Updated U.S. Health Workforce Chartbook and State Profiles
This updated U.S. Health Workforce Chartbook provides estimates for 35 health occupations, including physicians, nurses, dentists, counselors, and laboratory technicians, with information on demographics, workforce settings, and geographic distribution. HRSA also updated the U.S. Health Workforce State Profiles as a companion to the chartbook.

Women and Infant Health

Go Beyond the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act to Save Women's Lives
The lives of women across U.S. depend on success of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, but the new law itself is not enough! Saving lives requires thoughtful implementation and more policy changes, say AMCHP's Theresa Chapple-McGruder and co-authors in this Health Affairs blog.

Public Health Surveillance of Prenatal Opioid Exposure in Mothers and Infants
This article by leaders at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Director Dr. Robert Redfield, Dr. Margaret A. Honein, and Dr. Coleen Boyle) highlights the importance of monitoring and protecting infants affected by opioid exposure during pregnancy. They call for public health action to build the evidence base and define the full range of health effects related to opioid exposure during pregnancy.

Gastroschisis Trends and Ecologic Link to Opioid Prescription Rates
This article in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the proportion of babies born with gastroschisis was higher in counties with high opioid prescription rates compared to counties with low opioid prescription rates (2006-2015).

Oral Health Toolkit Aims to Help Pregnant Women
Coinciding with National Children's Dental Health Month (February), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics to produce an Oral Health Toolkit for medical and dental providers who care for pregnant women. The materials raise awareness about the importance of oral health as part of prenatal care, and support clinicians in talking with pregnant women about their oral health and the future oral health of their babies.

Child & Adolescent Health

Evidence-informed Afterschool Programs Decrease Youth Substance Abuse and Problem Behaviors
This brief identifies community and school, peer, parent, and individual factors that increase the likelihood that afterschool programs will support positive youth development, and offers recommendations to strengthen factors that decrease youth substance abuse and problem behaviors.

Federal Awards Support Technology-Based Solutions for Care Coordination
Seven organizations won awards in the Care Coordination for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The winners proposed technology-based solutions designed to help families of CSHCH care needs coordinate care for their children. Awardees next will develop prototypes and begin small-scale testing. See the winners

Healthy Teen Network Seeks Proposals for Annual Conference
The Healthy Teen Network is accepting workshop and poster proposals for its annual conference on Oct. 28-30 in New Orleans, La. Deadlines vary.