COVID-19 Resources
CDC Expands Updated COVID-19 Vaccines to Include Children Ages 5 Through 11
On Wednesday, October 12, CDC’s Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., signed a decision memo expanding the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 through 11 years. This follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization of updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech for children ages 5 through 11 years, and from Moderna for children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years. [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).
Newly Launched Early Childhood Nutrition + AYA Mental Health E-Learning Modules!
AMCHP is excited to announce the launch of two series of e-learning modules focused on early childhood nutrition and mental health in adolescents and young adults (AYAs)! Our learning modules are intended to help practicing and aspiring maternal, child, and adolescent (MCAH) professionals explore and deepen their understanding of critical topics and processes. Please contact workforce@amchp.org with questions or recommendations.
Title V and Early Childhood Nutrition Series:
This series is developed for Title V staff interested in learning how to incorporate early childhood nutrition more fully into their work. The five modules share key concepts and definitions in early childhood nutrition and introduce the Policy Systems and Environmental Change Framework. Each lever within the framework is illustrated using examples of efforts supported by state Title V programs or implemented by community-rooted organizations. Users engage in key concepts through interactive imagery, videos of example efforts, and knowledge checks. They are intended to provide Title V programs with new ideas and inspiration on how to be a critical partner to communities for positive and equitable impact in early childhood nutrition. The topics covered by each module include:
- Understanding the Impact of Historical Racism on Early Child Nutrition: Learn about the effects of structural racism on food systems that impact early childhood nutrition.
- Integrating Early Child Nutrition into Title V: Building the Foundation: Explore why Title V programs should support early child nutrition in their work and introduce policy, systems, and an environmental change framework that structures the rest of the modules.
- Changing Policies: Institutionalizing Positive Nutrition Support: Understand specific policy changes state & community organizations have made to integrate early childhood nutrition.
- Changing Systems: Improving the Nutrition Network for Infants and Toddlers: Understand specific systems changes state and community organizations have made to support early childhood nutrition.
- Changing the Environment: Increasing Access to Nutritious Foods: Learn about environmental changes state & community organizations can make to integrate early childhood nutrition into Title V programs.
This series can be accessed here.
Mind Matters: AYA Mental Health Capacity Building for Title V Series:
This set of four e-learning modules is developed for Title V staff interested in leveraging their jurisdiction’s MCH block grant program to improve mental health care systems for AYAs. Each of the four modules functions as a standalone learning experience, and users can navigate between each module at their leisure, and in the order they prefer. Within each module, learners will find an introduction and background to the topic, key resources, examples of MCH programs in action, a summary of takeaways, and an opportunity for individual reflection on the content that’s been covered. The topics covered by each module include:
- Emerging Topical Issues in AYA Mental Health: Learn about the state of mental health among AYAs and trends over the last decade
- Innovation in Service Delivery: Learn about the ways in which creativity in youth screening procedures has reduced some existing barriers to high-quality treatment & support.
- Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care for AYAs: Learn about frameworks, strategies, and real-world examples of effective approaches to integrating mental health services into primary care encounter for AYAs.
- MCH Workforce Capacity and Skillsets: Learn about pivoted approaches in workforce development to the skillsets of the AYA-MCH workforce to improve mental health care systems.
This series can be accessed here.
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!
MCH Bridges Podcast Episode 9 + “Food As Resistance” Film Access + Creating the Connections: MCH Bridges After-Episode Event
Have you listened to MCH Bridges podcast Episode 9 – “Centering the Soul Ties to the Food We Eat: A Strategy for Equity in Nutrition Services”? If not, 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 to the interconnected complexity of identity and food.
Invitation to Watch “Food As Resistance” Film
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 the access code for free access to the film from October 10 – 31, 2022. Here is a preview of what this dynamic film has to offer:
Creating the Connections: MCH Bridges After-Episode
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” film.
Share with your peers and listen to this and other episodes on www.mchbridges.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Overcast.
Recent AMCHP News
- AMCHP Staff Members and Subject Matter Experts Contribute to Special Journal Issue on MCH Workforce Development
- Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 U.S. States, 2027-2019
AMCHP Annual Conference
Have you saved the date for the 2023 Annual Conference? Mark your calendars for May 6-9, 2023, to attend in New Orleans, Louisiana! Our 2023 edition of the AMCHP Annual Conference will offer content in-person and through our virtual conference platform with the theme Cultivating Diverse Leaders in Maternal and Child Health. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to receive updates and information about the conference!
Call for Proposals is Now OPEN!
The call for proposals for the 2023 AMCHP Annual Conference is now open! AMCHP invites those with lived experiences and partners outside our traditional membership, including community members, those working at community-based organizations, and those representing tribal governments, to participate in submitting and presenting concurrent skills-building sessions, workshops, poster sessions, and roundtables.
AMCHP has made a formal commitment to anti-racism and racial equity, which we operationalize through our partnerships, communications, and events. AMCHP also recognizes that the work of Title V and our members is enhanced immeasurably by working in partnership with CBOs and tribal governments. A key piece of this partnership is listening to and learning from community members’ expertise about effective initiatives in their communities and collaborating on ways to further support and sustain that work at the state level.
We would like to leverage opportunities like the 2023 AMCHP Annual Conference to live up to our commitments and invite you to participate. AMCHP will continue to make an intentional effort to have community members, those working at community-based organizations, and those representing tribal entities feel welcome at the conference as speakers, thought leaders, experts, and partners. [read more]
Submit a proposal to share your work and ideas here under any of the 13 subject-focused tracks by Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Submitters with completed submissions by this deadline will be notified of their session status by the end of December.
Conference Proposal Reviewers Needed
The AMCHP Annual Conference Planning Committee invites you to review conference proposals, which include workshops, posters, skills-building sessions, and roundtables. AMCHP relies on reviewers to help us identify content related to the conference theme that is cutting-edge or innovative and furthers the MCH field’s growth. Reviewing conference proposals is also a great way to learn more about what is happening in the MCH field.
Explore some of the expectations and the timeline, and sign up to be a proposal reviewer at this link.
Explore the Conference Theme
Each year, the AMCHP Annual Conference is represented with a theme that aligns with identifying practices and policies to address the key challenges that maternal and child health (MCH) programs and families face. It also aims to strengthen the partnership between local and state MCH programs and families. Ideas for the theme are solicited from our conference planning committee, AMCHP staff, AMCHP Board, and AMCHP committee members and then carefully considered and selected based on a prioritization process. Thus, the emergence of this year’s Annual Conference theme came about: Cultivating Diverse Leaders in Maternal and Child Health. [read more]
Conference Registration Rates are 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 Draft Schedule At-A-Glance on Our Website
Visit our conference webpage to view the schedule at-a-glance, 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 Information & Resources
Monkeypox Virus and the MCH Community
Monkeypox virus (MPV), one of the orthopox viruses, continues to circulate in the United States and around the world, with more than 27,000 cases reported in the US by mid-October 2022. While the vast majority of cases in the current outbreak have occurred in adult gay or bisexual men and men who have sex with men, anyone can become infected.
New York State Takes Action to Expand Access to Care for Adolescents
Around 45 cases have been reported in children and adolescents aged 15 and under, with much higher numbers for older adolescents aged 16 to 20: about 550. To expand access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for adolescents, the New York State Department of Health enacted emergency regulations temporarily adding MPV to the list of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). MPV is not strictly spread through sexual contact; any close skin-to-skin contact or sharing of items such as bedsheets and clothing with an infected person can result in MPV infection. However, most infections in the current outbreak have been associated with sexual contact. This action allows young people under the age of 18 to consent to vaccination, testing, and care without the consent of a parent or guardian. The agency’s statement says, “These regulations will help ensure that more young people have optimal health outcomes and do not transmit the virus to others.”
Vaccination, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, and Treatment Guidelines for Pregnant and Lactating Individuals
Few cases in pregnant and lactating patients have been identified. MPV can be transmitted during pregnancy, and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage and stillbirth, have been reported. Lateral transmission during delivery does occur in laboring patients with MPV, and infection in neonates can be severe. Pregnant and lactating people who otherwise meet the criteria are eligible for vaccination, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and treatment with antiviral medication.
CDC’s clinical considerations for pregnant and lactating people, including breastfeeding and isolation guidelines for those with MPV infections, can be found here.
Risk to Healthcare Workers
Only one confirmed MPV infection in the US has been associated with occupational exposure; that case, reported in MMWR, involved an accidental needle stick during the care of an infected person. By following standard infection prevention, including the use of PPE and sharps safety precautions risk of occupational infection following exposure to MPV appears to be very low for healthcare workers.
Additional Resources
- American Academy of Pediatrics’ FAQ on MPV
- CDC Guidance for Schools & Early Care and Education Programs
- What You Need to Know about Monkeypox if You are a Teen or Young Adult (CDC)
- ACOG Obstetric Care Considerations for Monkeypox
If you have questions about MPV or would like to share your agency’s experiences or resources with AMCHP, please email Sabra Anckner, RN, MSN.
You’re Invited! AMCHP’s Title V Block Grant Coordinators Networking Group
Are you a Title V Block Grant Coordinator and/or do your responsibilities include coordinating your jurisdiction’s block grant activities and/or writing and submitting the yearly application and annual report? If so, you’re invited to join AMCHP’s Title V Block Grant Coordinators Networking Group! By joining the group, you’ll have access to quarterly networking calls with your peers across the country as well as an online resource page that includes examples and resources from your colleagues on how they approach their work. There are no obligations or expectations to join the group—you can engage as much or as little feels comfortable for you. If you’d like to be added to the group or have any questions, please email Anna Corona (acorona@amchp.org).
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 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
Mental Health Equity for BIPOC Communities: Helpful Primers from Mental Health America
This latest blog post highlights key takeaways from a recent learning session for participants of the Adolescent & Young Adult Behavioral Health Collaboration project. Allissa Torres, Director of Mental Health Equity at Mental Health America, spoke with the group about practical ways to center equity for BIPOC communities within efforts to support the improvement of mental health systems. The archived learning session and helpful resources can be accessed within the blog post. 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 at the October AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:
The next Town Hall will be on Thursday, November 10, 2-3 PM ET. 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.
AMCHP Seeks Feedback on Proposed MIECHV Legislation
AMCHP seeks your feedback on the proposed MIECHV Legislation. Details of the bill can be found here. Please fill out our survey, in which you can remain anonymous, here.
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.
Call for Reviewers: Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement on Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use
AMCHP and ASTHO warmly invite you to serve as a peer reviewer for our journal supplement on Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Journal. 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. The information provided will be shared with the Editor-in-Chief of the MCH Journal to initiate matching you to papers within your interests and expertise. (Note: it is possible to submit to this supplement AND review a submission).
For questions, please email Amani Echols (AMCHP) at aechols@amchp.org.
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, contact Kristen Hassmiller Lich (klich@unc.edu).
To participate in this study, please click this link to be directed to the online questionnaire.
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
