COVID-19 Resources
CDC Recommends Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for Adolescents
On Monday, August 22, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., signed a decision memo that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccines be used as another primary series option for adolescents ages 12 through 17. This recommendation follows the FDA’s authorization to authorize the vaccine for this age group under emergency. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which is available now, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adolescents. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers. [continue reading]
CDC Streamlined COVID-19 Guidance to Help the Public Better Protect Themselves and Understand their Risk
On Thursday, August 11, CDC streamlined its COVID-19 guidelines to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, however, with so many tools available to us for reducing COVID-19 severity, there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic. [continue reading]
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!
Public Health Across Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Mental Health, and the U.S. Immigration System
Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 8 – “Public Health Across Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Mental Health, and the U.S. Immigration System.”
This episode explores the unique experiences of unaccompanied immigrant children (UICs) and how immigration impacts mental health. Guest speakers José Ortiz-Rosales, Deputy Director of the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program, and Anne Kelsey, Policy Analyst for Disability Rights at the Young Center, offer their perspectives on opportunities for the public health field to better support unaccompanied minors’ mental and physical health needs.
The Young Center, an organization dedicated to promoting immigrant children’s rights, ensures the safety and best interests of unaccompanied children in United States custody by advocating for them as they navigate the immigration system.
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 intended 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.
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,” in the Maternal and Child Health Journal. The supplement will feature articles that address policies and programs dedicated to expanding access to substance use care during the perinatal period. Please review our Call for Papers and writing workshop to learn more. The manuscript deadline has been EXTENDED to October 1, 2022.
AMCHP and ASTHO warmly invite you to serve as a peer reviewer for the journal supplement. Peer reviewing is an enriching experience that benefits both the individuals who dedicate their time and expertise to the process and the MCH community. You can learn more about the role and responsibilities of peer reviewers here. If you would like to peer review, please complete this short survey. It is possible to submit to this supplement and review a submission.
If you are interested in submitting to the supplement or being a peer reviewer, please email Amani Echols (AMCHP) at aechols@amchp.org.
AMCHP Innovation Hub
Now Accepting Submissions for the MCH Innovations Database Fall 2022 Review
Is your work effectively improving the health and well-being of MCH populations? Submit it to the MCH Innovations Database: Fall 2022 Review!
AMCHP’s Innovation Hub is currently accepting submissions to the MCH Innovations Database (formerly Innovation Station). The MCH Innovations Database is a searchable repository of “what’s working” in the field that includes effective practices, programs, and strategies that positively impact MCH populations.
Submissions to the database are assessed along a practice continuum and, if accepted, receive a designation of Cutting-Edge, Emerging, Promising, or Best Practice depending on the evidence demonstrating the practice’s impact, among other criteria. The Innovation Hub has also expanded to include policies with their own criteria to sort them into the appropriate designation, ranging from development, implementation, and evaluation. Policies are currently being accepted on a rolling basis and can be submitted at any point. Check out this short overview video of the submission process to learn more.
How to Submit a Practice?
Access our submission forms here under the “How do I Submit a Practice?” tab and learn more about how you can submit your practice for the fall. All submissions must be sent to evidence@amchp.org by COB Friday, September 30.
Not sure which designation to submit to? Check out our Minimum Criteria Checklist to figure out which designation is right for your practice, or email us at evidence@amchp.org, and we are happy to assist.
How to Submit a Policy?
Access our submission forms here under the “How do I Submit a Policy?” tab and learn more about how you can submit your policy! All submissions should be sent to evidence@amchp.org, and please remember that they are accepted on a rolling basis.
Not sure which track to submit to? Check out our Policy Track Criteria to figure out which designation is right for your practice, or email us at evidence@amchp.org and we are happy to assist.
Refer a Practice/Policy
Don’t have anything to submit for the Fall 2022 Review, but know of one that would be a great fit for the MCH Innovations Database? Refer a practice/policy to the database on our website, and we’ll reach out to them. All referrals can be submitted on our site using the “How do I Refer a Practice/Policy?” tab here. Email us at evidence@amchp.org for any questions!
AMCHP Annual Conference
Post-Conference Reminders
You still have access to ALL conference content!
Do you wish to revisit your favorite session or engage with the content you might have missed live? For a full year, 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 key, and continue to be inspired by all the wonderful speakers and participants this year on your own time.
Save the Date for AMCHP 2023!
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
Recording – Making the Call for MCH: Exploring the Maternal Mental Health Hotline and the 988 Crisis Lifeline
On Wednesday, August 17, AMCHP and ASTHO hosted a virtual session in which they explored 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 well-being.
Panelists included:
- 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).
You can now watch the recording at this link and access the materials, including the slide deck and handouts here.
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 emailing jsimon@amchp.org and checking 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 Spotlights the Pennsylvania MCH Approach to Supporting AYA Mental Health
This latest blog post highlights the Pennsylvania MCH program’s approach to improving mental health, behavioral health, and developmental outcomes for children and youth with and without special health care needs. Pennsylvania is one of five state teams participating in the Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Behavioral Health CoIIN project, which seeks to increase the rate of depression screenings among AYAs with an appropriate follow-up care plan, if necessary.
Read about the Pennsylvania MCH approach 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
AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls
Thank you to those who joined us on the August 11 AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:
The next call in this series is September 8, 2022, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT. We invite you to register for this and our 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.
President Biden Signs into Law Economic Package that Includes Health Care Provisions
President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (H.R.5376), an expansive economic package that includes components related to climate change, taxes, and health care. Perhaps of greatest impact to maternal and child health, the Act includes a three-year extension on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace premium subsidies for lower- and middle-income Americans. The legislation also includes several provisions related to Medicare, which you can read about here.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Issues Rule Increasing Access to Hearing Aids
On Tuesday, August 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter to consumers. Specifically, individuals 18 years or older with mild to moderate hearing loss will be able to purchase hearing aids in retail stores and online without a prescription or fitting. Learn more about the new rule in this FDA press release.
Opportunities & Funding
AMCHP Career Center: Connecting Talent with Opportunity
AMCHP lists the top jobs available in our industry. Access the AMCHP Career Center to search and apply for open positions or post your jobs on opportunities! 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.
- Special Project Senior Analyst – Evidence and Implementation: This position will support the Evidence and Implementation (EI) team to strengthen the alignment of AMCHP’s Innovation Hub and the MCH Evidence Center’s tools and resources. It will also help build the EI team’s evidence-related content, tools, and resources portfolio. [learn more and apply]
- Equity, Epidemiology, & Evaluation Equity Metrics Intern: AMCHP is looking to employ a paid intern to support AMCHP’s Equity, Epidemiology, & Evaluation team. This individual will assist in conducting an equity assessment of the AMCHP Life Course Indicators (LCI) and coordinating/tracking 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 and apply]
- Communications Analyst: This position will support the Communications team by performing various responsibilities related to publication development, print, online content, and media. General duties 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; developing social and other media campaigns; and implementing and enforcing communications quality‐control processes for colleagues. [learn more and apply]
To learn more about AMCHP’s career opportunities, please visit this link.
Partner Events & Webinars
Save the Date – APHA Annual Meeting & Expo
Save the date for the following courses, offered by the Learning Institute of the APHA 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, to be held in Boston, MA, from November 6-9, 2022.
- Scientific Writing for Public Health: This short course will be held on Saturday, November 5, from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Its purpose is to help public health practitioners turn their work into manuscripts for publication, with a mixture of presentations and hands-on work. [learn more and register]
- How to Evaluate Public Health Programs: This short course will be held on Sunday, November 6, from 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM EDT at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Its purpose is to equip public health professionals, particularly those working at the local and/or community level, with the essential knowledge and skills to evaluate public health programs. [learn more and register]
Recording – Child Trends: Reimagining Black Family and Child Week-Being in Research, Programming, and Public Policy
To commemorate the Juneteenth holiday, and discuss insights from a recent brief that highlights the voices of advocacy and service leaders at organizations that promote racial and social justice, Child Trends hosted the webinar “Reimagining Black Family and Child Well-Being in Research, Programming, and Public Policy.” Four leaders-Dr. Leah Austin from the National Black Child Development Institute, Siobhan Davenport from the Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, Terrance E. Moore from the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, and Synethia White from Cities United-gathered to discuss new visions and pathways for Black child and family well-being. [watch the recording]
Source: A Reimagined Vision for Black Child and Family Well-Being from National and Local Leaders, by Mavis Sanders, Senior Research Scholar of Black Children and Families at Child Trends.
Publications & Resources
CDC: Clinical Considerations for Monkeypox in People who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced that it is working to provide healthcare professionals with up-to-date information to help them promptly diagnose monkeypox virus infection, treat patients who are at risk for severe disease, and prevent further spread of the outbreak.
On Monday, July 18, CDC also released clinical considerations for monkeypox in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It informed that these clinical considerations are tailored to healthcare professionals caring for pregnant, recently pregnant, and breastfeeding people, and includes information about: signs and symptoms of monkeypox virus infection; pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis; treatment; vaccines; contact and breastfeeding recommendations; and infection control.
To learn more and for the latest updates and information regarding monkeypox, please visit the CDC web page at this link.
2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS)
On Wednesday, August 3, the de Beaumont Foundation released the full data and an interactive dashboard of findings from the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS), the only nationally representative survey of state and local government public health employees in the U.S.
Conducted by the de Beaumont Foundation and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) between September 2021 and January 2022, PH WINS 2021 covered the demographics, job characteristics, training needs, intent to stay or leave, professional engagement and satisfaction, and overall well-being of employees. Preliminary survey findings released in March 2022 revealed high levels of stress, burnout, and intent to leave, and were detailed in a research brief, “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Rising Stress and Burnout in Public Health.”
Explore Key Findings | Access the Dashboard
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
Days to Note:
International Overdose Awareness Day; August 31
