By Terrance E. Moore, MA, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP).

I am thrilled to be sharing with you my very first Pulse article as AMCHP’s CEO! It’s hard to believe that it’s already been five months. As we move from a period of transition to casting our eyes toward AMCHP’s future, I appreciate your support and the amazing work that each of you continues to do to impact maternal and child health (MCH) efforts across the United States. I come to our work deeply committed to the field of public health and health equity. I’ve seen firsthand how much we can accomplish when we lean into partnership, collaboration, our lived experiences, and combined expertise. Working together in this way is also important as we continue to navigate the unprecedented times that we live in. No matter what challenges come our way I believe that we can examine them together, surmount the obstacles in our work, and deliver sustainable, positive health outcomes for the people we serve. From where I sit, AMCHP has much to report on regarding our current work.

AMCHP Strategic Planning (SP22)

I’m excited to share that we’re fully immersed in strategic planning that will cover the next five years. The process, which commenced in November 2021, is truly an all-hands effort that involves the AMCHP Board, AMCHP staff, AMCHP members, and the MCH community! We’ve identified these seven key areas to focus on, which we are calling “pillars”:

• Membership and dues
• Health equity and anti-racism
• Communications and branding
• Family and youth engagement
• Technical assistance, capacity building, and workforce development
• Partnerships
• Policy and advocacy

Across various teams at AMCHP, in conjunction with the AMCHP Board and membership, we are thoroughly examining these seven pillars. As part of this process, we’ll continue our own internal work to assess our organizational infrastructure and culture and plan for any needed changes. It is my goal that everyone sees themselves reflected in this five-year plan that is set to roll out on October 1, 2022! Please stay tuned for additional updates and opportunities to weigh-in on our strategic plan.

AMCHP Virtual Conference – May 24–26

Thank you all for your patience, understanding, and flexibility during the planning of our annual conference. Although we were hoping to see each other in person this month, with the emergence of the Omicron variant and subsequent travel restrictions that many of our members put into practice, we decided to transition to a fully virtual meeting. The AMCHP team is putting together a high-quality conference agenda that includes opportunities for members and partners to share successes and best practices. The conference theme continues to be “Reflecting on our Past, Shaping our Future.” If you have not yet registered for AMCHP 2022, register here. Last year’s meeting, also held virtually, was one of AMCHP’s most successful conferences with over 1,300 participants from nearly every state, territory, and jurisdiction in the United States. We anticipate having the same level of participation and engagement with our AMCHP 2022 conference. We can’t wait to see you virtually!

Annual Membership Business Meeting

Members of AMCHP, please save-the-date for our annual membership business meeting on May 10. Not a member yet? Join us now!

Coffee Sessions with AMCHP Members

As part of my ongoing efforts to engage our members, I held my first informal virtual coffee session on March 1. Thank you to members that joined the first session. A few notable themes emerged from this session:

• Workforce challenges during the pandemic stemming from ongoing struggles to recruit diverse candidates and diverse family perspectives in our work and vacancies created by retirements in the field
• Families struggling to cope with changing circumstances, with a specific need for overarching support to navigate health care services and insurance
• People tasked with providing support are recognizing that they, too, need support during this time.
• Meaningful outreach and engagement of fathers and cisgender men in the maternal and child health ecosystem.
• Establishing and energizing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

AMCHP members, please join me in upcoming coffee sessions on April 13 (register) and be on the lookout for the invitation to additional sessions on April 27, May 17, and June 1. I look forward to meeting and chatting with many of you in the coming weeks!

About Our March Edition of Pulse

This edition of Pulse titled, the “Intersection of Reproductive Health and Disability Justice” focuses on health equity. Our guest interview with Ma’ayan Anafi, senior counsel for health equity and justice at the National Women’s Law Center, highlights the unfinished work in addressing draconian laws and policies that allow for sterilization of disabled people in 31 states and the District of Columbia. This issue also provides a blueprint from the AMCHP team on action steps for addressing reproductive health inequities affecting all MCH populations, especially for children and youth with special health care needs, as they reach adulthood. Please enjoy this issue!