Looking Ahead in 2015 
By Sam B. Cooper III, LMSW-IPR
I am struggling with all that I want to share in this first Pulse From the President message…Struggling because the months ahead are already packed with opportunities to shape the future of maternal and child health (MCH). State and territorial teams have the final guidance for the Title V MCH Services Block Grant and are in the process of completing the five-year needs assessments and establishing new state priorities that will guide actions through 2020. Those teams of MCH leaders – family members, youth, Title V MCH and children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) staff, and many more partners – know the importance of these tasks and those who are dependent on their success.
Similarly, our association has begun the process of preparing the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan, which will be used as our road map for the future. Many of you have read about opportunities to share your thoughts in previous newsletter articles, or even had an opportunity to discuss the efforts during your regional meetings held during the AMCHP Annual Conference in January. Your participation in this process is critical to the success of the resulting plan. We have much work to do, but I am confident that with your help, AMCHP will have clear direction for the years ahead.
As your president, I am so fortunate to be able to work with our membership, our Board of Directors, our Association Committees, the top-notch AMCHP staff, and our many other partners as we move ahead. I believe that the only way we succeed is through our collective creativity and mutual support, and I can't think of any other group that is better prepared to achieve success! Stay tuned.
Slàinte,
Sam