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).
New Pulse Newsletter Issue: A Celebration of Title V Maternal and Child Health
The latest issue of our Pulse newsletter is now live!
This Pulse issue, “A Celebration of Title V Maternal and Child Health,” features success stories of states, jurisdictions, organizations, members, and the people administering maternal and child health programs. It also describes the extraordinary efforts of community-rooted organizations, family leaders, youth, and people with lived experience.
Read the articles:
- A Message from our CEO
- A Message from AMCHP Board President Belinda Pettiford
- Reflections by Dr. Michael D. Warren
- Celebrating Title V Innovations Featured in the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs’ (AMCHP’s) Innovation Hub
- Replicating North Carolina’s “Innovative Approaches” Initiative in Philadelphia
- Centering the Family Voice: A Multi-Dimensional Examination of Family Engagement
- Congressional Maternal and Child Health Champions: Honoring Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard and Jaime Herrera Beutler, Co-Founders of the Maternity Care Caucus
- Proposed Legislation Gaining Bipartisan Momentum to Stem the Stillbirth Crisis in the U.S.
- Open Enrollment Season 2023
Do you want to receive our Pulse newsletter directly in your inbox? Subscribe to our email list at this link!
Open Enrollment Season Runs Through January 15, 2023
The national uninsured rate reached an all-time low of 8 percent in early 2022. The increase in coverage is partly attributable to record enrollment for Marketplace plans. Maternal and child health (MCH) professionals play an important role in promoting the open enrollment season, especially among populations with high rates of uninsurance in their respective states. AMCHP developed a fact sheet for MCH programs outlining tips and strategies for promoting open enrollment, entitled Promoting the 2023 ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment: The Role of State Title V Programs. AMCHP also developed companion fact sheets geared for consumers, which are available in both English and Spanish.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has wonderful resources for open enrollment Women’s Week of Action (Dec 11 – Dec 17), including talking points, and social media graphics in both English and Spanish. Check out those resources here.
Save the Date for NBDPN 2023!
AMCHP is pleased to announce the return of the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) Conference, taking place August 14-16, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. Save the date for this outstanding event that AMCHP is co-hosting, which will offer relevant and timely content in the areas of Surveillance Operations, Partnerships and Family Engagement, Epidemiology/Data, and Prevention, Intervention, and Public Policy as it relates to birth defects and overall maternal and child health.
Visit the website to learn about the conference, the upcoming Call for Proposals (opening January 2023), and information regarding registration, hotel, and much more. For questions about this event, please contact NBDPNmeetings@conferencemanagers.com. We hope to see you there!
New MCH Bridges Podcast – Community-Led Solutions for Change: The Story of Colorado’s Birth Equity Bill Package
Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 11– “Community-Led Solutions for Change: The Story of Colorado’s Birth Equity Bill Package“
In this special episode, AMCHP’s MCH Bridges podcast is teaming up with the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Centers (MHLIC)’s Maternal Health Innovation podcast to cover maternal health policy successes, challenges, and opportunities while discussing Colorado’s recent passing of their Birth Equity Bill Package. This bill package is comprised of a series of three bills designed to increase access to and decrease inequities in obstetric care in the state. This comprehensive and community-led response to the maternal health crisis is the first-ever state-led policy platform for birth equity. To learn more about the details of how the community-led Colorado Birth Equity Bill Package was developed, check out their Innovation Hub database entry here.
Tune in now to listen to host Laura Powis, Program Manager for Evidence-Based Policy and Practice at AMCHP and member of the Policy Core at MHLIC, and guest speakers Indra Lusero, birth justice advocate and the Director and Founder of the Elephant Circle; Demetra Seriki, midwife at A Mother’s Choice Midwifery; and George Davis the Fifth, a community member on Elephant Circle’s Birth Equity Implementation Steering Committee.
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.
Recent AMCHP News
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!
Conference Platform is Now LIVE!
Visit our conference platform 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.), hotel and travel information, exhibits and sponsor information, and much more!
Early Bird Registration is Open
Early Bird registration for the 2023 AMCHP Annual Conference is now open! Register to attend in person or virtually by Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 11:59 PM PT, to take advantage of the early bird pricing.
Are you not sure whether you will attend in person or virtually? You can change your attendance status without penalties until Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 11:59 PM PT.
You can register now to secure your spot here!
Now Accepting Hotel Reservations
You can now make your hotel reservation to attend the 2023 AMCHP Annual Conference in person. Book your stay at the New Orleans Marriot in New Orleans, LA, by EOD April 13, 2023, or until the block sells out.
We look forward to seeing you!
Support CBOs, Tribal Government Representatives, and Youth at Our Upcoming Annual Conference!
Our annual conference is fast approaching. While we can’t wait to see you at AMCHP 2023, we also recognize the deep value of having youth and young adult leaders, community-based organizations (CBOs), and those representing tribal entities attend as well.
Here is a letter from our President and CEO providing further details about ways to support these individuals to attend. We shared a similar letter last year, and based on our conference evaluation, it inspired jurisdictions to financially support 10 youth and young adult leaders (including students), CBOs, and tribal government representatives to participate. Nearly a quarter of those who received the letter indicated that it helped them build or strengthen relationships with the individuals that they sponsored to attend the conference.
We are hopeful that this letter will have the same, or an even larger, impact this year. We also hope that it inspires you and your colleagues to have conversations about ways that you can further partner with and support these individuals and groups in your own work. Check out our conference registration page for further information.
Behind the Scenes of AMCHP 2023: Meet Julie Traylor
Julie Traylor, AMCHP’s Annual Conference Planning Committee Chair, is the Director of Strategic Development for the Division of Family Health and Wellness at the Tennessee Department of Health.
We connected with Julie to discuss her role in the AMCHP Conference Planning Committee and her thoughts on AMCHP 2023 – including what she is most excited about the conference, this year’s theme, what potential participants need to know, and how the conference aims to impact the maternal and child health field. [read more]
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]
AMCHP Information & Resources
Building Resilience from Lived Experience: AMCHP’s Collection of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Stories
Public health emergencies have and will continue to reveal the critical importance of planning for and responding to the needs of women, children, and families, including those with special health care needs. To begin understanding the depth and complexity of these needs, we all must first listen to the individuals who have experienced the impacts of emergencies, from fires and hurricanes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Building Resilience from Lived Experience” series is a collection of unique stories in various formats (written narrative, video clips, etc.) from individuals who have experienced the personal and professional impacts of public health emergencies. Each story includes a one-page snapshot summarizing major takeaways for individuals and families, health and related systems, and communities.
As you explore the stories, AMCHP invites you to consider your spheres of influence and how you can be a catalyst for moving from intention to action. We also encourage you to share them with decision-makers, work them into tabletop exercises or other staff trainings, or use them to start a dialogue with colleagues from your jurisdiction’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEP) program.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please send us an e-mail to PHEP@amchp.org, and a member of our project team will contact you about the contribution process. Visit our website to access the complete series and learn about related information and resources.
Now available! Mind Matters: AYA Mental Health Capacity Building for Title V
This set of four e-learning modules is developed for Title V staff interested in how they can leverage their jurisdiction’s MCH block grant program to improve systems of mental health care for adolescents and young adults (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 encounters 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 Innovation Hub
Be a Part of AMCHP’s Replication Projects!
See a practice in AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Database that caught your eye? Interested in building partnerships with other MCH organizations while enhancing your organizational capacity? Consider participating in AMCHP’s Replication Projects for the 2023-2024 project year! Each year, AMCHP offers awards between $15,000-$25,000 for organizations to replicate a Cutting-Edge, Promising, or Best Practice from the MCH Innovations Database. You’ll receive peer coaching from a representative of the practice as well as tailored assistance from AMCHP to help you adapt the practice to your unique context and situation.
The Replication Project offers two levels of support (capacity building or implementation) depending on your organization’s level of readiness to begin replication.
- Capacity Building focuses on growing your organization’s capacity and partnerships to help you prepare to replicate a practice.
- Implementation focuses on helping you plan for and begin adapting a practice to your setting.
Want to learn more about this opportunity?
Visit our webpage, NEW blog post, and review our Readiness Checklist to get started. Note that in order to submit an application, you must first complete an exploratory call by January 31, 2023.
Questions? Email us at evidence@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.
Observances in December include International Day of Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights Day! In December, AMCHP’s mental health social media will highlight coping mechanisms for holiday-induced social isolation and loneliness. Tips to manage holiday stress will also be highlighted. 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 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 Spotlights the Ohio MCH Approach to Supporting AYA Mental Health
This latest blog post highlights the Ohio MCH program’s approach to increasing developmental approaches and improving systems to reduce the adolescent and young adult suicide rate. Ohio 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 Ohio MCH approach here.
AMCHP National Policy Calls
AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls
Thank you to those of you who joined us for our December AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:
The next Town Hall will be Thursday, January 12th, 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.
Maternal and Child Health Bills Progress in the Final Weeks of the 117th Congress
As the current 117th Congress enters its final weeks in session, several bipartisan maternal and child health bills have moved through one or both legislative chambers. The following two bills passed the House of Representatives earlier this month:
- The Pregnant Women in Custody Act (H.R.6878) would establish standards of care for pregnant women in custody, including prohibiting the use of restraints and restrictive housing, and require the U.S. Department of Justice to develop treatment guidelines and employee trainings on the care of pregnant and postpartum women in custody.
- The DOULA for VA Act (H.R.2521) would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to study the feasibility of offering doula services to pregnant veterans in the VA healthcare system.
These two bills still need to pass the Senate to become law and while it is possible that could happen this Congress, it is more likely that they will instead need to be reintroduced next Congress.
Additionally, Congress passed the following two pieces of legislation, which now await President Biden’s signature:
- The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2022 (S.4052) reauthorizes federal funding for state-based hearing screening programs for newborns, infants, and young children.
- The Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (S.198) requires the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate data on maternal health outcomes into the agency’s broadband health mapping tools to better understand the intersection between broadband access and maternal health.
Learn more about these and other maternal and child health bills introduced in the 117th Congress with AMCHP’s Maternal Health Bill Tracker.
Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations & MIECHV Update
Congress passed another short-term funding gap measure to keep the federal government open through Friday, December 23rd while they finalize a full-year spending package. Of note to the maternal and child health community, the bill includes a one-week extension of authorization for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV), which was set to expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). Congressional leadership has signaled that they have reached a deal to fund the federal government through Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) and expect to pass it by the December 23rd deadline. AMCHP continues to advocate for the highest possible funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant and for a 5-year authorization of MIECHV in a final FY23 package. Subscribe to AMCHP’s legislative alerts for future updates.
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 and opportunities! Search for Jobs | Post a Job.
ORISE Fellowship Position- HRSA Maternal and Child Health Home Visiting and Early Childhood Systems Health Research Fellowship
Interested recent Masters or Doctoral degree graduates or current graduate students are encouraged to apply for the ORISE/Maternal and Child Health Home Visiting and Early Childhood Systems Health Research Fellowship. The ORISE Fellow will collaborate with the Division of Home Visiting and Early Childhood Systems to support activities focused on advancing health equity and strengthening Early Childhood Systems. See the full announcement for details on the fellowship, eligibility, and how to apply. The fellow will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with their educational level and experience. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Call for Reviewers: Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement on Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use
AMCHP and ASTHO 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.
Partner Events & Webinars
Free Resources for Healthcare Agencies to Strengthen Patient-Centered Contraceptive Care
Upstream is a national nonprofit that provides free training and technical assistance for healthcare agencies that want to strengthen their patient-centered contraceptive care. You can learn more about their work on their website, or from a recent webinar that features testimonials and Q&A with two of their health centers partners as well as a sample of their training. Please feel free to share these resources with health centers in your network who might be interested. If you would like to learn more about Upstream, reach out here.
Publications & Resources
New Data Alert! Combined 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health Data Now Available
Combined 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data is now available! The combined 2020-2021 NSCH is the fifth multi-year dataset since the redesign of the NSCH in 2016 and includes data from 93,669 children ages 0-17 years. The data can be easily accessed through the Interactive Data Query tool hosted by the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC). The DRC is a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) under a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Recent Publication & Resources
- The 2022 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap
- Updated AAP Resource: Supporting Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in Pediatric Health Care Settings
Commemorations
December 2022
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Weeks to Note:
National Handwashing Awareness Week; December 5 – 11
National Influenza Vaccination Week; December 5 – 11
Days to Note:
World AIDS Day; December 1
International Day of Persons with Disability; December 3
