November 14, 2024

Banner promoting AMCHP Member Briefs: a bi-weekly newsletter. Image of a family smiling in an outdoor space.

AMCHP Announcements 

Never miss our updates! Sign up for our newsletters, and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Threads.  

Call for 2025 AMCHP Annual Award Nominations is Open Through December 16

Graphic alerting that nominations for the 2025 AMCHP Annual Awards are open and inviting readers to learn more at bit.ly/AMCHP-AA25. It includes the AMCHP logo and a photo of an individual receiving an award on a stage while a sitting crowd watches. The award will be presented at AMCHP 2025.

We are excited to announce that we are accepting nominations for the 2025 AMCHP Annual Awards! The awards will be presented at the AMCHP Annual Conference, held in person only from March 15-18, 2025, in Washington, DC.  

Every year, AMCHP recognizes individuals in the maternal and child health (MCH) community who have gone above and beyond to positively impact those around them. Leaders, innovators, professionals, youth, and legislators are nominated and selected based on their commitment and contributions to advancing MCH. All award winners are invited to accept their award at the conference. Limited travel support is available for some awards. 

Award Categories:

  • John C. MacQueen Lecture Award: For innovation in the field of maternal and child health. Candidates must be able to record the lecture for distribution during the AMCHP Annual Conference in March 2025.
  • Community Partnership Award: For exemplary collaborations between Title V entities and community-based organizations. This award uplifts the importance of sustainable and outcome-focused partnerships in promoting the dignity and overall well-being of communities.
  • Emerging MCH Professional Award: For outstanding state MCH professionals under age 45 or with less than 10 years of experience whose work has made substantial contributions to their state’s MCH program, their state’s MCH outcomes, or made other significant contributions to promoting and protecting the health of women, children, and families in their state or jurisdiction.
  • Excellence in State MCH Leadership Award: For an outstanding state MCH professional whose career has made significant contributions to the health of women, children, and families in their state or jurisdiction.
  • Merle McPherson Family Leadership Award: For exemplary contributions to further family/professional collaboration within a state or jurisdictional Title V Program and AMCHP.
  • Ryan Colburn Scholarship Award: For a young adult who identifies as having complex health care needs or disabilities to attend the AMCHP Annual Conference, grow as a leader in MCH, and continue to honor Ryan’s legacy.
  • Vince Hutchins Leadership Award: For leadership in promoting a society responsive to the needs of women, children, youth, and families.

Interested in nominating someone?

Graphic alerting of the 2025 AMCHP Annual Awards call for nominations webinar on Monday, November 18, from 11 AM - 12 PM ET and inviting readers to register at bit.ly/AA25-WEBINAR. It includes the AMCHP logo and highlights Nikeisha Ogletree, AMCHP's Chief Operating Officer, Caroline Stampfel, Chief Strategy and Program Officer, and Dawn Bailey, President-Elect of AMCHP's Board of Directors, as the speakers by including their headshots. The award will be presented at AMCHP 2025 in Washington, DC.

Register to join our webinar on Monday, November 18, at 11:00 AM ET to learn more about the nomination process from AMCHP Staff and Board leadership. You can also visit our webpage to view past winners from 2024 and 2023 for inspiration.  

Ready to nominate?

If you would like to get started, please fill out the online nomination form and submit it along with all nomination materials by December 16.

New MCH Bridges Podcast Episode – Navigating Prenatal Diagnoses: Fostering Equity & Reducing Harm for Parents of Children with Down Syndrome  

Our newest episode of MCH Bridges is now live! Episode 21 – Navigating Prenatal Diagnoses: Fostering Equity & Reducing Harm for Parents of Children with Down Syndrome

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Listen to our latest episode where guest host and Lettercase Program Director Dr. Stephanie Meredith reviews some of the findings from her recent study focused on the experiences of parents receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Dr. Meredith approaches her research as the mother of a 24-year-old son with Down syndrome. Additionally, listeners will gain insight from a recent project aimed at improving support for Black and Hispanic new and expectant parents of children with Down syndrome.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Meredith uplifts the lived experiences of guest speakers Ayah Ibrahim and Tatiana Salinas, two mothers of children with Down syndrome, and emphasizes the importance and real-world impact of their diagnosis experiences. You will also hear from Katie Stoll, providing the perspective of a healthcare professional and leader of the Genetic Support Foundation on how to best support clinicians and families who receive care. 

Tune in to witness an important conversation between our guest host and speakers as they delve into what advocates and healthcare professionals can do to reduce emotional harm and disability bias and, instead, empower parents with information and support during this critical time.

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. 

Recent AMCHP Announcements      

AMCHP Annual Conference     

Graphic displaying the AMCHP 2025 logo, which includes a swirl in multiple colors with the AMCHP 2025 wordmark in big capital letters in the center. The overlaid text reads, Save the Date, March 15-18, Washington, DC.

The AMCHP Annual Conference is one of the largest gatherings of maternal and child health (MCH) professionals in the United States. Every year, our conference aims to highlight MCH programs’ impact at all levels on women, children, and families and to provide participants with tools and resources to develop, enhance, and sustain vital MCH programs and services.     

Save the dates to attend AMCHP 2025 in person in Washington, DC! Subscribe to our Annual Conference Newsletter to be the first to receive updates and information about AMCHP 2025.

AMCHP 2025: An In-Person Only Opportunity for Greater Impact in MCH 

The 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference will be an in-person-only event. AMCHP is delighted to have offered a hybrid experience for the past two years, and while we will miss you in the virtual space, we cannot wait to see you in person in Washington, DC!

Why join us in Washington, DC, for AMCHP 2025?

  • Gain firsthand opportunities to learn about changes occurring in the maternal and child health (MCH) field.
  • Participate in discussions about ensuring equity in systems and services, building and strengthening partnerships, and practicing effective family and youth engagement.
  • Exchange best practices and resources with other MCH professionals.
  • Participate in workshops, roundtables, and posters featuring a mix of topics and content.
  • Be part of timely-themed live plenary sessions led by association leadership.
  • Participate in discussions and small-group networking in live groups with speakers, AMCHP staff, and fellow attendees.

Early Bird Registration for AMCHP 2025 is Open Through January 17   

Graphic displaying a smartphone with the AMCHP 2025 website home page in the background and alerting that early bird registration for the 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference is open through January 17, 2025. The link to register is bit.ly/AMCHP2025_Reg.

Early bird registration for the 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference is open!  

You can now take advantage of our early bird pricing to attend our much-awaited annual conference in person only from March 15 – 18, 2025, at The Westin, Washington DC Downtown, in Washington, DC.  

Don’t miss out on our early bird rates! Register by January 17, 2025, and complete your payment later to secure your spot at the best price.  

This year, the conference theme is Partnering for Impact. This theme embodies our collective commitment to creating a world where everyone has equitable access and outcomes, as well as the opportunity to thrive. It’s a powerful reminder of why we partner to make things happen.  

Register now for an outstanding opportunity to place results in the spotlight at AMCHP 2025 as we continue our journey to impacting our communities for the better.  

Invitation to Support Diverse Leaders at AMCHP 2025

Rearview of diverse people hugging each other.

Are you or your organization seeking an opportunity to support diverse maternal and child health leaders and make a lasting impact in the field? We have what you are looking for!

AMCHP is delighted to share our Voice for Impact Conference Scholarship, designed to provide financial support to the following individuals involved in your maternal and child health efforts to attend the 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference:

  • Youth and young adult leaders (including students)
  • Family leaders
  • Community-based organizations (CBOs)
  • Community-rooted partners
  • Indigenous people and Indigenous-led organizations, and
  • Tribal Governments

Your support will help cover all or a portion of their conference expenses, which include conference registration, travel, lodging, and meals.

View or download our information flyer to learn more about this opportunity, including the process and how AMCHP will acknowledge your contribution.

The AMCHP 2025 Website is Live  

The conference website with updates and information about AMCHP 2025 is now live. Visit it now to learn about:  

  • The schedule at-a-glance
  • Registration
  • Hotel & travel information
  • Things to do in Washington, DC
  • Exhibits & sponsor information
  • Health & Safety at AMCHP 2025
  • Information about AMCHP, including accessibility at the conference, the meeting conduct policy, and how to connect with us

Visit the AMCHP 2025 website regularly! This website will be updated frequently to reflect the latest about our 2025 conference.    

Exhibit & Sponsorship Opportunities

Photo of an AMCHP exhibitor table, Count the Kicks.

Do you know of an entity looking for an opportunity to enhance the recognition of its products or services and make a lasting impression in the MCH field?

The 2025 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. In 2024, 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 in-person-only conference will be another strong showing!

View or download our sponsorship prospectus and share it widely with companies or organizations that could benefit from exhibiting at or sponsoring our conference. If you have any questions, please email our team of advisors at AMCHPexhibits@conferencemanagers.com.

AMCHP Events & Webinars  

Join AMCHP’s MCH Housing Champion Forum Two-Part Workshop for Title V 

Graphic promoting AMCHP's MCH Housing Champion Forum first workshop, "Strong Foundations: Exploring Possible Avenues for Prioritizing Housing in your MCH Work," on November 20, from 1-2:30 PM ET. Visit bit.ly/MCHchamp1 to register.

The federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) recently added a new National Performance Measure (NPM) that aims to track and reduce housing instability among women with a recent live birth and children ages 0 through 11. Recognizing that this work may be new to some in Title V, AMCHP wants to support you in identifying your existing strengths and resources, determining what a possible role in the housing space might look like for your specific context, as well as designing concrete next steps to work towards positively impacting housing stability for MCH populations.

Join our two-part workshop series, AMCHP’s MCH Housing Champion Forum, to learn about tools, resources, and examples from the field that you and your colleagues can use to incorporate housing as a priority in MCH policies and programs and to encourage prioritization of MCH populations in broader housing efforts. 

Learn more and register for our workshops!

Final Innovation Hub Learning Community (IHLC) Webinar on November 21

Flyer promoting the Innovation Hub Learning Community. Learn more at https://amchp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-3.pdf

Join us for the FINAL Innovation Hub Learning Community (IHLC) webinar on November 21 from 3-4 PM ET! The 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 final session of the year, “Cultivating Community Connection: Incorporating Community-Rooted Evidence into your Evaluation Plan & Programmatic Activities,” will define community-rooted evidence (CRE) and explore ways your organization can incorporate community-rooted evidence into your evaluation plan and programmatic activities. This interactive session will provide a window into AMCHP’s ongoing efforts to understand how community-rooted evidence currently informs programmatic activities and evaluation planning, as well as how joint partnerships with CRE can build the capacity of community-based organizations to capture, define, and disseminate their own evidence. Register for this webinar!

Legislation & Policy 

Explore our Maternal & Child Health Bill Tracker for more information about pending federal legislation to improve maternal health. Also, download AMCHP’s 2024 Federal Policy Agenda, which outlines where we are focusing our advocacy work this year. 

Subscribe to AMCHP’s Legislative Alerts and Policy Digest to stay up to date with the latest policy information. 

AMCHP Leads Organization Letter Supporting the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act 

AMCHP, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), March of Dimes, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine led a letter with 125 signatories to Congressional leadership urging them to swiftly pass the bipartisan Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 3838/S. 2415) or include the bill in the final FY 2025 appropriations package or any other must-pass legislative package. This legislation is vital in addressing America’s worsening maternal mortality crisis, which disproportionately impacts Black and Indigenous birthing people.

Congress must act urgently to address the maternal mortality crisis and prevent future unnecessary deaths. Read the full Legislative Alert.

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls  

Thank you to those of you who joined us for our last AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall! 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 2-3 PM ET, including our final edition this year, TODAY, November 14. We invite you to register for all future Town Halls using 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.   

AMCHP Career Opportunities         

Be part of our team! AMCHP is seeking individuals for the role listed below. AMCHP offers a 100% virtual work/telework environment for all positions. 

  • Policy Team Intern: AMCHP is recruiting a policy team intern for Spring 2025. This is a paid part-time position that requires a minimum of 15 hours per week. AMCHP’s internship program is open to currently enrolled students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Individuals who have recently graduated are also eligible. Candidates with experience in Congressional affairs are preferred. Our program is also designed to allow interns to gain practical work experience, provide opportunities for interns to explore their strengths and interests more fully, and provide AMCHP an opportunity to become involved in the preparation of future public health professionals. [Learn more and apply]

 Are You One of the Millions of People Nationwide who have Experienced Housing or Food Insecurity? AMCHP needs your guidance!

AMCHP is looking for people with lived experience in housing and/or food insecurity to be a part of a national group of experts who will provide guidance to state efforts to create and implement policies to improve access to quality housing and food for MCH communities. AMCHP will provide compensation for your participation. More information about this opportunity and commitment can be found in this informational flyer.

If you are interested, please complete the interest form by Thursday, December 5, or contact Ellisa Alvarez at ealvarez@amchp.org for more details.

 Opportunity to Inform Maternal and Child Health Initiatives 

Banner promoting the Community Based Organization Survey.

You’re invited to participate in an important survey designed to support and strengthen maternal and child health-focused community-based organizations (MCH CBOs). This survey is part of a collaborative project led by Karna, LLC., and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cooperative Agreement 6 NU01DD000040-02-01, seeking to provide critical capacity-building assistance to organizations like yours.

Why participate?

By participating in this survey, you’ll help ensure the tools and resources Karna creates will address the needs and challenges faced by MCH CBOs. The data collected will guide the development of tailored support that can enhance your organization’s ability to serve mothers, children, and families more effectively.

Survey Details:

  • Your Input Matters: Your input is essential to help Karna better understand the needs of CBOs working in the MCH space.
  • Estimated Completion Time: 6 minutes
  • Deadline to complete: November 29
  • Confidentiality: All responses are confidential, and Karna values your honest feedback.

To participate, please fill out the needs assessment survey.

Your insights will directly contribute to strengthening the support available to MCH CBOs across the country. Thank you for your time and partnership in this important initiative! Questions should be directed to Kate Froeb at ResearchInfo@Karna.com.

ASTHO Over-the-Counter Contraception Policy Academy

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is currently accepting applications for participation in the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Contraception Policy Academy. The OTC Contraception Policy Academy is designed to help state and territorial governmental public health leaders and their partners develop the skills and competencies required to advance and support state-level policies and use those to engage in policy-related work. The deadline to apply to the policy academy is January 10, 2025. Learn more about the opportunity.

Partner Events & Webinars

Webinar: Building Partnerships Between Maternal and Child Health and Housing

To address social determinants of health, maternal and child health practitioners must develop relationships with non-traditional partners to align efforts. The Title V MCH Services Block Grant program recently added a National Performance Measure on Housing Instability. Federal Title V officials are building relationships with officials at Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and want to support relationship building at the local level.

Join CityMatCH for a webinar tomorrow, November 15 at 1 PM ET to familiarize urban/local MCH leaders to HUD, its public housing and support programs, and opportunities to partner with local housing authorities to improve the health of families participating in public housing programs.

Register now, and don’t forget to join AMCHP’s workshop series on this topic as well!

Commemorations   

November 2024   

American Diabetes Month

Bladder Health Month

COPD Awareness Month

Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

National Epilepsy Awareness Month

National Family Caregivers Month

National Healthy Skin Month

National Home Care & Hospice Month

National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Prematurity Awareness Month

Stomach Cancer Awareness Month

 

Weeks to Note:

National Nurse Practitioner Week, November 10-16

Transgender Awareness Week, November 13-19

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Awareness Week, November 24-30

  

Days to Note:

World Diabetes Day, November 14

World Prematurity Day, November 17

Great American Smokeout, November 21

National Family Health History Day, November 21