July 28, 2022

COVID-19 Resources

CDC Recommends Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adults ages 18 years and older. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available in the coming weeks, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adults. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers.

Protein subunit vaccines package harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus alongside another ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond to the virus in the future. Vaccines using protein subunits have been used for more than 30 years in the United States, beginning with the first licensed hepatitis B vaccine. Other protein subunit vaccines used in the United States today include those to protect against influenza and whooping cough (acellular pertussis). [continue reading]

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).

New MCH Bridges Podcast Episode!

What’s Public Health Got to Do with It? Maternal Health, Substance Use, and the Criminal Justice System

Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 7 – What’s Public Health Got to Do with It? Maternal Health, Substance Use, and the Criminal Justice System.”

In this episode, Rachel shares her journey as a mom navigating incarceration while pregnant and recovering from a substance use disorder, and Essence Hairston, UNC Horizons Clinical Instructor, offers her perspective on opportunities for the public health field to better support pregnant people who use substances.

Share with your peers and listen to this and other episodes on www.mchbridges.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Overcast.

Why tune in to MCH Bridges?

MCH Bridges is designed to help our listeners create new connections to MCH leaders, organizations, and ideas. We aim to inspire and guide listeners towards actions that will improve the systems that impact MCH populations.

Who should listen to MCH Bridges?

MCH Bridges is designed for Title V MCH & CYSHCN leaders, state and jurisdictional health department staff, individuals with lived experience and their families, MCH faculty and students, public health professionals, and others wanting to learn more about supporting MCH populations and equitable systems of care.

We’d like to hear from you! Complete this short survey to share input and let us know who or what you’d like to hear about on future episodes. If you have any questions or suggestions about the podcast, please contact Maura Leahy (mleahy@amchp.org).

Recent AMCHP Announcements 

AMCHP Annual Conference 

Sharing Your Why Testimonials

Thank you for joining us at the AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference and for participating in our Sharing Your Why plenary session, where WHY was front and center.

Check out our webpage to get inspired by our maternal and child health community through their stories! Access their testimonies to learn why they feel passionate about their work, what motivates them, why things need to change to create more equitable opportunities for the maternal and child health population, and where their efforts fit into that change.

Post-Conference Reminders

You still have access to ALL conference content!

Want to revisit your favorite session or engage with the content you might have missed live? For a full year, all registered participants will have access to all the on-demand content, live plenary sessions, workshops, and more! Visit the conference website, log in with your access code, and continue to be inspired by all the wonderful speakers and participants this year on your own time.

Save the Date for AMCHP 2023!

Are you feeling revitalized by the powerful content of this year’s conference? SAVE THE DATE for next year’s in-person conference that will take place May 7-9, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana. We are so excited to be able to offer an in-person experience after two years of wonderful virtual conferences!

Interested in receiving all the details about the AMCHP 2023 Annual Conference? Subscribe to our email list at this link!

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 here for more information.

AMCHP Events & Webinars

Beyond Labels: Introduction to a Toolkit for Professionals to Reduce Stigma Towards Women and Their Families

Join AMCHP on Tuesday, August 9, from 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT for a webinar featuring the March of Dimes (MOD). MOD will discuss their toolkit, Beyond Labels, geared towards professionals to reduce stigma toward mothers and their families. The panelists from MOD will provide a high-level overview of the toolkit, discuss how states have implemented the toolkit, and share opportunities for participants to further engage with MOD with this toolkit. Register for the event here.

Webinar – Making the Call for MCH: Exploring the Maternal Mental Health Hotline and the 988 Crisis Lifeline

Join AMCHP and ASTHO for this virtual learning session on August 17, from 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT. This national webinar is part of the PRISM learning community. It will explore the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, the 988 Suicide Prevention Crisis Lifeline, and opportunities for public health agencies to partner to promote their success and support MCH populations’ mental health and wellbeing. Guest speakers include:

  • John Draper, Executive Vice President, National Networks, Vibrant Emotional Health & Executive Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
  • Dawn Levinson, Behavioral Health Lead, Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
  • Richard McKeon, Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Register here.

E-Learning from AMCHP Staff!

Two AMCHP staff, Maura Leahy and Laura Powis, recently completed the CDC E-Learning Institute Fellowship. As a part of this six-month fellowship, Maura and Laura each created 20-minute quick learns using best practices in e-learning, adult learning theory, and instructional design, and both courses are available to you! You just need a free CDC TRAIN account to access them.

Maura’s course, How to Plan an Accessible Virtual Event, can be accessed at this link. For questions, please email Maura at mleahy@amchp.org.

Laura’s course, Shifting Power in Practice: Strategies for Centering People with Lived Experience When Making Evidence-Based Decisions, can be accessed at this link. For questions, please email Laura at lpowis@amchp.org.

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.

In August, AMCHP’s mental health social media posts will focus on a variety of mental health and substance use disorder topics including stigma, the new mental health hotlines, trauma and overdose. We encourage you to retweet our material and use the hashtag: #AMCHPMentalHealth.

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 emailingjsimon@amchp.organd check out the#AMCHPMentalHealthhashtag on Twitter. Have questions or want to learn more? Contact the mental health team atmentalhealth@amchp.org.

AMCHP National Policy Calls

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls

Thank you to those of you who joined us for our July AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:

The next Town Hall will be on Thursday, August 11, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT. We invite you to register for that and future Town Halls at this link.

Legislation & Policy

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

Right to Contraception Act Passes House, Introduced in Senate      

On Thursday, July 21, the Right to Contraception Act (H.R.8373/S.4557) passed the House of Representatives primarily along party lines. An identical partner bill was also introduced in the Senate. The legislation would codify the right for individuals to obtain contraceptives and for health care providers to provide contraceptives in federal statute. It is unclear whether the bill has a path forward to passage in the Senate. AMCHP has endorsed this legislation; you can read our quote in support here.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Proposes $204 M Increase to Title V MCH Block Grant in Fiscal Year 2023

On Thursday, July 28, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (L-HHS) released their draft Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) bill. The bill proposes $951.7 million for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (MCH Block Grant) in FY23, which would be a $204 million increase compared to the final FY22 funding level of $747.7 million. According to our reading, the $204 million increase would be divided as a $30.8 million increase to State Formula Funding and $173 million to Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS).

The Senate draft FY23 bill comes three weeks after the House Appropriations Committee passed a draft FY23 bill that included a $125 million increase for the MCH Block Grant. However, both the House and Senate bills do not reflect bipartisan and bicameral negotiations, and Congress is unlikely to pass final FY23 funding until after the midterm elections. AMCHP’s Government Affairs Team will continue to follow the FY23 appropriations process and provide additional updates.

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. 

AMCHP Career Opportunities

Be part of our team! AMCHP is seeking individuals for the roles listed below. AMCHP offers a 100% virtual work/telework environment for all positions.

Associate Director (or Director) of Policy and Government Affairs: This senior-level position is a member of AMCHP’s Public Policy & Government Affairs Team and contributes to the advancement of maternal and child health (MCH) in the U.S. by working on initiatives that support AMCHP’s legislative agenda. This individual maintains a commitment to dismantling structural racism and rebuilding the policy systems that serve our communities in ways that center on racial and other forms of equity. The position reports to the Chief Government Affairs officer. [learn more]

Equity, Epidemiology, & Evaluation Equity Metrics Intern: AMCHP is looking to employ a paid intern to support AMCHP’s Equity, Epidemiology, & Evaluation Team in the conduction of an equity assessment of our AMCHP Life Course Indicators (LCI) and coordination/tracking of our internal and external equity committees’ efforts, outputs, and impacts. Expected work hours are 15‐20 hours per week for the duration of the 16‐week internship. [learn more]

Communications Analyst: The Communications Analyst is a member of the Communications Team and performs a range of responsibilities related to publications development, print and online content, and media. General responsibilities include substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading publications intended for broad distribution to state public health professionals; providing desktop publishing and graphic design expertise; developing and maintaining AMCHP web pages; development of social and other media campaigns; and implementing and enforcing communications quality‐control processes for colleagues. [learn more]

To learn more about AMCHP’s career opportunities, please visit this link.

States and Territories Eligible for Funding: Act Early Ambassador Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) announced a funding opportunity for Act Early Ambassadors to work with CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” (LTSAE) program to improve early identification of developmental delays and disabilities, including autism, by:

  • Promoting the adoption and sustained integration of family-engaged developmental monitoring using LTSAE milestone checklist resources in programs/systems that serve young children and their families (e.g. WIC, home visiting, child welfare, early care, and education, etc.);
  • Serving as a state or territorial representative of CDC’s national LTSAE program; and
  • Supporting the work of Act Early Teams and other state/territorial or national initiatives to improve early identification of developmental delay and disability.

States and Territories Eligible for Funding

This funding opportunity will support a new, two-year cohort of up to 60 Act Early Ambassadors. Individuals from all states and territories are eligible to apply. Two Act Early Ambassadors may be selected for states with a population greater than 10M (according to 2020 US Census Data). These states include California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Timeline

RFA Release: July 1, 2022

Application Deadline: July 29, 2022, at 5:00 PM EDT

Notice of Awards: No later than August 9, 2022

Act Early Ambassador Term: September 1, 2022-August 30, 2024

2022 Annual Training: September 13-14, 2022, in Atlanta, GA

Questions or More Information

AUCD Contact: Jordan Kerr, BSPH | jkerr@aucd.org

CDC/NCBDDD Contact: Karnesha Slaughter, MPH | KSlaughter2@cdc.gov

For more information, please visit the AUCD website.

Publications & Resources

WPSI 2022 Well-Woman Chart

The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) announced the release of the 2022 Well-Woman Chart. The Recommendations for Well-Woman Care – A Well-Woman Chart is a comprehensive tool that summarizes preventive services recommendations for women from the WPSIU.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and Bright Futures based on age, health status, and risk factors. The 2022 Well-Woman Chart includes WPSI’s newest recommendation, Preventing Obesity in Midlife Women, and recently released USPSTF recommendations such as Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy and Colorectal Cancer Screening. In addition, clinical practice considerations, risk assessment methods, and the age and frequency of delivery of services are described in the 2022 Clinical Summary Tables accompanying the chart. The Well-Woman Chart can be used by health care clinicians providing preventive well-woman care, including family physicians, internists, OB-GYNs, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse-midwives. Please contact WPSI staff at wpsi@acog.org if you have any questions.

CDC Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies Toolkit

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) recently released an Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit, which provides information and resources for emergency preparedness and response personnel, families, and the public to ensure that infants and toddlers are fed safely when natural disasters strike, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and tornadoes.

This toolkit focuses on IYCF-E preparedness and response efforts ­­specific to the U.S. and its territories. It expands DNPAO’s current efforts to support breastfeeding and healthy and safe infant and toddler nutrition. You can learn more about DNPAO’s breastfeeding and infant and child nutrition work here.

You can follow the CDC’s DNPAO on Twitter and “like” on Facebook for more content like this. For questions, please email DNPAOPolicy@cdc.gov.

Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement on Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) are pleased to announce a forthcoming supplement on “Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use,” to be published by the Maternal and Child Health Journal. 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. The deadline has been extended to October 1.

If you are interested in submitting to the supplement, reviewing manuscript submissions, or have general questions about the supplement, please email Amani Echols (aechols@amchp.org).

Recent Publications & Resources

Commemorations

August 2022

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
Gastroparesis Awareness Month
National Breastfeeding Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
Psoriasis Action Month
Summer Sun Safety Month

Weeks to Note:
World Breastfeeding WeekAugust 1 – 7
National Health Center WeekAugust 7 – 13
Contact Lens Health Week; August 19 – 23

Days to Note:
World Lung Cancer DayAugust 1
International Overdose Awareness DayAugust 31