COVID-19 Resources
AMCHP COVID-19 MCH and Community Resource Page
AMCHP is committed to working alongside our federal agency and organizational partners to gather available information, resources, and guidance specific to our MCH population during the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources are on our website (www.amchp.org/covid-19) for your convenience. The site will be updated regularly as untapped resources become available.
New from AMCHP
New Webinars and Issue Briefs on Promoting Healthy Beginnings with Title V: Preterm Birth Priming and Planning
AMCHP, in partnership with birth equity thought leaders, created a series of webinars and corresponding issue briefs about anti-racist strategies for preterm birth prevention for Title V MCH programs. Visit the project webpage for access to the resources.
Board Corner
Join the AMCHP Board of Directors – 2021 General Election
AMCHP member delegates are encouraged to consider applying for one of several open positions on our board of directors. AMCHP is accepting nominations through Oct. 30 for elections to be held in February 2021. Please see our Call for Nominations page for additional information. Your help is needed to fill these important roles!
Your Voice: Call for Volunteers for AMCHP Committees
AMCHP is seeking volunteers for all of its committees, including Governance; Annual Conference Planning; Best Practices; Health Equity; Family Leadership, Education, and Development (Family LEAD – formerly FYLC); Legislative and Healthcare Financing; and Workforce and Leadership Development.
Won't you please think about contributing your time and expertise to your professional organization? This is a terrific way to enhance the benefits of your membership in AMCHP and your career, while also contributing to the success of the organization. Please complete this brief survey to let us know of your interest.
National AMCHP Policy Calls
AMCHP National MCH COVID-19 Townhall Series
Thanks to those of you who joined us on the 11th webinar in this series on August 27th. The link to the recording is available here. The next call in this series is September 10, 2:00-3:00 p.m., ET. Please use this link to register. For follow-up materials and resources from previous calls, please be sure to check out AMCHP's COVID-19 page.
This series will continue to provide an opportunity for our members to hear about the current state-of-play related to COVID-19 and national policy as well as other pressing policy updates, as needed. We will be joined by leaders from HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AMCHP (and our federal agency partners) are very interested in talking with you to share information to assist in your planning around COVID-19, as well as to hear about your evolving needs and/or stories from the field.
Get Involved
Bright Futures is Soliciting Public Comments for the Federal Register Notice on Proposed Updates to the Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics
A Federal Register Notice has been posted that seeks public comment on proposed updates to the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule. The public comment period is open for 30 days. The Bright Futures National Center welcomes you to provide comments as an individual or on behalf of an organization. This review is web-based only. Provide comments on the Public Comment Webpage:
We are unable to process hard copy comments. Note that the Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule Workgroup will take all comments into consideration but will not provide individual responses to comments. All comments must be received no later than Sept. 21, 2020.
Publications and Resources
New COVID-19 Resource: “Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 during Pregnancy”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently posted a new webpage entitled “Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 during Pregnancy.” This webpage summarizes CDC-supported activities designed to help readers understand the impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy on both mothers and infants. This webpage highlights the work of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities’ Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies (SET-NET) and others. The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities’ continues to update our web content to include our updated pages on SET-NET and MAT-LINK. Access these pages here:
Always and Now: A Reflection on the Importance of Prioritizing AYA Mental Health
The latest post in the #ScreenToInteveneForAYAs (Adolescents and Young Adults) blog features a reflection from AMCHP’s Senior Program Manager for Adolescent Health, Iliana White, on the “Always and Now” framework that serves as a way of thinking about how providers, public health practitioners, and adult champions can work to improve AYA mental health. Sign up here to receive updates from the #ScreenToInterveneForAYAs blog. To write a guest blog post or if you have any questions, contact Anna Corona.
Innovation Station
Sharing Your Achievements in Maternal and Child Health: An Overview of AMCHP’s Evidence-Based Practices Submission Process
Do you have a program or practice that is working well in your state, territory, or community? Submit it to AMCHP’s Innovation Station and share your success with the MCH field. Each year, AMCHP reviews submissions from across the United States and designates accepted practices as Cutting-Edge, Emerging, Promising, or Best Practices. Accepted practices are showcased on our online Innovation Station Database to help advance MCH practice and contribute to the evidence base. To learn more, please join us for our Innovation Station Fall 2020 Review Orientation Webinar on Sept. 22, 1-2 p.m. This webinar will provide a brief overview of the Innovation Station Database as well as discuss the benefits of submission. The rest of the webinar will focus on the practice submission process along with tips and tricks for completing your submission. Register here! If you have questions, contact Laura Powis.
Webinars
In Case You Missed It: Leadership Lab’s July Webinar
Captioned recording, transcript, and slides from July’s Leadership Lab webinar entitled “Activating MCH Leaders for Impact: Reflecting on our Past, Preparing for our Future” are available on our webpage. Find these materials in the section entitled “Public Webinars.”
Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project — Hear Us: Grandmothers' Perspectives on the Black Maternal Health Crisis
Sept. 10, 7 p.m., ET
On the eve of Grandparents’ Day 2020, this virtual moderated conversation will showcase mothers who have lost their daughters―and in some instances their grandchildren—due to complications while pregnant, birthing, or during the postpartum period. This powerful conversation will shed light on the issue of Black maternal mortality through the lens of grandmothers.
As we continue to move through this global pandemic and righteous uprisings across the country for racial justice, we at Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project, are standing up and speaking about the maternal mortality rate disparity between Black and white pregnant, birthing, and postpartum mothers and people. In the past four months alone, we have witnessed the loss of three Black mothers, Amber Issac (Bronx, NY), Sha-asia Washington (Brooklyn, NY), and most recently, Yolanda "Shiphrah" Kadima (Atlanta, GA). This event is one of many interventions that we are taking this year to fight structural racism in the health care system. Enough is enough. The time is now for change. Join us for this important conversation by registering here: hearus.eventbrite.com.
2020 National Maternal & Infant Health Summit
Sept. 15, 2020, 2 p.m., ET
For the past two years, Mayor Muriel Bowser has convened District residents, along with local and national elected officials, health and education thought leaders, and community partners to explore strategies to improve perinatal health and address racial inequalities in birth outcomes.
This year's National Maternal & Infant Health Summit will be entirely virtual, featuring panel discussions,
community-led workshops, and a virtual resource expo dedicated to connecting District residents with local and national resources and supports needed to ensure babies, their families, and communities have what they need to thrive.
To learn more about the Summit and to register, please go to dcmaternalhealth.com.
National Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit
Sept. 15, 2020, 1 p.m.- 4:00 p.m., ET
Virtual and Free: Register Now
All early childhood stakeholders, including policy leaders, advocates, researchers, and funders from across the county are invited to join the virtual National Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit. The Summit is presented by the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at The University of Texas at Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs.
The theme of the inaugural 2020 National Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit is Building a State Policy Roadmap to Strengthen the Earliest Years. The Summit will bring the early childhood field together to:
- Learn about the newest findings on the science of the developing child
- Discuss how policy choices can lead to or reduce racial disparities
- Launch the first and much anticipated 2020 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, paired with custom state roadmaps and online data interactives
- Hear from state leaders about using the evidence-driven Roadmap to strengthen prenatal-to-3 systems of care in their state
Preventing Suicide through Empowerment of Youth with Disabilities
Presenters: Kara Ayers & Leah Smith
Sept. 17, 2020, 2:00, p.m., ET (US and Canada)
According to recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates among our nation’s youth have increased 56 percent since 2007. Additional reports show that youth with disabilities are four times more likely to have suicidal ideation than their nondisabled peers. In an effort to address this at-risk but underserved population, we have developed curriculum that will give young people the tools to navigate the ableism and stigma they experience as a person with a disability. We plan to discuss this curriculum along with our current work through the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities, which focuses on the medical discrimination that people with disabilities often face when seeking mental healthcare in times of crisis. Register here.
Improving Discharge Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs through a Nurse-led Learning Collaborative
Lucille Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
Sept. 22, 2020 at 1-2 p.m., ET
Being discharged from the hospital is a vulnerable time for families and caregivers of children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Appropriate resources and support are essential for care at home and can prevent complications or readmission. The California-based Nurse-led Discharge Learning (CANDLE) Collaborative brings together interdisciplinary clinicians to improve discharge care delivery for CSHCN. Learn about two new discharge practices: closed-loop medication reconciliation and tailored medication teaching, and multidisciplinary discharge rounds with early discharge notification. Speakers will share how these innovative practices can be integrated into existing clinical workflows.
Audience Q&A is highly encouraged during the webinar. For more information on the webinar speakers and moderator and to register, click here.
Join the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) for the Leadership Check-Up Series: Developing Your Resiliency as a Public Health Professional, a special webinar offering from ASTHO and the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Behavioral Health Training Institute (BHTI). This is a three-month-long webinar series, held on Thursdays.
As our nation struggles with COVID-19, public health professionals working on the front lines leading activities may be feeling angry, confused, stressed, and dismayed. Join national behavioral health and resilience experts for 60-minute sessions of conversation, reflection, and nourishment to help you continue the vital work of responding to COVID-19. Please register using the links below to receive the virtual connection information.
Avoiding COVID-19 Burnout: Self-Care and Resiliency for Public Health Leaders
Sept. 10, 3-4 p.m., ET
Speakers:
- Joan Kenerson King, RN, MSN, Integrated Health Senior Consultant, National Council for Behavioral Health
- Elizabeth Guroff, MA, LCMFT, Director, Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
General concerns and anxieties can be difficult to manage during the best of situations, but what happens when you are trying to manage them as a leader amid a public health crisis? Learn about the range of individual and collective responses to trauma and practice strategies to effectively respond to stress and engage in self-care. Register here.
What Can We Learn from Crisis? Leadership, Post-Traumatic Growth and COVID-19
Sept. 24, 2020, 3-4 p.m., ET
Speakers:
- Joe Parks, MD, Medical Director, National Council for Behavioral Health
- Elizabeth Guroff, MA, LCMFT, Director, Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
Our nation is experiencing a collective traumatic event, yet how we each manage this time will determine its individual and collective long-term impact. Explore the concept of post-traumatic growth and how to harness it to emerge from this crisis in a positive direction, both personally and professionally. Register here.
Systematic Racism, Health Disparities, and COVID-19: Leading through Complex Trauma with Resilience and Hope
Oct. 8, 2020, 3-4 p.m., ET
Speakers:
- Linda Henderson-Smith, PhD., LPC, Director, Children and Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
- Elizabeth Guroff, MA, LCMFT, Director, Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
- Amelia Roeschlein, DSW, MA, LMFT, Consultant, Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
How do seemingly unrelated but overwhelming global events connect to create complex trauma? How do we reckon with systemic racism, health disparities, COVID-19, and the unprecedented social and economic stress impacting individuals, families, and communities across cultures, generations, genders, and racial groups? Learn about the tools for supporting individuals as they develop healing and resiliency around complex trauma. Register here.
Mental Health First Aid: A Primer for Public Health Professionals and Communities
Oct. 22, 2020, 3-4 p.m., ET
Speaker: Elizabeth Guroff, MA, LCMFT, Director, Trauma-Informed Services, National Council for Behavioral Health
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course on mental health and substance-use issues. More importantly, however, it is a tool that public health leaders across the United States have begun to engage in early detection and intervention around the signs and symptoms of specific illnesses. The primer provides concrete tools and engagement with local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups, and online tools for mental health and addiction treatment and support. Register here.
Virtual Webinar on Practicing Adolescent-Centered Trauma-Informed Care in a Clinical Setting
Adolescent Health Initiative (AHI)
Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m., to 4 p.m., ET
AHI is pleased to announce the Fifth Annual Connection Session, "Practicing Adolescent-Centered Trauma-Informed Care in a Clinical Setting," which will be completely virtual this fall!
The 2020 Connection Session is designed for health care professionals who serve adolescents, including physicians, nurses, social workers, health center managers, and other youth-serving community professionals. This interactive event is funded in part through support from the Office of Continuing Medical Education and Lifelong Learning at Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan). Register here.
COMING IN NOVEMBER: Free Virtual Skills Institute from the National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center
Tues., Nov. 10 and Thurs., Nov. 12, 2-5 p.m., ET
Tues., Nov. 17 and Thurs., Nov. 19, 2-5 p.m., ET
Note: Participants are encouraged to attend all four days because content will build on previous sessions.
The National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center is presenting a Virtual Skills Institute entitled “Operationalizing Your Title V Action Plan During Times of Uncertainty.” The 2020 Institute will build upon highly successful Skills Institutes held in prior years. It is designed for state and jurisdictional Title V professionals and their partners. Gather a team of colleagues who are ready to turn your Title V Block Grant Action Plan into reality and join Center experts on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons over two consecutive weeks. Engage with speakers and other participants via the online platform. Participants will also have optional opportunities to connect with Center experts between the sessions for tailored support. Participants will meet with their colleagues and Center experts to achieve the following objectives:
- Think strategically about launching their Title V Five-Year Action Plan
- Strengthen the transition from planning to action
- Leverage the financial and human resources and assets they have to achieve maximum impact
Lean in to their adaptive leadership and resiliency skills when the environment feels challenging.
To learn more and register, visit the November 2020 Skills Institute website.
Funding
Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program is Seeking Proposals for Innovative,
Community-Based Initiatives to Increase Access to Preventive Care and Services in Underserved Communities
Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Academy of Pediatrics
Deadline: Oct. 6, 2020
The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program is a cooperative agreement between the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This program awards federal grants up to $50,000 a year for up to five years to support innovative, community-based initiatives to improve the health status of infants, children, adolescents, and families in rural and other underserved communities by increasing their access to preventive care and services. MCHB is especially interested in proposals for projects that address the goals, objectives, guidelines, and materials of its Bright Futures for Infants, Children and Adolescents initiative to improve the quality of health promotion and prevention services for families and communities. Applicants are required to apply online through the grants.gov website. To apply for this funding opportunity, click here.
Commemorations
National Preparedness Month
National Sexual Health Awareness Month
National Sickle Cell Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
9/6 -9/12 National Suicide Prevention Week
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
9/10 World Suicide Prevention Day
9/29 World Heart Day
9/30 National Women’s Health and Fitness Day™