Healthy Generations eNewsletter

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Jaime Slaughter-Acey who recently received an NIH/NIA R01 award for Looking Back to Look Forward: Social Environment Across the Life Course, Epigenetics, and Birth Outcomes in Black Families. This award aims to investigate the impact of the maternal social environment across the life course of Black women on the maternal epigenetic profile (methylation and telomere length) of Black women and their perinatal outcomes.

We also hit the ground running with four new wonderful students who are supporting Center activities! Welcome:

• Briana, who is the new Center’s Student Liaison Research Assistant responsible for communicating with and building community among current, prospective, and former MCH students.
• Jenna, who is working with Dr. Zobeida Bonilla, students enrolled in the Foundations of MCH Leadership course (PubH 6630), and MDH staff to update the MN Women’s Health Report Card and corresponding website.
• Erin, who is working with Drs. Jamie Slaughter-Acey and Rachel Hardeman to launch and organize a brand new Reproductive Justice Book and Journal Club.
• Lauren, who is working with Drs. Jamie Stang and Zobeida Bonilla and a team of nutrition students to organize the Bright Spots Qualitative Mini-Lab.

-Learn about us

Congratulations to the New MCH Program Chair, Dr. Zobeida Bonilla

In Dr. Zobeida Bonilla’s welcome letter, she expresses how proud we are “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..”

#UMNMCH student Erin Marten (she/her) wrote this reflection on how her coursework, internships, and field/applied experiences have contributed to her career in MCH.

Hadija Steen Mills (they/she) is a current Master of Public Health MCH candidate at the University of Minnesota and author of the newest blog post on MCH Leadership Competency 12: Policy. Hadija reflects on her advocacy for a sexual health education reform bill in the state of Minnesota, saying “To be a sex educator and public health professional is to witness the beauty and power of humanity. My work as a sexuality educator and now as a Master of Public Health Student has allowed me to identify a theme of battling the inequities that foster unfair health outcomes.”

Presented by Dr. Stuart Grande from the UMN's Division of Health Policy and Management, participants at our first Mini-Lab training of the year will explore citizen research and learn how co-producing research with communities can advance and challenge research for the better. Participants will also learn about the main facilitators and barriers of such research with community members who have lived experience of housing instability. Read more about citizen research here and here.

-RSVP here

October 27, 2021 | 12 PM CDT

This is the second of a four-part webinar series organized by the National University Collaborative on the Health of Justice-Involved Women and Children (JIWC). Join Amy Ard, Executive Director of Motherhood Beyond Bars, and Vanessa Garrett, Reentry and Reunification Program Manager, as they discuss ways to provide direct services, education, and emotional support to families caring for infants of incarcerated mothers.

-To register

-Watch a recording of the first webinar, "Support through Separation-Coping with the Physical and Emotional Separation…for the Birthing Person" (7/2021)

In efforts for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month this October, the Pregnancy Research Project (PRP) is seeking participants (can be entirely online). This study is being conducted by Star Legacy Foundation in partnership with the University of Michigan and will be looking at the data to improve stillbirth and neonatal death prevention and bereavement care.

-Watch PRP Testimonial by Jill Knox Powell

October 15, 2021 | 1 PM CDT

The Minnesota Department of Health Mental Well-Being and Resilience Learning Community, in partnership with the Ramsey County Mental Health Action Team, presents this opportunity to experience healing practices. Participants will learn about the mind-body connection and techniques, including breathing skills and mindfulness practices.

-To register

October 19-20, 2021 | 1 – 3 PM CDT (exact times TBA)

Rural Women Everywhere is a two-day event celebrating the voices, contributions, and leadership of women across the countryside. Register to hear from some amazing trailblazing Minnesota women. Programming will feature keynotes, roundtable conversations, and breakout sessions spotlighting women’s experiences and reflections.

-To register

November 4-5, 2021 | 8 AM – 1 PM CDT

This year’s conference theme is on Leading Change in a New Normal with the mission to better meet the needs of underserved communities by providing high quality, culturally-competent, affordable healthcare and enabling services in order to improve access to care and reduce disparities that persist in the state. This event is sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers (MNACHC) and the Minnesota Department of Health.

-View price tiers for registration

-Learn more about the conference

Dr. Rebecca Shlafer will provide a keynote presentation on how to support children’s behaviors and emotions when separations are short-term (e.g., court-ordered visits), as well as when they are more permanent (e.g., termination of parental rights).

-To register

Hennepin County has RFPs (requests for proposals) for two different funding opportunities that are part of the Connecting Hennepin initiative: Digital Navigation and Digital Skills Training. These opportunities are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) through the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Community-based organizations equipped to improve outcomes for communities impacted by the digital divide are invited to apply. Proposals are due on October 14 and October 28, 2021.

Keep up to date with Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) highlights and data spotlights on different topics. Haven’t heard about PRAMS? PRAMS is a surveillance project conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention in collaboration with MDH. The PRAMS survey asks new moms about maternal behaviors, attitudes, and experiences before, during, and shortly after their pregnancies. The information they collect helps states investigate emerging issues in the field of reproductive health and plan and review programs and policies aimed at reducing health problems among mothers and babies.

-Subscribe to the PRAMS Quarterly Update

The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) continues their racial justice initiative and calls upon its members to submit resources to promote racial justice in all the various contexts that NCFR members and family professionals work.

-Read full call

-Submit resources

This episode from the Public Health Review focuses on Racism as a Public Health Threat and features Law Professor and Founding Director of the Center on Race, Leadership, and Social Justice at Saint Thomas University, Dr. Artika R. Tyner. She discusses health disparities, the impact of racism, and insights for how to be a leader in creating meaningful change.

The American School of Pediatrics (AAP) shares a new early childhood communication toolkit. This toolkit offers social shareables, posters, videos, and graphics to promote shared messages for pediatric health care professionals, early childhood partners, and legislators. Early childhood is the greatest opportunity to improve lifelong health and well-being. Relational health, brain development, and physical and social emotional development are critical drivers to improving future well-being. Supporting children and their development is a shared goal of pediatric health care professionals and early educators, maternal and child health providers, and advocates.

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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