Best Practices/Innovation Station
Deadline Nears to Submit a Practice to Innovation Station
Do you have an effective or innovative MCH practice you'd like to share and include in AMCHP's Innovation Station? AMCHP is accepting submissions for its fall best practices review. Complete the simple application on the bottom of this page no later than Oct. 12.
Family & Community Engagement
Enhancing Family Engagement through Quality Improvement
Developed by the National Center for Medical Home Implementation, this fact sheet presents lessons learned from a nationwide family engagement quality improvement project. The fact sheet provides strategies for implementing family engagement quality improvement projects in clinical practice or through multi-site learning collaborations, tips for engaging parent/caregiver partners in practice-based quality improvement, and strategies to meaningfully engage families in clinical practice.
Zika Corner
Ensuring Coverage for Reproductive Health Services during the Zika Virus Outbreak: The Critical Role of Medicaid
AMCHP, in partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, is pleased to release a new policy brief on the importance of federal Medicaid financing during public health emergencies. The brief, Ensuring Coverage for Reproductive Health Services during the Zika Virus Outbreak: The Critical Role of Medicaid, examines the vital role of the Medicaid program in stemming Zika virus infections through family planning. As the largest source of health coverage in the U.S., Medicaid is one of the most effective ways to address Zika. For more information, email Emily Eckert at eeckert@amchp.org.
Protect Yourself and Your Baby from Zika
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum has updated its website resource, Protect Yourself and Your Baby from Zika (www.aboutzika.org). Available in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog and Urdu, the site offers Zika prevention tips, a toolkit, and other resources.
General & Maternal Child Health
Health Child Resources from MCHB
To commemorate Child Health Day on Oct. 2, Dr. Michael C. Lu, associate administrator for Maternal and Child Health at the Health Resources and Services Administration, highlighted these federal resources:
Need for Paid Family, Medical Leave for People with Disabilities and Their Families
The Arc and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality released a paper outlining why paid family and medical leave is so critical for the economic security and stability of people with disabilities and their families.
CMS Announces Special Enrollment Periods for Americans Affected by Hurricanes
As a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make available special enrollment periods for all Medicare beneficiaries and certain individuals seeking health plans offered through the Federal Health Insurance Exchange.
Health Systems Transformation in MCH
Learn About Idaho's Statewide Health Care Innovation Plan
The National Center for Medical Home Implementation, in partnership with the National Academy for State Health Policy, develops state profiles highlighting public health programs that advance the medical home model in pediatric populations. The newest program featured is the Idaho Statewide Healthcare Innovation Plan (SHIP), which aims to build a robust primary care system for children and adults through multi-disciplinary support and integration at the state government level. The profile discusses program components, payment model, outcomes, and provides links to additional information.
DHS Inspector Faults CMS Marketplace Oversight
The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General released a report saying the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not provide effective oversight to ensure that state marketplaces always properly determined individuals' eligibility for qualified health plans and insurance affordability programs.
Women's and Infant Health
Heat Exposure and Maternal Health in the Face of Climate Change
This systematic review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health aims to identify recent literature that investigates how climate change – particularly increasing heat and extreme temperatures – will affect maternal and fetal health worldwide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Updates U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use
Use of progestin-only injectable contraceptives (including depot medroxyprogesterone acetate) by women at high risk for HIV has been changed from a U.S. MEC category 1 (safe for use without restriction) to U.S. MEC category 2 (benefits outweigh theoretical or proven risks).