By Belinda Pettiford, President, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and Chief of the Women, Infant, and Community Wellness Section, North Carolina Division of Public Health

Greetings to all! I am pleased to greet you as AMCHP’s Board President and extremely fortunate to work with the dedicated Board members and AMCHP staff as we elevate maternal and child health (MCH) efforts. These individuals are leaders within the MCH field, and they continue to make an impact with their knowledge, experience, and willingness to think outside of the box. With the release of AMCHP’s new strategic plan — AMCHP Future 2027— the excitement continues to build. Staying laser-focused on our mission, vision, and on centering the work on health equity, we can continue our partnership with the states and simultaneously boost efforts to collaborate with communities throughout this country. I hope you will take the time to review this strategic plan in detail and join our CEO, Terrance E. Moore, in a future All Member call to share your thoughts and interest in moving this work forward.

Also, after wrapping up the month of November, let’s take a moment to acknowledge Native American Heritage Month. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIIM) has dedicated more than a year reviewing materials, participating in presentations, and listening to the feedback from American Indian and Alaska Native individuals and communities on ways to improve the health of mothers and infants in this population. In September 2022, ACIIM held an in-person meeting on the Tribal land of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Minnesota. Final recommendations will be shared with the HHS Secretary, and AMCHP members will have access to additional information in early 2023.

Thanks for your efforts to support individuals and families throughout this country. It is greatly appreciated!