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October 6, 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 Observes Children’s Environmental Health Day and National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

In October, AMCHP joins maternal and child health (MCH) organizations in observing Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) Day, celebrated on October 13, and National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), celebrated from October 23 to 29.

To raise awareness of these important observances, we’ve partnered with Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN) to collectively, along with other MCH organizations, increase the visibility of children’s environmental health issues while empowering individuals and organizations to take action on behalf of children nationwide.

Additionally, this month, we join the collaborative effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in sharing information and resources about NLPPW to raise awareness of lead poisoning prevention and encourage preventive actions to reduce the likelihood of childhood lead exposure.

We invite you to join us in these efforts by visiting our website to access information and resources developed by AMCHP, CEHN, CDC, EPA, and HUD. Share them among your networks!

AMCHP Encourages Family Leaders, Students, and Youth to Join Our Association Committees

Are you a family leader working in maternal and child health (MCH)? Are you a student, youth, or young adult leader looking to get more involved in the MCH discipline? Are you interested in effecting meaningful change nationally and having your voice heard on MCH matters?

Apply to become a new member of any of our association committees!

Our 2022-2023 call for new association committees is open, and students, young adult leaders, and family leaders are encouraged to apply to join any of our eight committees:

  • AMCHP Annual Conference
  • Governance
  • Family LEAD
  • Health Equity
  • Legislative & Health Care Policy
  • MCH Innovations
  • Workforce and Leadership Development
  • Youth Voice Amplified (YVA)

The AMCHP Association Committees are an outstanding opportunity for family leaders to advance the role of families in the design and creation of state, local, and national health systems serving women and children, including children and youth with special health care needs. Committees also offer student, youth, and young adult leaders the opportunity to ensure that their voices are elevated and that their diverse and unique lived experience is included in our organization and the broader MCH field through AMCHP’s programs and policies activities.

Although AMCHP has committees specifically dedicated to working with family leaders (Family LEAD) and youth (YVA), we highly encourage you to consider applying to any of our committees, as we aim to have your voices represented across all of AMCHP’s work.

How to Apply?

AMCHP requires all committee volunteers to be active members of our organization. If you are not an active member, you are welcome to join us – It’s very easy! Please visit our website to learn more about becoming a member of AMCHP and our special rates for students, Title V alumni, and family associates.

To apply to be newly appointed to one of our committees, serving from October 2022 through September 2023, active members of our organization are encouraged to fill out our call for new committee members survey by EOD Thursday, October 6, 2022.

If you have any questions about volunteering to become a member of an AMCHP Association Committee, please contact us at info@amchp.org. For more information about our committees, please visit our website www.amchp.org/committees.

New MCH Bridges Podcast Episode

Centering the Soul Ties to the Food We Eat: A Strategy for Equity in Nutrition Services

Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 9 – “Centering the Soul Ties to the Food We Eat: A Strategy for Equity in Nutrition Services.”

This episode highlights the effects of structural racism and the history of our food system in the United States. It discusses the demonization of cultural foods, the use of Eurocentric dietary standards as the primary baseline for nutrition recommendations, and how these continue to contribute to the gap in nutrition inequality we see today.

Tune in now to hear from guest speaker Sadé Meeks, food activist and founder of Growing Resilience In The South (GRITS) Inc., as she shares her concept of food as resistance and how we can empower communities through a holistic approach in the interconnected complexity of identity and food.

As a subsequent part of this episode, AMCHP is inviting our listeners to watch Sadé’s documentary “Food as Resistance” [request free access code] and join us for the first-ever “Creating the Connections: MCH Bridges After-Episode” on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, from 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT [register]. This event will be moderated by AMCHP staff and will be joined live by Sadé, who will discuss your thoughts and reflections on the “Food as Resistance” documentary.

Invitation to Watch “Food Ad Resistance” Documentary

As a complimentary offer with this episode, AMCHP is offering our listeners, members, and partners an access code to independently watch Sadé’s documentary “Food as Resistance” at no cost. Use this link to request your access code, which will allow you to have free access to the documentary from October 10 – 31, 2022.

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 toward 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.

AMCHP Staff Members and Subject Matter Experts Contribute to Special Journal Issue on MCH Workforce Development

AMCHP is excited to share that various of our staff members and subject matter experts are among the co-authors of a special supplement to the Maternal and Child Health Journal titled “Developing and Strengthening the Current and Future MCH Public Health Workforce: Building Capacity, Aligning Systems and Addressing Emerging Challenges.” This special issue, released in September 2022, is published in collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and the National MCH Workforce Development Center.

Articles in this special issue cover a wide range of topics related to the work of providing continuing education and workforce development to those working in state and local maternal and child health, addressing subjects such as the success of workforce development efforts, the implementation of equity programs, and the need to build a strong pipeline ready to meet the public health challenges of the 21st century.

Read the articles co-authored by AMCHP’s subject matter experts below and use these open-access publications to advance workforce development for current and future MCH professionals!

Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 U.S. States, 2017-2019

Data show that four in five pregnancy-related deaths in the United States were preventable, highlighting opportunities to better protect moms. 

On Monday, September 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new 2017-2019 data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) in 36 U.S. states, which are representatives of diverse clinical and non-clinical backgrounds who review the circumstances around pregnancy-related deaths to identify recommendations to prevent future deaths. Information from MMRCs in 36 U.S. states shows that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable and shares how leading causes of deaths by race and ethnicity can be used to prioritize interventions that can save lives and reduce health disparities.

AMCHP is proud to partner with the CDC in their support of Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) through the ERASE MM Initiative, including supporting the web-based resource www.ReviewtoAction.org.

To explore the key findings of this report, please visit the CDC Newsroom. To read and download the full report, use this link.

Recent AMCHP News

AMCHP Annual Conference 

2023 Annual Conference Updates

Have you saved the date for the 2023 Annual Conference? Mark your calendars for May 6-9, 2023, to attend in New Orleans, Louisiana! Also, be on the lookout for the call for proposals next week! Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to receive updates and information about the conference!

Conference registration rates are now LIVE!

View current registration rates here. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Alex Napier at amchpreg@conferencemanagers.com.

Explore the FULL event schedule on our website

Visit our conference webpage to view the full conference schedule, which includes opportunities for networking and skill-building sessions as well as plenty of impactful workshops and inspiring plenary sessions.

Revisit AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference 

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.

As a reminder, the 2022 Annual Conference meets Accreditation and CDC’S Quality Training Standards. Please click here for more information.

AMCHP Events & Webinars

Preparing for the Public Health Emergency Unwinding: The Role of MCH Programs

Join AMCHP on Friday, October 7, at 1:00 PM EDT for a webinar on the unwinding of the public health emergency and its implications for Medicaid coverage of MCH populations. This webinar will include remarks from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Kentucky Department of Medicaid Services, and the Kentucky Division of Maternal and Child Health as they discuss the role of MCH programs as the emergency unwinds.

Register for the event here.

AMCHP Mental Health Corner

Mental health is an important component of well-being for MCAH populations. To recognize its importance, we will use this space to highlight resources for MCAH 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.

Observances in October include National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, World Mental Health Day, and Unity Day! In October, AMCHP’s mental health social media will highlight the importance of treating mental health with the same urgency as physical health because a healthy mind is a part of a healthy body.  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.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.

AMCHP National Policy Calls

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls

Thank you to those who joined us on the September AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:

The next Town Hall will be on Thursday, October 13, 2-3 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.

Congress Passes Temporary Funding Bill Including MIECHV Reauthorization Ahead of Fiscal Year End

Last week Congress passed a stopgap spending package, known as a Continuing Resolution (CR), to fund the federal government at current levels through December 16, 2022. Critical to maternal and child health, the bill also includes an extension of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs (MIECHV) through that date. The proposed CR provides lawmakers with more time to negotiate the final Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) appropriations levels while keeping the government open. Given the polarized political landscape, it is unclear whether Congress will complete a final FY23 spending package by the new deadline or extend the CR into the new calendar year.

AMCHP continues to urge Congress to fund the Title V Maternal & Child Health Services Block Grant at the highest possible level in FY23, with a robust increase to the state formula fund. We also continue to work with our partners in the National Home Visiting Coalition and on Capitol Hill to pass a full, five-year reauthorization of MIECHV. Learn more in this legislative alert and stay up-to-date on the FY23 appropriations process and other maternal and child health policy updates by subscribing to AMCHP Legislative Alerts and Member Briefs.

White House Releases National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

On September 27, the White House released the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical activity by 2030. The Strategy details actions in pursuit of this goal for the private sector; federal, state, Tribal, local, and territory governments; academia; and nonprofit and community groups. Following the release, the White House hosted the National Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health on September 28. Learn more about the Strategy and Conference in this White House press release.

U.S. Department of Education Releases New Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination in Schools

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new resource for students and schools on discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions. The guidance clarifies that the protections under Title IX of the Education Amendments, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education, include students and school employees from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery. Learn more with this fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

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. 

Notice of Funding Opportunity: Removing Barriers to Participating in the SUID and SDY Case Registry

Every year, the CDC funds a Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and Sudden Death in the Young (SDY) Case Registry. At the moment, 22 jurisdictions are funded in this project, and the funding will reopen for competition in 2023 in order to grow this registry. To prepare jurisdictions to submit competitive applications next year, the CDC has funded The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention (National Center) to provide additional funds to jurisdictions now to resolve their barriers related to fatality reviews.

The application window for this funding closes on November 15, 2022. Additional information about this opportunity can be found on the center’s website or contact info@ncfrp.org.

Read more about the National Center here.

National MCH Workforce Development Center Research Study

Are you interested in making MCH systems work better? Share your story.

As part of an effort to understand how MCH systems work, the National MCH Workforce Development Center is collecting stories from MCH professionals around the country via an interactive, online story program called SenseMaker. The goal of this research study is to develop a shared vocabulary and describe the breadth of your important work.

In about 15 minutes, SenseMaker will capture a story about your:

  • Work to address structural or institutional sources of inequity
  • Efforts to coordinate support and services
  • Attempts to align efforts across silos
  • Initiatives to support braided/blended funding
  • Identifying gaps in eligibility requirements
  • Collaboration across sectors
  • Changing systems to support the implementation of best practices
  • Any other system-related story you’d like to share

If you choose to participate in this research study, you will receive a summary of the stories collected. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to place your name into a chance drawing in which each participant has equal odds of receiving a book about system science.

For more information or to participate in this study, contact Kristen Hassmiller Lich (klich@unc.edu)

Commemorations

October 2022

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Health Literacy Month
Healthy Lung Month
Home Eye Safety Month
Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
National ADHD Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month

Weeks to Note:
Mental Illness Awareness Week; October 3 – 9
National Primary Care Week; October 4 – 8
National PA Week; October 6 – 12
Bone and Joint Health Action Week; October 12 – 20
International Infection Prevention Week; October 17 – 23
National Healthcare Quality Week; October 17 – 23
National Health Education Week; October 18 – 22
Red Ribbon Week; October 23 – 31
Respiratory Care Week; October 24 – 30

Days to Note:
Child Health Day; October 3
World Cerebral Palsy Day; October 6
National Depression Screening Day; October 7
World Mental Health Day; October 10
International Day of the Girl; October 11
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day; October 13
World Sight Day; October 13
Global Handwashing Day; October 15
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day; October 15
World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day; October 15
World Food Day; October 16
National Mammography Day; October 18
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day; October 19
World Osteoporosis Day; October 20
National Check Your Meds Day; October 21
International Stuttering Awareness Day; October 22
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day; October 24
World Psoriasis Day; October 29
World Hypophosphatasia Day; October 30