May 19, 2022

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May 19, 2022

Member Briefs Header May 19, 2022

COVID-19 Resources

Recent CDC News

AMCHP COVID-19 Resources and Vaccination Pages

AMCHP is committed to working alongside our federal agency and organizational partners to gather available information, resources, and guidance specific to our MCH population during the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources are on our website for your convenience and are updated regularly as untapped resources become available. Find out more about vaccinating MCH populations to stay up to date on well care during the pandemic here.

AMCHP Announcements

Never miss our updates! Sign up for our newsletters here, and follow us on Twitter (@DC_AMCHP), LinkedIn (Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs), Facebook (AMCHPofficial), and Instagram (@DC_AMCHP).

AMCHP Invites our Members to a Virtual Coffee with Our CEO

Members of AMCHP, please join our CEO, Terrance E. Moore, for a casual and virtual conversation over coffee on June 1, at 2:30 PM EDT (register). Learn more about him and his vision and discuss the challenges you have experienced, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how AMCHP can continue supporting you.

This session will be held on Zoom and will be 45 minutes long. Registration is capped at thirty, so register today!

Recent AMCHP Announcements

AMCHP Annual Conference

The Latest on the AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference

The AMCHP Annual Conference is approaching!

The AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference is just days away! If you have not done so yet, REGISTER NOW to gain access to all the wonderful content that will be shared throughout the conference.

Already registered? Great! You now have access to the platform which will allow you to log in, set up a profile, start viewing on-demand sessions and plan your conference schedule in your local time zone. Please familiarize yourself with the platform early so you are ready to participate on Tuesday, May 24, and start connecting with other attendees!

What to expect at the AMCHP Annual Conference

We are so excited for you to join in one of the largest gatherings of maternal and child health (MCH) leaders and thinkers. This event will be held virtually from May 24-26, featuring a variety of avenues for engagement and growth. Last year’s meeting, also held virtually, was one of AMCHP’s most successful conferences with over 1,300 participants. We feel the same will result with the 2022 conference. This year’s theme is Reflecting our Past, Shaping our Future which was inspired by previous attendee input and the ongoing and increasing adversity that individuals in the MCH field have faced. Throughout the plenary sessions, we will hear from speakers that will take us into what we can learn from the past, how it shapes the reasons for our actions in the present, and why this understanding is vital for us to create a better future together. Highlight the multiple ways in which their journeys to the MCH field enhance and strengthen the overall MCH workforce.

By attending the conference, you will…

Gain a firsthand opportunity to learn about changes occurring in the MCH field
Engage with session topics that will include ensuring equity in systems and services, building and strengthening partnerships, and practicing effective family and youth engagement
Exchange best practices and resources with other MCH professionals
Participate in workshops, student roundtables, and posters featuring a mix of content
Be part of timely themed live-streamed plenary sessions led by association leadership
Get involved in small-group networking and discussion with speakers, AMCHP staff, and fellow attendees
Have exclusive on-demand access to conference sessions, flexible enough to complement any schedule Interested in attending?

NEW THIS YEAR!

Opportunities for intentional virtual networking, including sessions for first-time attendees
See the full schedule in your local time zone
Reformatted virtual exhibit groups that are FULL of resources and a scavenger hunt prize
MORE conference tracks centered around equity

Excited to attend and have access to the on-demand sessions? REGISTER NOW! Follow us on social media to get more updates and for more detailed information about the conference, please visit our conference website.

AMCHP Sharing Your Why Testimonials

Join us for the Sharing Your Why plenary session on May 25, where WHY is front and center! Get inspired by our maternal and child health (MCH) community through their stories as we recognize how public health professionals have been overworked the past couple of years. Discover why they feel passionate about their work, what motivates them, why things need to change to create more equitable opportunities for the MCH population, and where their efforts fit into that change. [read more]

To read more testimonials, please visit AMCHP’s website and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 AMCHP Annual Awards!

AMCHP is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 AMCHP Annual Awards. The awards recognize maternal and child health leaders for their outstanding contributions to the field and will be presented at the AMCHP Annual Conference.

“We are thrilled to recognize 20 maternal and child health leaders and practices in this year’s edition of the AMCHP Awards,” said Terrance E. Moore, Chief Executive Officer of AMCHP. “This year’s awardees are a true example of commitment and dedication to improving the health of women, children, parents, families, and communities nationwide. These awards honor their exemplary leadership and contributions to the maternal and child health field and society.”

Awardees of the 2022 AMCHP Annual Awards include Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha (John MacQueen Lecture Award), Mary Bost (Excellence in State MCH Leadership Award), Dr. Eugene Declercq (Vince Hutchins Leadership Award), Rebecca (Becky) Burns (Merle McPherson Family Leadership Award), and Dylan Campbell (Ryan Colburn Scholarship Award). Awardees for the 2022 Emerging MCH Professional category include Aidea Downie (Region I), Pamela Taylor (Region II), Rachel Heitmann (Region IV), Sarah Dunner (Region V), Rachel Rayla (Region VI), Kafi Dixon (Region VII), Kimberly Hruby (Region VIII), Martin F. Celaya (Region IX), and Rebekah Morisse (Region X). 

This year’s edition of the AMCHP Annual Awards recognizes Senator Cory Booker, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, and Rep. Robin Kelly in its Legislative Champion for MCH Award category. Family Connects (Innovation Hub Best Practice), Infant-Toddler Court Teams (Innovation Hub Empowerment and Partnership), and LEND Trainees as Family Navigators (Innovation Hub Empowerment and Partnership) are also recognized this year.

Congratulations to all the winners! For more information about this year’s awardees please visit this link.

Networking at the AMCHP Annual Conference

Our virtual networking platform, Remo, will be open for a select time each day, from May 24-26, to allow you to move from conversation to conversation and talk to anyone in attendance. You can automatically start video-chatting or move into an open group chat seamlessly. For a tutorial on the platform, please visit this link.

Tuesday, May 24, 12:30 – 1:30 PM EDT

First time attending the AMCHP Annual Conference? Come join us for a NEW first-time attendee session! Hosted by our AMCHP Conference Planning Committee, this session will get you oriented to all things conference. In fact, you don’t even need to be a first-time attendee to enjoy this session!
Are you interested in providing input for AMCHP’s strategic plan for the next five years? Join our strategic planning networking session with AMCHP CEO Terrance Moore.
Come join us for an opportunity to meet Carole Johnson, the new HRSA Administrator. All are welcome!

Wednesday, May 25, 2:30 – 3:15 PM EDT

Join us for an informal networking session with community-based organizations, Title V staff, and MCH professionals and learn more about the growing world of all things MCH! To register for the session, please click here

Thursday, May 26, 1:30 – 2:15 PM EDT

Are you searching for your first (or next) MCH job? Seeking guidance on how to apply for positions with governmental public health agencies and/or community-rooted organizations? Join our exploring career pathways session to hear from early career and more established MCH professionals working in a variety of roles and settings. Students, early career professionals, prospective career switchers, and anyone else interested is encouraged to join!

For more networking sessions, please visit this link.

Workshops, Roundtables, and Exhibits

Workshops

Want all the perks of a live session without any of the technical difficulties that cut into their talk? These workshops are pre-recorded with the opportunity to have a LIVE Q&A with the speaker! Workshops open at the time listed here.

Student and Early Career Professionals Roundtables

The roundtables are an opportunity for students and early career professionals to tap into the expertise of established and other emerging MCH professionals from across the country. Students and early career professionals will deliver five-minute presentations about a topic they would like to explore in greater depth, including any questions they are seeking guidance. There will be time immediately following each presentation for attendees to dialogue with the presenter; this can include sharing relevant considerations, resources, or connections to others engaged in similar or complementary efforts.

Your experience in MCH will be valuable to the presenters, so we encourage you to attend the roundtable sessions:

Tuesday, May 24, 6:15 – 7:15 PM EDT (Maternal and Infant Health)
Wednesday, May 25, 1:30 – 2:30 PM EDT (Child and Adolescent Health)

Exhibits

Do you want a chance at FREE registration for next year’s conference in New Orleans? You will get that chance by visiting our exhibits and posters to complete our scavenger hunt for the chance to win a prize of free registration and more!

Event Highlights

AMCHP Innovation Hub

Unfamiliar with AMCHP’s Innovation Hub and want to learn more? In this session, AMCHP staff will walk you through its newly redesigned Innovation Hub (formally Innovation Station) which is an online platform that provides tools and resources to explore, build, and share successful and effective practices and policies from the MCH field. To join the meeting on May 23, from 3 – 4 PM EDT, please click here.

Film Night

Join AMCHP’s Global Health Workgroup for a film screening and discussion. During the session, participants will watch Amá, a 2018 documentary that focuses on reproductive justice and the enduring legacy of systematic abuses and human rights violations experienced by Native American women and their families in the 1960s and 70s as told through the testimonies and activism of three women: Jean Whitehorse, Yvonne Swan, and Charon Asetoyer. Through a guided discussion, participants will reflect on and examine their own knowledge of issues explored in the film, draw connections to current events, as well as consider ways to promote reproductive justice and reparations in their own communities. To join the meeting, please click here.

Content Warning: This film and discussion contain sensitive topics that some participants may find upsetting including forced sterilization, forced relocation, domestic violence, coercion, and child abuse. We invite you to take care of yourself while attending.

Annual Conference Approved for Continuing Education

As of May 4, 2022, the AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference meets Accreditation and CDC’S Quality Training Standards. Please click this link for more information.

Quick Links

AMCHP Events & Webinars

New Recordings Available!

RECAP: The 2022 Virtual Title V Partnership Meeting Series

This meeting series supports the Title V MCH Services Block Grant Program. Although we are not able to convene in person, we came together virtually in January, March, and April 2022. The overall theme of the meeting series is Addressing Systems Challenges to Advance Equity in MCH. Over the course of this meeting series, states/jurisdictions had the opportunity to network and mutually engage in sessions that highlight key considerations and approaches related to advancing equity within MCH while addressing challenges that may pose obstacles. The series also explored the advantages of partnerships between MCH practitioners; community members and organizations including people with lived experience and youth; government and other organizations. See below for each of the session recordings and you can access all of the meeting materials on this webpage.

Session 1—Approaches to Addressing Systems Challenges in MCH 

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Recording: https://youtu.be/6U2UaSLA7fo

Session 2— Looking Internally within States to Highlight Work in Advancing Health Equity

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Recording: https://youtu.be/HuUftEVgL-o

Session 3—Working Externally: Cross-Sector Partnerships between Community, Government, Business, and Non-profit Organizations to Address Systemic Challenges

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Recording: https://youtu.be/XiNkhnlZFe4

AMCHP Information & Resources

Call for Papers: Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use

Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement | Co-sponsored by AMCHP and ASTHO.

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) are co-sponsoring a Maternal and Child Health Journal supplement on “Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use.”

AMCHP and ASTHO are soliciting manuscripts for the journal supplement that feature effective and innovative policies and programs that expand access to mental health and substance use preventative care, treatment, and recovery supports during the perinatal period.

Manuscript topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Research that highlights structural inequities and the socioeconomic context in which substance use disorder (SUD) occurs
Best practices for prevention, screening, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction
Workforce development programs and policies that build skills and capacity to address perinatal substance use
Innovative approaches to integrating behavioral health into perinatal care settings and minimizing coverage gaps for perinatal behavioral health care and SUD treatment
Policy levers and opportunities to support pregnant and pregnant-capable people with SUD and promote equitable access to care
Relationships between perinatal SUD, access to care, and the COVID-19 pandemic, including lessons learned from COVID-19 response efforts
Racial and health equity implications for pregnant and pregnant-capable people with SUD
Health and legal ramifications of criminalizing perinatal substance use

MCH researchers, state and local public health professionals, healthcare providers, policymakers, practitioners and advocates at community-based organizations, and other allied professionals are encouraged to submit manuscripts. Please read the full Call for Papers to learn more. The guest editorial board includes members of the AMCHP, ASTHO, and Maternal and Child Health Bureau/U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration staff.

In June and July 2022, AMCHP and ASTHO are hosting writing workshops led by Timothy Dye, Editor-in-Chief of the Maternal and Child Health Journal, to support authors. Register to attend one or both writing workshops here.

If you are interested in submitting to the supplement or reviewing manuscript submissions, please contact Amani Echols at aechols@amchp.org.

The Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement is funded through a cooperative agreement from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau within the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

AMCHP Innovation Hub

Join AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Committee!

Are you interested in building evidence and innovation? Do you want to serve as a catalyst for developing and implementing equitable practices and policies? Join AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Committee!

AMCHP is accepting applications for interested individuals to join the committee as part of the 2021-2022 committee year. As a committee member, you will be part of the team working to advance the field of maternal and child health (MCH) through evidence and innovation. Specifically, committee members guide AMCHP’s efforts to identify, review, amplify, and support the replication of innovative and effective MCH approaches. These approaches center on health equity and improving the lives of individuals, families, and communities across the nation by providing evidence- and implementation-centered technical assistance, resources, and support.

Click here for more information, and fill out this form to join AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Committee.

AMCHP Mental Health Corner

Mental health is an important component of well-being for MCH populations. To recognize its importance, we will use this space to highlight resources for MCH professionals to support their own mental health, as well as the mental health of those they serve. Read more about AMCHP’s organizational work on mental health and substance use here.

May is Mental Health Month and includes Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week!

This year, the U.S.’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week campaign focuses on the intersection of maternal mental health and substance use. In connection with this week, AMCHP is promoting its Maternal and Child Health Journal supplement on public health approaches to perinatal substance use. This supplement, sponsored by AMCHP and ASTHO, will feature articles that address policies and programs dedicated to expanding access to mental health and substance use care during the perinatal period. Please read our Call for Papers to learn more.

Interested in receiving more information on what’s happening related to mental health/substance use and MCH? Sign-up for the PRISM Digest, our monthly mental health/substance use newsletter, by emailing jsimon@amchp.org and check out the #AMCHPMentalHealth hashtag on Twitter. Have questions or want to learn more? Contact the mental health team at mentalhealth@amchp.org.

New Post Alert! #ScreenToInterveneForAYAs Blog Highlights Results from the CDC’s Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES)

This latest blog post highlights recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, which sought to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent health. Check out the post to learn more about how protective factors have once again been shown to serve as a buffer against the mental health impacts of trauma and for ideas on how Title V MCH programs can help bolster protective factors for adolescents in their communities. Read the post here. If you would like to receive an e-mail notification when a new blog post is available for viewing, please sign up here.

AMCHP National Policy Calls

Thanks to those of you who joined us at the May AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall! Watch the recording:

The next call in this series is June 9, 2022, from 2:00-3:00 PM EDT. Please use this link to register. Note that this Town Hall series is a continuation of the AMCHP MCH COVID-19 Town Halls under a new name and with a wider scope of the content.

Legislation & Policy

Explore our Maternal Health Bill Tracker for more information about pending federal legislation to improve maternal health.

White House and Congress Work to Address Infant Formula Shortage

Both the White House and Congress have announced measures in response to the ongoing infant formula shortage:

On May 18, the White House announced that it is invoking the Defense Production Act to increase the production of infant formula, as well as launching ‘Operation Fly Formula’ to use federally-owned planes to import formula from other countries. These measures come in addition to previous steps announced by the White House: working with manufacturers and retailers to improve production and access, urging states to relax store formula inventory requirements and provide flexibilities to WIC beneficiaries, and engaging with State Attorney General on plans to lessen price gouging in the infant formula market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also announced new flexibilities on the import of certain infant formula products from other countries. Learn more about steps the Administration is taking with this fact sheet from the White House and this list of resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In Congress, the House of Representatives passed two bills addressing the formula shortage on May 18. The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R.7790), proposed by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), would provide $28 million in emergency supplemental funds to the FDA to import infant formula from other countries. The Access to Baby Formula Act (H.R.7791), introduced by Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5), would waive certain restrictions on the types of formula available for purchase through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program. Both bills now head to the Senate. Additionally, three hearings are being held in the House on the shortage: the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy & Commerce will hold a hearing on May 25, and the House Committee on Appropriations is holding two hearings on May 19 and May 25.

To learn more about safe formula practices, check out this fact sheet from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Legislation Including Maternal Mental Health Provisions Advanced Out of House Energy and Commerce Committee

The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Wellbeing Act of 2022 (H.R.7666), a wide-sweeping bill to reauthorize federal programs related to mental health and substance use disorders, advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, May 18,following a Committee markup session. This legislative package includes the entirety of the Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Act (H.R.7073, S.3824), which reauthorizes and expands grants for the Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Disorders Program, as well as authorizes the newly-launched Maternal Mental Health hotline. The Restoring Hope Act will now be considered by the full House of Representatives. You can track the progress of this bill and others concerning maternal health on AMCHP’s Maternal Health Bill Tracker.

Legislation Banning Crib Bumpers and Inclined Sleepers for Infants Signed into Law

On May 16, President Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021 (P.L.117-126), outlawing the manufacture, sale, or distribution of crib bumpers and inclined sleepers for infants. This federal legislation follows several state and city-level bans and was developed in response to nearly 200 reported infant sleep-related deaths due to these products. AMCHP supported the passage of the Safe Sleep for Babies Act.

 Opportunities & Funding 

AMCHP Career Center: Connecting Talent with Opportunity

AMCHP lists the top jobs available in our industry. Search and apply to open positions or post jobs on AMCHP Career Center! Search for Jobs | Post a Job. 

Publication & Resources

ZERO TO THREE: State of Babies Yearbook: 2022

ZERO TO THREE has just released their State of Babies Yearbook: 2022, a resource meant to close the gap between science and policy in the United States. The resource includes a wealth of data and some key findings that among others, include:

There is tremendous variation across states in how and to what extent babies are prioritized.
National and state data on maternal health, birth outcomes, material hardship, and barriers to quality childcare suggest that babies might be left behind.

And many other significant findings for MCH professionals! Check out their page HERE.

Now available! Recorded sessions from the youth-led Region VIII AYAH Summit: Uplifting Youth Adult Partnerships for Health Justice

This virtual summit, hosted by the Region 8 Federal Interagency Adolescent and Young Adult Workgroup, was designed by AYA leaders to help professionals working with young people in regional states and Tribes (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) understand the importance of authentic youth engagement in all aspects of work. Participants were exposed to tools and skills development from young adult leaders on ways to partner authentically. Session topics include connectedness, youth-adult partnerships, respectful and inclusive LGBTQ+ engagement, reproductive health and justice, environmental justice, and the use of photovoice to bring awareness to important issues affecting young people now and in the future.

Sessions:

Recent Publications & Resources

Commemorations

COVID-19 Resources

Recent CDC News

AMCHP COVID-19 Resources and Vaccination Pages

AMCHP Announcements

AMCHP Invites our Members to a Virtual Coffee with Our CEO

Recent AMCHP Announcements

AMCHP Annual Conference

The Latest on the AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference

The AMCHP Annual Conference is approaching!

What to expect at the AMCHP Annual Conference

AMCHP Sharing Your Why Testimonials

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 AMCHP Annual Awards!

Networking at the AMCHP Annual Conference

Workshops, Roundtables, and Exhibits

Event Highlights

Annual Conference Approved for Continuing Education

Quick Links

AMCHP Events & Webinars

New Recordings Available!

RECAP: The 2022 Virtual Title V Partnership Meeting Series

AMCHP Information & Resources

Call for Papers: Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use

AMCHP Innovation Hub

Join AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Committee!

AMCHP Mental Health Corner

New Post Alert! #ScreenToInterveneForAYAs Blog Highlights Results from the CDC’s Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES)

In Case you Missed It!

AMCHP National Policy Calls

Legislation & Policy

White House and Congress Work to Address Infant Formula Shortage

Legislation Including Maternal Mental Health Provisions Advanced Out of House Energy and Commerce Committee

Legislation Banning Crib Bumpers and Inclined Sleepers for Infants Signed into Law

Opportunities & Funding

AMCHP Career Center: Connecting Talent with Opportunity

Publication & Resources

ZERO TO THREE: State of Babies Yearbook: 2022

Now available! Recorded sessions from the youth-led Region VIII AYAH Summit: Uplifting Youth Adult Partnerships for Health Justice

Recent Publications & Resources

Commemorations

May 2022

Weeks to Note:

Days to Note:

 Opportunities & Funding 