Healthy Generations eNewsletter

#UMNMCH student Marielynn Herrera (she/her/ella), MPH 2023, wrote this reflection on how her deployment at Centro Tyrone Guzman and background working with family home visiting programs contributed to her career in MCH.

Blog co-editors from the UMN Center of Excellence, Estefanía Henríquez Luthje, and UAlbany’s Catalyst Program, Maha Mehmood, are the authors of the newest MCH Leads blog post. In this editorial, Estefanía and Maha reflect on their backgrounds, interests in maternal and child public health, preferred MCH leadership competencies, and expectations as 2022-2023 co-editors for the National MCH Trainee Blog. In addition, they introduce the overarching theme that will shape MCH Leads blog posts for spring 2023: Health Equity. “We look forward to highlighting trainees’ experiences supporting the health and well-being of vulnerable and underserved populations and communities. Also, their work assessing and addressing the underlying causes of health disparities–and their efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion–ultimately improving MCH outcomes.”

-Continue reading

In a recent article released by the UMN School of Public Health, MCH Associate Professor Zobeida Bonilla shared "I walked because mental health and emotional wellbeing are public health” at the NAMIWalks fundraiser earlier this Fall. Mental health affects 1 in 5 U.S. adults. Thank you Professor Zobeida for reminding us that mental health matters.

-Read

Watch the recording of the most recent Justice-Involved Women and Children (JIWC) webinar hosted by Johns Hopkins University and the Hopkins Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health. This is the fourth and final webinar in a series focused on “Support through Separation: Coping with Physical and Emotional Separation.” This series aimed to provide a trauma-informed, welcoming, inclusive, and healing experience, especially for those with lived experience. Find recordings of the first three webinars here.

The Center is proud to co-sponsor the following events:

February 2, 2023 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Positive deviance is an approach to program development, evaluation, and research which leads to asset-based solutions and messages that come from within and build upon the strengths of communities. It’s been used across the globe to identify low-cost, easily accessible health interventions using community-engaged methods.

In this Learning Lab, Dr. Junia de Brito, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School, shares how positive deviance was used to help identify and apply parenting behaviors, practices, and strategies that have aided in preventing childhood overweight and obesity among parents enrolled in the Minnesota Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC).

Attend this session and consider how this framework can be used to develop strengths-based practices, programs, and services in other public health prevention and intervention efforts.

Free and open to all. CE credits available.

-Register

April 27, 2023 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Allison Myers from the StoryCenter will walk participants through various storytelling techniques and examples. More details and registration coming soon!

Expanding policies and implementing strategic interventions for child obesity such as family-based interventions, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the USDA Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program can improve nutritional intake and increase physical activity among children from racially/ethnically diverse and low-income households.

-Read

This mixed-methods study is based on focus groups with over 100 women in four states with operating programs and a secondary analysis of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data. It presents evidence of how paid family leave (PFL) may facilitate longer leave that possibly leads to improved mental health outcomes by providing more time at home. It also demonstrates that PFL may directly support mental health by providing women with increased financial security and work/life boundaries. Implications of PFL design features on access and shortcomings are also discussed.

-Read

December 15, 2022 | 1:00 PM CDT

The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) policy staff will preview hot topics many legislatures are likely to confront in 2023. Presenters will cover child welfare, child support, family law, early childhood, food, housing, and economic security.

-Register

December 28, 2022 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM CDT

The Center's Dr. Jamie Stang and co-host, Julia Lang, MPH, RD, LD, will present this fourth in a series focused on critical aspects of health and nutrition for children with special needs. This training is offered by the MN Department of Health (MDH).

-Register

Multiple Dates | 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM CDT | In-Person

This course offered through the UMN School of Public Health is an interactive, intensive (yet enjoyable) overview of focus group procedures that can be used in public and non-profit environments. Practical approaches to determining the appropriate use of focus group studies, design options, developing questions, recruiting participants, moderating skills, and analyzing and reporting results are emphasized.

-Watch “Conducting Focus Groups” recordings featuring course instructors Richard Krueger and Mary Anne Casey (scroll down to "Training Videos" tab)

-Register

Heard of the MCH Bureau (MCHB) Title V MCH Block Grant? Want to understand more? MCHB’s Division of State and Community Health released a short video explaining the history, purpose, and administration of the Title V MCH Block Grant. Watch and learn how this federal-state partnership functions.

PEAK: Pain was developed to provide resources for prehospital practitioners, hospital-based care providers, patients, and families to assess and manage pain for pediatric patients.

The Association of MCH Program's newest MCH Bridges podcast episode is live. In this episode, Leo Andreas (he/him) and Jenna "JB" Brown (they/he) explore the unique perinatal mental health experiences of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people. Leo, a dad of a two-year-old, shares his mental health experiences of his journey to parenthood. JB, a full-spectrum doula and community educator, explains the positive impact person-centered, radically inclusive care can have on the mental health of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people during the perinatal period.

The MN MCH Advisory Task Force is accepting applications for the following open seats:

• One individual interested in the health of mothers and children to fill a Consumer Representative vacancy

• Two individuals to fill Community Health Board Representative vacancies

• Two healthcare professionals experienced in working with families to fill Professional Representative vacancies

Applications will be accepted until Monday, January 6, 2023.

-Apply

MDH is requesting proposals from community partners on the accessibility of midwife and doula services to identify critical gaps and potential solutions to support improvement. The assessment needs to engage the communities experiencing the greatest disparities in maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes, to ensure the voices and input of the communities are aligned with recommendations and future work. Successful responders will provide a culturally responsive needs assessment and interpret assessment findings that identify strengths, challenges, and notable gaps related to midwife and doula services. The overall project goal is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in groups with the most significant disparities, including Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, families with lower incomes, and/or rural communities by increasing the availability of midwife and doula services.

Responses must be received no later than 2:00 PM CDT, Thursday, January 6, 2023. Questions should be emailed to Sierra Hill, Maternal Care Access Coordinator, at Health.MCH@state.mn.us by Wednesday, December 21, 2022.

-Review this Bid, Proposal, or Grant Opportunity Event (event # 2000013579, search “Midwife/Doula Community Assessment”)

MDH's Center for Health Equity at MDH is looking for volunteers to participate in the EHDI grant review process between January and March 2023. The community review process will support MDH in selecting the best applications for funding in response to the EHDI Request for Proposals.

The 2022 EHDI Grant Review Process is an opportunity for participants to:

• Help select the best applicants for funding to work on eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in health across the state.
• Meet and network with other people who work to eliminate health disparities and advance racial equity.
• Learn about some of the many initiatives and projects happening across the state to eliminate disparities.
• Learn more about state grants and how review processes work (especially if you are considering applying in the future!)
• Practice using an equity lens.

Apply by December 30 using the online application form: EHDI Grant Review Process Participant Application.

You received this message because you have subscribed to the Healthy Generations listserv. This newsletter is produced monthly by the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health at the University of Minnesota. Email mch@umn.edu to have your event, resource, or publication included in our eNewsletter.

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