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September 22, 2022

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).

AMCHP Family Engagement Community of Practice (CoP)

Are you looking for ideas and insights on engaging families more in the work of your Title V program? This may be the opportunity for you!

The AMCHP Family Engagement Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of individuals who share expertise and passion about a topic and interact on an ongoing basis to further their learning and advance the field to increase the Title V capacity to engage families in their work. CoP members include those working with families on family engagement initiatives across Title V and maternal and child health.

The CoP provides a platform for subject matter experts to share ideas, innovations, lessons learned, successes, and best practices. It is an eight-month commitment with monthly meetings from October 2022 to May 2023.

Join now! Click here to express your interest by COB Friday, September 23, 2022.

More information can be found at this link. For questions, please contact Michelle Crawford at mcrawford@amchp.org.

AMCHP’s Call for New Association Committees Members is Now Open

AMCHP is pleased to announce that our 2022-2023 call for new association committee members is now open. You can now easily apply by filling out our call for new committee members survey at this link!

AMCHP Association Committees assist our organization in carrying out our mission, goals, and strategic plan. Committees provide critical guidance to our board and staff and recommendations for policy analysis and development and are comprised of AMCHP members, board members, family representatives, and staff liaisons. They may also include representatives from federal agencies and involve partner organizations when appropriate.

Join one of our committees below. We offer eight options to choose from that align with your passion, work, and interests (learn more).

  • AMCHP Annual Conference
  • Governance
  • Family LEAD
  • Health Equity
  • Legislative & Health Care Policy
  • MCH Innovations
  • Workforce and Leadership Development
  • Youth Voice Amplified (YVA)

Why Become an AMCHP Association Committee Member?

Committees are an excellent opportunity to effect meaningful change nationally and have your voice heard on maternal and child health matters. Volunteering to become a committee member also offers rich professional development opportunities and, potentially, provides a future pathway toward greater leadership roles at AMCHP.

If you have any questions about volunteering to become a member of an AMCHP Association Committee, please contact us at info@amchp.org. For more information about our committees, please visit our website www.amchp.org/committees.

AMCHP Staff Members and Subject Matter Experts Contribute to Special Journal Issue on MCH Workforce Development

AMCHP is excited to share that various of our staff members and subject matter experts are among the co-authors of a special supplement to the Maternal and Child Health Journal titled “Developing and Strengthening the Current and Future MCH Public Health Workforce: Building Capacity, Aligning Systems and Addressing Emerging Challenges.” This special issue, released in September 2022, is published in collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and the National MCH Workforce Development Center.

Articles in this special issue cover a wide range of topics related to the work of providing continuing education and workforce development to those working in state and local maternal and child health, addressing subjects such as the success of the workforce development efforts, the implementation of equity programs, and the need to build a strong pipeline ready to meet the public health challenges of the 21st century.

Read the articles co-authored by AMCHP’s subject matter experts below and use these open-access publications to advance workforce development for current and future MCH professionals!

Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 U.S. States, 2027-2019

Data show that four in five pregnancy-related deaths in the United States were preventable, highlighting opportunities to better protect moms. 

On Monday, September 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new 2017-2019 data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) in 36 U.S. states, which are representatives of diverse clinical and non-clinical backgrounds who review the circumstances around pregnancy-related deaths to identify recommendations to prevent future deaths. Information from MMRCs in 36 U.S. states shows that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable and shares how leading causes of deaths by race and ethnicity can be used to prioritize interventions that can save lives and reduce health disparities.

AMCHP is proud to partner with the CDC in their support of Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) through the ERASE MM Initiative, including supporting the web-based resource www.ReviewtoAction.org.

To explore the key findings of this report, please visit the CDC Newsroom. To read and download the full report, use this link.

New Pulse Newsletter Issue: Reflections on Shaping our Future

The latest issue of our Pulse newsletter is now live!

This Pulse issue, “Reflections on Shaping our Future,” was inspired by this year’s AMCHP Annual Conference theme, “Reflecting on our Past, Shaping our Future.” It shares strategies that lead to a more inclusive, sustainable MCH workforce, how we serve families through telehealth and other technologies, and how our “why” can inspire us moving forward. The newsletter also features powerful first-person stories – human stories complete with struggle, perseverance, support, and healing, and updates on our Replication Projects.

Articles:

Do you want to receive our Pulse newsletter directly in your inbox? Subscribe to our email list at this link!

New MCH Bridges Podcast Episode

Public Health Across Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Mental Health, and the U.S. Immigration System

Our latest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Episode 8 – “Public Health Across Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Mental Health, and the U.S. Immigration System.”

This episode explores the unique experiences of unaccompanied immigrant children and how immigration impacts mental health. Guest speakers José Ortiz-Rosales, Deputy Director of the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program, and Anne Kelsey, Policy Analyst for Disability Rights at the Young Center, offer their perspectives on opportunities for the public health field to better support unaccompanied minors’ mental and physical health needs.

The Young Center, an organization dedicated to promoting immigrant children’s rights, ensures the safety and best interests of unaccompanied children in United States custody by advocating for them as they navigate the immigration system.

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 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.

Maternal and Child Health Journal Supplement on Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) are pleased to announce a forthcoming supplement on “Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use,” in the Maternal and Child Health Journal. The supplement will feature articles that address policies and programs dedicated to expanding access to substance use care during the perinatal period. Please review our Call for Papers and writing workshop to learn more. The manuscript deadline has been EXTENDED to October 1, 2022.

AMCHP and ASTHO warmly invite you to serve as a peer reviewer for the journal supplement. 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. It is possible to submit to this supplement and review a submission.

If you are interested in submitting to the supplement or being a peer reviewer, please email Amani Echols (AMCHP) at aechols@amchp.org.

AMCHP Innovation Hub

Now Accepting Submissions for the MCH Innovations Database Fall 2022 Review

Is your work effectively improving the health and well-being of MCH populations? Submit it to the MCH Innovations Database: Fall 2022 Review!

AMCHP’s Innovation Hub is currently accepting submissions to the MCH Innovations Database (formerly Innovation Station). The MCH Innovations Database is a searchable repository of “what’s working” in the field that includes effective practices, programs, and strategies that positively impact MCH populations.

Submissions to the database are assessed along a practice continuum and, if accepted, receive a designation of Cutting-Edge, Emerging, Promising, or Best Practice depending on the evidence demonstrating the practice’s impact, among other criteria. The Innovation Hub has also expanded to include policies with their own criteria to sort them into the appropriate designation, ranging from development, implementation, and evaluation. Policies are currently being accepted on a rolling basis and can be submitted at any point. Check out this short overview video of the submission process to learn more.

How to Submit a Practice? 

Access our submission forms here under the “How do I Submit a Practice?” tab and learn more about how you can submit your practice for the fall. All submissions must be sent to evidence@amchp.org by COB Friday, September 30.

Not sure which designation to submit to? Check out our Minimum Criteria Checklist to figure out which designation is right for your practice, or email us at evidence@amchp.org, and we are happy to assist.

How to Submit a Policy? 

Access our submission forms here under the “How do I Submit a Policy?” tab and learn more about how you can submit your policy! All submissions should be sent to evidence@amchp.org, and please remember that they are 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 practice, or email us at evidence@amchp.org, and we are happy to assist.

Refer a Practice/Policy

Don’t have anything to submit for the Fall 2022 Review, 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 site using the “How do I Refer a Practice/Policy?” tab here. Email us at evidence@amchp.org for any questions!

AMCHP Annual Conference 

Post-Conference Reminders

You still have access to ALL conference content!

Do you wish to revisit your favorite session or engage with the live content you might have missed? 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.

Annual Conference Approved for Continuing Education 

As of May 4, 2022, the AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference meets Accreditation and CDC’S Quality Training Standards. Please click here for more information.

Save the Date for AMCHP 2023!

Interested in receiving all the details about the AMCHP 2023 Annual Conference? Subscribe to our email list at this link!

AMCHP Events & Webinars

Virtual Watch Party for MCH Stakeholders: White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

Earlier this summer, AMCHP and the Association for State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) hosted a joint listening session for MCH stakeholders to provide input to the White House’s National Strategy to Address Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. We shared your important feedback with the White House staff preparing the strategy.

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at 9:00 AM EDT, the Biden-Harris Administration will debut the strategy during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The conference will catalyze the public and private sectors around the developed strategy to accelerate progress and drive transformative change in the U.S. to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and close the disparities surrounding them. The conference will be live-streamed—AMCHP and ASPHN will host a virtual watch party and invite our MCH stakeholders to reconvene and view the conference together to share our live reactions to the new national strategy with one another.

Join our virtual watch party on September 28! Please use this link to register and check out this page for more information about the conference.

Preparing for the Public Health Emergency Unwinding: The Role of MCH Programs

Join AMCHP on Friday, October 7, at 1:00 PM EDT for a webinar on the unwinding of the public health emergency and its implications for Medicaid coverage of MCH populations. This webinar will include remarks from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Kentucky Department of Medicaid Services, and the Kentucky Division of Maternal and Child Health as they discuss the role of MCH programs as the emergency unwinds.

Register for the event here.

Recording – August 23 Roundtable: Telehealth Policy After the Public Health Emergency

Hear from Mei Wa Kwong, J.D., Executive Director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, on how telehealth policy has changed during the pandemic, and how these changes can impact maternal and child health beyond the public health emergency. [watch the recording]

Recording – August 18 Roundtable: Working with Families Virtually

Molly Martzke, Senior Program Manager, National Genetics Education and Family Support Center at Expecting Health, shares how the organization is engaging families nationwide with virtual programming and what Expecting Health has learned about supporting families virtually during the pandemic and beyond. [watch the recording]

Recording – August 16 Roundtable: My Evaluation is Done. What’s Next?

AMCHP’s Equity, Epidemiology, and Evaluation team presents how to use evidence and evaluation to implement changes in your telehealth program. [watch the recording]

Recording – August 4 Roundtable: Taking EHDI Telehealth to the Next Level

Hear from Bill Campbell (Audiologist in Thunder Bay, Ontario), Todd Houston (University of Akron), Alex Meibos (University of Akron), Arlene Stredler Brown (University of Colorado), Pamela Dawson (Hear ME Now), Julie Purdy (Rady Children’s Hospital) as they share EHDI telehealth activities and experiences from around the country. [watch the recording]

AMCHP Mental Health Corner

Mental health is an important component of well-being for maternal, child, and adolescent health (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.

In September, AMCHP’s mental health social media will primarily focus on National Suicide Prevention Month! 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! Community Crisis Response Programs: Implications for MCH Populations

In observance of Suicide Prevention Month, AMCHP published a blog on community behavioral health crisis response for maternal and child health (MCH). With the growing youth mental health crisis, equitable and trauma-informed community services are a clear step toward suicide prevention. Check out our blog to explore opportunities for MCH programs to support their local community crisis services and ensure equitable, family-centered behavioral health services are available to all.

AMCHP National Policy Calls

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls

Thank you to those who joined us on the September 8 AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall. You can watch the full recording here:

The next call in this series is October 13, 2022, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT. We invite you to register for this and our 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.

New National Strategy on Family Caregivers Released by Administration for Community Living

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has released the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, which includes key principles to support family caregivers, and suggestions for policy actions at all levels of government. The strategy was developed jointly by The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Act Family Caregiving Advisory Council and The Council of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, with additional input from caregivers and the family members they support. The Strategy will be open to public comment for 60 days, beginning on October 1.  To learn more, you can read the full Strategy, view an infographic summary, and sign-up for ACL updates.

Bill Reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Introduced in the House

On September 21, the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed the Jackie Walorski Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 (H.R.8876). The legislation would reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV) for five years, increasing the annual funding level to $800 million in 2027 and doubling the tribal set-aside. In addition to the base grants, states and territories would be able to apply for additional grant funds requiring a 25% state match. The current MIECHV authorization is set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year on September 30; however, any unspent funding can be used for up to two years. Congress could reauthorize the program either through a standalone bill, such as the Jackie Walorski Act or by attaching it to an end-of-year federal spending package.

The bill, which is named for the late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN), who championed the MIECHV program during her time in Congress, will next be considered by the full House of Representatives. You can learn more about the legislation with this summary, section-by-section, and the full bill text. AMCHP has endorsed the legislation.

Update on Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations

Congress has yet to finalize spending for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) starting on October 1. It is highly likely that Congress will pass a stop-gap funding measure, called a Continuing Resolution (CR), until at least after the November elections. The CR would fund the federal government at its current funding levels with the possibility of additional provisions tacked on. Stay up-to-date with FY23 funding and its impact on the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant by subscribing to AMCHP Legislative Alerts and following AMCHP Government Affairs on Twitter.

National Stillbirth Prevention Day Recognized in Bipartisan, Bicameral Resolution

Congresswomen Alma Adams (D-NC) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) in the House and U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution recognizing “National Stillbirth Prevention Day” on September 19. Learn more by reading this press release from Rep. Adams’ office and the full resolution.

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. 

Commemorations

September 2022

Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Food Safety Education Month
Healthy Aging ® Month
National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National ITP (Platelet Disorder) Awareness Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
National Recovery Month
National Sickle Cell Month
National Yoga Awareness Month
Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sepsis Awareness Month
Sexual Health Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
World Alzheimer’s Month

Weeks to Note:
Malnutrition Awareness Week; September 19 – 23
Global ITP Awareness Week; September 20-24
Falls Prevention Awareness Week; September 20-24
Fungal Disease Awareness Week; September 20-24
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week; September 20 – 26

Days to Note:
Sport Purple for Platelets Day; September 24
World Lung Day; September 25
Mesothelioma Awareness Day; September 26
World Rabies Day; September 28
National Women’s Health and Fitness Day; September 29
World Heart Day; September 29