March 7, 2024

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March 7, 2024

AMCHP Announcements

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New MCH Bridges Podcast Episode – Medicaid Redetermination: Stories from Families to Inspire Action

Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 17 – “Medicaid Redetermination: Stories from Families to Inspire Action.”

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, as of February 1, over 16.4 million Medicaid and CHIP enrollees nationwide have been disenrolled and lost their coverage. Over 70% of people are losing coverage because of paperwork reasons, such as missing notices from the state Medicaid office and an inability to produce wage statements. Out of the states reporting age breakouts, children accounted for 38% of Medicaid disenrollments.

Our latest MCH Bridges episode highlights the human experiences of what these alarming statistics mean for families across the country and emphasizes the role of leaders in maternal and child health (MCH) during this ongoing issue. Guest host Atyya Chaudhry dives into the stories of those with lived experience of losing Medicaid coverage and what organizations like the Florida Health Justice Project are doing to make an impact.

Tune in to these important conversations with our guests Janis Fay and Alison Yager, who share their experiences and insight, as well as action steps that MCH advocates and individuals who are experiencing coverage loss can take.

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. 

Submit to the MCH Innovations Database for the Spring Review!

AMCHP is thrilled to announce that the Spring Review for the MCH Innovations Database will begin on Friday, March 15, including all the submissions received on or before this date! All submissions received on or after March 16 will be rolled into our Fall 2024 review cycle, with the date to be announced soon. All application materials, including submission forms for each practice or policy designation, are currently available on AMCHP’s Innovation Hub webpage.

The MCH Innovations Database is a searchable repository of “what’s working” in the field that includes practices and policies that are positively impacting MCH populations.  AMCHP strongly encourages community-based organizations to submit their practices and policies to the MCH Innovations Database, regardless of whether they have been evaluated by traditional methods.

AMCHP recognizes the validity of many forms of evidence, given that public health work is context-specific and happens in real life. We strongly believe in the power of community-defined evidence and seek to promote its use in the MCH field to center and highlight the expertise and perspectives of those with lived experience. To learn more about AMCHP’s view of evidence, visit our webpage and refer to this example of community-defined evidence, which is available the MCH Innovations Database.

Check out this short overview video of the submission process to learn more.   

How to Submit a Practice? Access the practice submission forms on our webpage and learn more about how you can submit your practice for the Spring! All submissions must be sent to evidence@amchp.org by COB March 15 to be considered for Spring review, but are still accepted on a rolling basis. 

Not sure which designation to submit to? Check out our Minimum Criteria Checklist  to figure out which designation is right for your practice.

How to Submit a Policy? Access the policy submission forms on our webpage and learn more about how you can submit your policy for review! All submissions should be sent to evidence@amchp.org by COB March 15 to be considered for Spring review, but are still 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 policy.

Refer a Practice/Policy: Don’t have anything to submit 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 referral webpage.

If you would like greater assistance with which practice designation or policy track to submit to or have any questions, please email us at evidence@amchp.org, and we will be happy to help you! 

Recent AMCHP Announcements

AMCHP’s Black History Month & Beyond

AMCHP Annual Conference

Have you saved the date for the 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference? Mark your calendars to join us April 13-16 at the Oakland Marriott City Center, in Oakland, California! We will continue to offer content in-person and virtually through our conference platform with the theme Partnering with Purpose. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Annual Conference Newsletter to be the first to receive updates and information about the conference, and share the link with your peers!

Register for AMCHP 2024

Visit our conference platform for more information regarding registration rates, including discounted rates for youth/students, community-based organizations, tribal entities, and family leaders.

Are you not sure whether you will attend in person or virtually? You can change your attendance status without penalties until March 11.

Start planning your attendance and register now to secure your spot!

Celebrating Black Maternal Health Week at AMCHP 2024

This year, the 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference falls during Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW). BMHW is a week-long, annual campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and takes place April 11-17. It is a celebration and annual crescendo in the reproductive justice movement and a time of deep solidarity, creativity, visioning, and action.

The co-occurrence of the AMCHP conference during Black Maternal Health Week was not intentional, and we wish we had acknowledged it sooner. We will ensure that AMCHP conference activities include time, space, and acknowledgment for attendees to participate in virtual events hosted by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and partner organizations.

In recognition of this co-occurrence, our conference features a new content track, Black Maternal Health. This track includes seven in-person workshops scheduled across the conference breakout sessions, 20 posters in-person in the exhibit hall, a lunch-provided student and early career professional roundtable session on Saturday, April 13, a virtually hosted workshop on Sunday, April 14, and two virtual posters.

We will continue maximizing the opportunity presented by AMCHP 2024 and convening maternal and child health leaders from across the country to raise awareness of Black Maternal Health Week, honor Black maternal health leaders, birthing people and families, and make deep commitments to using our collective power to transform systems for reproductive justice and racial justice.

We look forward to providing more updates on how we will celebrate Black Maternal Health Week at AMCHP 2024 through our conference newsletter and forthcoming detailed agenda.

Book Your Stay

Make your hotel reservation to attend AMCHP 2024 in person.

Visit our conference platform to learn about conference block rooms or explore additional housing options.

View the Full Conference Schedule

AMCHP released the full schedule of workshops, skills-building sessions, and roundtables at the 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference. The 68 workshops, 10 skills-building sessions, and 2 roundtables are organized along subject matter tracks:

Click on the full schedule to view sessions by date or by doing a keyword search. All sessions are displayed in Pacific Time (PT). Start creating your list of must-see sessions today!

Conference Highlight – Introducing the Opening Plenary: “Being Led by Youth in Partnering with Purpose”

This youth-designed and youth-led opening plenary session aims to demonstrate the power of youth voice and parenting with purpose, featuring EYE For Prevention Youth Leaders and local Youth Leaders in Oakland. Through this session, we will tap into engaging activities to help participants embody the learning meaningfully while engaging in a call to action. Young people will bless the mic with their poetry, performance, and creative skills to guide us through a transformative opening plenary to plant the seeds of the healing evolution of maternal and child health.

Plenary Session I, “Being Led by Youth in Partnering with Purpose,” will be held on Sunday, April 14, from 9:30 – 11:30am PT in the West Hall.

Conference Highlight – Skills Building Sessions on Saturday, April 13, from 2:15 – 5:15pm PT

Epidemiology, Data, Assessment, and Evaluation:

SK6 – Lean On Me: Building Evaluation Capacity through Community Collaboration and Logic Model Development

Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health:

SK7 – Telling Stories on Purpose for Powerful Partnerships and Greater Equity

Family Engagement and Partnership:

SK8 – Using Care Maps to Tell Your Story

Workforce Development and Leadership:

SK9 – Nothing For Us, Without Us: Centering Community and Lived Experience in Adaptation

Youth Engagement and Partnership:

SK10 – Stronger Together: Leveraging Youth and Community Assets to Promote a Culture of Positive Youth Development

Explore these and all other skills-building sessions, including those on Friday, April 12 from 2:30 – 5:30pm PT, on our conference platform.

Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities at AMCHP 2024

Do you know of a company or organization that provides solutions to state public health leaders and directors of maternal and child health (MCH) programs? Do you know of an entity looking for an opportunity to enhance their products or service recognition and make a lasting impression in the MCH field? Help us spread the word!

The 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference is offering exhibit and sponsorship opportunities to get their products and services directly in front of the country’s highest leaders caring for the needs of women, children, youth, and families. Last year, over 1,300 MCH leaders and thinkers from nearly every state, territory, and jurisdiction in the United States joined our conference, surpassing all previous records. We expect this year’s conference will be another strong showing! 

Download our exhibit and sponsorship prospectus and share it widely with companies or organizations that could benefit from exhibiting or sponsoring our conference. Our advisors, available at AMCHPexhibits@conferencemanagers.com, would be happy to connect with them to learn about their budget and marketing strategy needs and offer them the best solution to achieve their goals!

Contribute to the AMCHP Annual Conference Scholarship for Community-Based Organizations (CBO), Youth, Family Leaders, and Tribal Entities

The AMCHP Annual Conference Scholarship for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Youth, Family Leaders, and Tribal Entities aims to invite and financially support youth and young adult leaders (including students), CBOs, and representatives of tribal entities involved with maternal and child health (MCH) efforts to attend.

Often, community members and youth and young adults are not involved, integrated, or prioritized when it comes to the various policies and programs that impact their peers and families. Cultivating and sustaining relationships with diverse leaders cannot be achieved without amplifying, supporting, and compensating the efforts of community leaders who contribute to the vitality of maternal and child health. This effort ties directly into the overall theme of partnership for this year’s upcoming conference while also being a focus of AMCHP’s strategic plan around partnership development.

AMCHP has composed a letter from our President and CEO providing further details about ways to support these individuals to attend.

How Can I Support?

As we recognize the need to involve and prioritize diverse leaders in discussions and decisions that affect their communities and families, we invite you to make a meaningful impact by making a financial investment towards enabling representatives from these groups to attend this year’s conference, either in-person or virtually.

AMCHP is committed to providing a space and audience so that the talent and expertise of community representatives are recognized and integrated into MCH priorities. Fostering an environment at the conference to learn from, network with, and share insights with one another is a great opportunity for you to do so as well! We believe that supporting representatives to attend the conference will increase your program’s capacity in youth and community engagement as well as leadership development. Your support is not just a donation; it’s a meaningful step toward building and sustaining trusting relationships with these groups in your state or jurisdiction.

We encourage you to visit our conference registration page and consider making the financial investment to send youth and young adults, CBOs, and representatives of tribal entities from your state or jurisdiction to the conference either in-person or virtually.

Accessibility at AMCHP 2024

AMCHP is committed to ensuring the AMCHP Annual Conference is inclusive for all attendees. This includes reasonable accommodations as specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Explore what’s being offered to support full access and participation for all attendees.

To request ADA accommodations, please email AMCHPreg@conferencemanagers.com.

Conference-Provided Meals for All Attendees

Are you interested in learning about the meals provided to all attendees at our conference? No need to wait!

Visit our conference platform to explore our meal offering and what each option includes.

Health & Safety at AMCHP 2024

The health and safety of AMCHP members, attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, staff, venue staff, and the surrounding community are of the utmost importance to AMCHP. We are committed to reducing risks related to the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of attending an in-person event. AMCHP continues to monitor local and national guidance and will modify our health and safety practices and policies as appropriate. Updates will be posted to the 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference page.

Latest Blog Posts

The AMCHP 2024 Virtual Experience: What to Expect and How to Get the Most Out of It: AMCHP is excited to host our second hybrid conference and welcome virtual attendees from across the U.S. and all nine U.S.-affiliated jurisdictions! We’re confident that virtual attendees will have a meaningful conference experience, get to network with other virtual attendees, engage with content and presenters during live sessions, and leave the conference feeling energized with new ideas and connections. The Virtual Conference Experience Subcommittee has made some improvements based on feedback from 2023 AMCHP Conference virtual attendees and wanted to share what you can expect from your 2024 virtual conference experience. [read more]
Discover Oakland – A Gem of Culture, Cuisine, and Adventure: We are excited to host this year’s conference in Oakland, California! Oakland is a city full of heritage, great food, and activities and we have included a short guide of places to go and events to attend during your stay. We can’t wait to see you there! [read more]

AMCHP Events & Webinars

Virtual Learning Café Series on Pediatric Mental Health

Join the American Academy of Pediatrics & AMCHP for a workforce development conversation discussing the Systems Strengthening Toolkit.  Jessica Simon, Senior Program Manager of Health Systems Transformation at AMCHP and one of the toolkit authors, will offer an overview of the resources and how they can support participants in their efforts to address pediatric mental health care and remove barriers to building partnerships and collaborations. Participants will leave the café with tangible next steps to begin using components of the toolkit in their pediatric mental health partnership efforts. 

Join Our First Innovation Hub Learning Community Webinar

Join us for the first Innovation Hub Learning Community (IHLC) webinar on March 14 at 3pm ET! IHLC offers programmatic support to all practices in the MCH Innovations Database through one-on-one tailored coaching, didactic webinars, and peer sharing opportunities. In 2024, AMCHP is hosting four webinars on topics related to programmatic best practices that all MCH professionals and advocates are welcome to attend.  

Our next session, “Who’s at Your Table? Power Sharing and Asset Framing” will explore:

how power dynamics play a role in building partnerships, and
strategies that foster a mindset shift towards asset framing.

Email our Evidence & Implementation Team (evidence@amchp.org) for any questions or support.

Legislation & Policy

Explore our revamped Maternal & Child Health Bill Tracker for more information about pending federal legislation to improve maternal health. Also, download AMCHP’s 2023 Federal Policy Agenda outlining where we have focused our advocacy work.

New AMCHP Policy Digest!

On February 29, AMCHP launched a new newsletter: The AMCHP Policy Digest. This digest strives to enhance and streamline your awareness of maternal and child health (MCH) policy issues spanning Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judiciary Branch. Within this newsletter, you will find key information and insights on the growing complexities of government affairs, the MCH policy landscape, and AMCHP’s policy and advocacy initiatives.

Subscribe to this digest, and share the subscribe link with your networks to stay up to date on all things policy!

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls

Thank you to those of you who joined us for our last AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall in February. You can find the full recordings of past Town Halls on our Government Affairs webpage.

Town Halls occur on the second Thursday of every month from 2-3pm ET. We invite you to register for all future Town Halls, including our next meeting on March 14, at this registration link.

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. 

CBOs & Title V – The Community-Defined Evidence Workgroup Wants to Hear from You!

AMCHP has assembled a multidisciplinary Community-Defined Evidence (CDE) Workgroup, funded by Merck for Mothers, to support efforts in increasing the documentation, utilization, and dissemination of community-defined evidence in the maternal and child health field.

The CDE workgroup wants to connect and hear from Title V & community-based organizations (CBOs)!

Our purpose is to:

Understand Title V’s familiarity with community-defined evidence, how it is currently being used, and any challenges they are experiencing incorporating it into the evidence base that informs their work.
Understand the support needed to enhance capacity for generating, documenting, and communicating community-driven evidence.

Share your insights with us during a compensated one-hour phone interview or 10–15-minute online survey, please complete this short interest form.

We kindly ask you to also share this interest form through your networks and platforms with anyone who would be interested in participating in this initiative. Your efforts in spreading the word about this essential initiative are greatly appreciated!

Questions? Please contact Laura Powis (lpowis@amchp.org) and Ellisa Alvarez (ealvarez@amchp.org).

Late Breaker Call for Abstracts Open for 2024 Black Maternal Health Conference

Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is pleased to announce Late Breaker Call for Abstracts is OPEN for the 2024 Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute ™, through Monday, March 18 at 11:59pm ET.

BMMA is intentionally seeking abstract proposals that specifically highlight projects and/or initiatives around:

Health systems transformation
Clinical and non-clinical interventions
Task force/coalition-building
Research and/or policy projects that clearly showcase impact, lessons learned, successes
Best practices in reproductive and perinatal services and programs under Title V & Title X/family planning that engaged communities/populations most impacted by maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity
Other maternal health equity initiatives.