Pulse is AMCHP’s bi-monthly online magazine. Each issue focuses on a different topic and is shared with the entire AMCHP family, including members, partners, and others interested in MCH issues. Never miss our updates! Sign up for our newsletters to receive the latest in maternal and child health news and AMCHP publications straight to your inbox. Subscribe now
A Message from our CEO
By Terrance E. Moore, MA, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) By now, you’ve had an opportunity to experience AMCHP’s 2022 virtual Annual Conference: Reflecting on our Past, Shaping our Future! I would like to...
The Great Balancing Act
By Shirley Payne, PhD, MPH, Assistant Commissioner, Public Health Commission, Indiana Department of Health Throughout the pandemic, we have navigated what I characterize as the great balancing act in both our personal and professional lives. Each area required...
How Are the Parents?
By Jena Martin, Director of Special Populations Family Connection of South Carolina My name is Jena, and I am a full-time mom and professional. Of my four children, one has significant mental health challenges, one qualifies for an Individualized Education...
On Disability, Toxic Productivity, and Selflessness
By Amber Woodside, AMCHP Youth Voice Amplified Committee Member I grew up disabled without knowing what to call it until I was almost 20. I speak more to my ADHD than the fact that I’m autistic in this context, but it’s important for me to say now that within...
Redefining Rest and Productivity
By Atyya Chaudhry, MPP, Senior Program Manager, Health Systems Transformation, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs Burnout. Fatigue. Exhaustion. These terms have defined our work lives since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. As public...
Reflections from AMCHP Board Past President Dr. Manda Hall
By Manda Hall, MD, Associate Commissioner, Community Health Improvement Division, Texas Department of State Health Services As I reflect on my past year as president of AMCHP, the following quote by Dr. Paul Farmer resonates with me: “With rare exceptions, all...
The Public Health Workforce Is at a Breaking Point. Here’s What the Data Tell Us.
By the de Beaumont Foundation More than two years into a grueling pandemic, public health practitioners are feeling the strain on their mental health. The toll of COVID-19 has weighed heavily on members of the public health workforce, and this could lead to...
The Biden Administration Mental Health Strategy: Implications for MCH
By Stacy Collins, Associate Director, Health Systems Transformation, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs “First - beat the opioid epidemic. There is so much we can do. Increase funding for prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery. Get rid...
A Message from our CEO
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...
Disability & Reproductive Health: It’s Time to Talk About It!
By Paige Falion, MS, Senior Program Manager, Child & Adolescent Health, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), and Mallory Cyr, MPH, CYSHCN Program Manager, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP). The topic of...
The Forced Sterilization of Disabled People in the United States: An Interview with Ma’ayan Anafi, Senior Counsel for Health Equity and Justice at the National Women’s Law Center
Interviewed by Lauren Blachowiak, Government Affairs Manager, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP). This interview took place on February 22, 2022. This interview discusses the results of a newly released report by the National Women’s...
Taylor’s Story: How Her Family Worked with Medical Specialists to Help Her Navigate Complications of Puberty
By Erin Parks, Northeast Family Support Partner, Oklahoma Family Network. My name is Erin, and I have a beautiful 20-year-old daughter named Taylor who has Down syndrome. My husband and I prepared Taylor for puberty and the concept of getting her period for...
Building Health Equity and Health Care Systems: The Importance of Doulas and Midwives as Community Birth Workers in Maternal and Child Health
By the Evidence and Implementation team at the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP). Doulas are trained in a non-clinical setting and provide support to the person giving birth. They provide emotional and physical support as well as...
Listening to and Justly Partnering with Collective Perinatal Health Solutions: Wisdom and a Way Forward for Maternal and Child Health Professionals and Institutions
By staff members from the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP), the Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center (MHLIC), and Commonsense Childbirth State Title V/Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programs across the United States are...
The Intersection of Climate Change and Maternal and Child Health: Centering Global Issues and Climate Justice
By Noeli Vasquez & Salome Araya, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP), Evidence and Implementation Team, Global Health Workgroup Climate change threatens all maternal and child health (MCH) programs across the globe. AMCHP and our...
