Pulse is an AMCHP bi-monthly newsletter featuring a curated selection of insightful, story-driven articles and perspectives centered on critical topics in maternal and child health (MCH). Each edition showcases a collection of contributions authored by AMCHP’s subject matter experts, partners, and collaborators, including families and individuals with lived experience with the challenges AMCHP endeavors to solve.
This newsletter includes a special segment called Pulse Plus, which features articles on various MCH issues and topics relevant to our members and the broader MCH community.
Are you an AMCHP member or partner interested in collaborating on an article for Pulse? Please e-mail us at communications@amchp.org.
Shaping our Future: A More Inclusive, Sustainable Workforce
By Ben Kaufman, MSW, Associate Director, Workforce Development and Capacity Building, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Earlier this year, the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (non-sports fans, bear with me for one short...
Overview of Replication Projects
Each year, AMCHP awards four organizations to replicate a practice from the MCH Innovations Database (formerly known as Innovation Station). If selected, applicants receive tailored technical assistance and individualized guidance from AMCHP and...
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...
Leveraging Federal Block Grants to Meet the Substance Use Disorder Needs of Women: The Nevada Experience
By Caroline Halsted, Research Analyst, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors and Jessica Simon, Program Manager, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Overview The federal Substance Abuse Prevention and...
Pono Choices: Supporting Implementation of a Culturally Relevant Sexual Health Education Curriculum
Pono Choices is a culturally responsive sexual health education curriculum developed in Hawaii that is designed to provide young adolescents with the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills necessary to reduce their risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and...
Reflecting on Amá: The Untold Story of the Sterilization of Thousands of Indigenous Women at the Hands of the U.S. Government
By Catalina Desouza, Intern, Laura Powis, MPH, Program Manager, Lynda Krisowaty, MHS, Senior Program Manager, and Noeli Vasquez, BS, Public Health Associate, Evidence and Implementation, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) While many believe...
How Trauma-Informed Yoga is Healing a Generation
By Small World Yoga (Nashville, Tennessee location) Miguel, age 10, rolls up his yoga mat after a 40-minute session of gentle yoga and meditation with his classmates after school. He recognizes that he feels calmer and less anxious about his performance on a math quiz...
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...
Seize this Critical Time to Catch Up on Missed Pediatric Vaccinations and Routine Checkups
By Dr. Michael D. Warren, Pediatrician and Associate Administrator for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at HRSA As the new school year starts, it’s not only time for fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils. It’s also time to make sure students and families stay...
The Revolutionary Optimists: Reflections from Public Health Professionals on Youth Activism
Bejanchong Foretia, Global Health Committee This year’s AMCHP 2021 Conference centered on the reality of our global connectedness as we all experience a pandemic that continues to tragically take the lives of thousands and challenge our ideas of “normal”....
Learning from Loss: Reflections from a First-Time Attendee at the AMCHP Conference
By Elizabeth O’Donnell, Founder of Aaliyah in Action This was Aaliyah in Action’s first year attending the AMCHP Annual Conference. The conference theme, "Reflecting on our Past, Shaping our Future," highly resonated with me, as a mother who experienced loss and is...
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...
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...
AMCHP Innovation Hub: 2021 Replication Projects
Each year, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) awards four organizations to replicate a practice from the MCH Innovations Database (formerly known as Innovation Station). If selected, applicants receive tailored technical assistance (TA) and...
Community Mobilization Approach to Increase Fatherhood Involvement
Wykinia Culbreth, Georgia Department of Public Health Tiara Giddings, Morehouse School of Medicine The Georgia Department of Public Health (GA DPH) Maternal and Child Health Section within the Division of Health Promotion partnered with the National Fatherhood...
