluation, and interagency collaborations to build a coordinated citywide maternal and infant health network.
Beyond her work in Philadelphia, Dr. Mehta plays a critical role in statewide and national maternal health initiatives. She serves as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative Advisory Group. She is also the Co-Lead for the Policy, Dissemination, and Communication Core of AMETHIST@Penn, a National Institute of Health-funded Implementation Science Hub supporting Centers of Excellence across the country in reducing maternal mortality and addressing health disparities.
In addition to her public health leadership, Dr. Mehta is also a practicing Obstetrics and Gynecology hospitalist at Pennsylvania Hospital and serves as Affiliate Faculty member at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, where she developed and teaches a course on maternal health problem solving through public health.
Dr. Mehta has been with PDPH since 2012, previously serving as the Medical Officer of Reproductive Health for 5 years before assuming this new role. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital and earned a Master of Science degree in Public Policy from Drexel University, specializing in Health Policy.
With her expertise and commitment to advancing maternal and child health, Dr. Mehta is poised to drive meaningful change and improve health outcomes for families in Philadelphia.