Welcome from the Program Chair and Center Faculty Member, Dr. Zobeida Bonilla
As the Chair for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program, I am pleased that you are interested in the field of MCH, and what we have to offer at the University of Minnesota (UMN). We have strong historical underpinnings, as well as a vibrant present day program and set of activities focused on women, mothers, children, fathers and families. We are committed both to the training of new leaders for MCH through our current degree programs, as well as outreach to professionals in the community who are serving MCH populations.
We are proud to be involved with the MCH community working to promote the health and well-being of women, children, youth and families, including fathers and children with special health needs. We work with a superb group of faculty, students and MCH staff here within the Division of Epidemiology at the UMN, as well as with outstanding MCH professionals in the community–including MCH Program alumni. We welcome your interest and would be happy to receive questions and/or feedback about our MCH Program or this website.
2. Student Spotlight Feature: How did Alyssa Scott’s Deployment Help Address Minnesota’s Title V Key Priority Areas?
#UMNMCH student Alyssa Scott (MPH 2021) wrote this reflection on how her field experience and deployment with the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) Title V Block Grant team have contributed to her experience in the MCH Program.
5. National MCH Trainee Blog: Highlighting the Communication Competency (Competency #5)
The Center co-hosts a national MCH Trainee Blog with the MCH Catalyst Program at Albany.
This month's student blog post features Elikem Togo, who recently graduated from the MCHB-funded Drexel University’s Maternal and Child Health Public Health Catalyst program. Elikem reflects on the importance of developing MCH Communication Competency 5 through her virtual internship for the Title V MCH program with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health. Communication is the verbal, nonverbal, and written sharing of information. Elikem developed her health communication skills by collaborating with her team on their three main projects, through meetings, emails and phone calls.
Elikem reflected that, “Working from home has reminded me that establishing communication channels early on is imperative to the success of any project, and I carried this practice into my virtual classes in the fall. I look forward to applying the communication skills I learned in the internship to future virtual and in-person opportunities!”
6. Belly of the Beast Documentary Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Thursday, September 30-Thursday, October 7, 2021: Screening
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 | 7-8:30pm CDT: Panel Discussion
This free, weeklong virtual screening of the documentary Belly of the Beast culminates in a panel discussion on reproductive injustices and human rights violations within the carceral system. Panelists include film participant, lawyer, and advocate Cynthia Chandler; family trauma professional, doula, and peer, parenting and re-entry support professional, Autumn Mason; and former attending physician at the Cook County Jail (IL), Liz Feldman.
Organized by the UMN-Twin Cities Just Education Collaborative, the UMTC, and University of Illinois at Chicago Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Groups.
The screening for the full documentary will be available to registrants from September 30-October 7. The panel is scheduled for Tuesday, October 5 from 7-8:30pm CDT.
7. MCH Leaders Skills Institute: What is MCH?
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | 6-7:30pm CDT
During our first Institute workshop, guest speaker Dr. Sharon Milberger will share a new model for approaching the MCH Leadership Competencies. Open only to MCH and MCH nutrition students. Students who are funded by the Center are expected to attend as part of their paid positions. Save the date, and look for registration info soon!
