Healthy Generations eNewsletter

This eNewsletter is brought to you by the

Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health.

State Laws on the Death Penalty for People Who Are Pregnant While Incarcerated

The U.S. criminal legal system impacts the reproductive health and rights of incarcerated individuals and their families. Members of the Justice-Involved Women and Children (JIWC) Collaborative analyzed states’ death penalty laws and execution protocols through a reproductive justice lens. Twenty-five states have laws that prohibit the execution of a pregnant person, though these exceptions are rarely reflected in execution protocols. While these laws are obsolete in the present-day criminal legal system, they have implications for broader conversations related to reproductive justice. Take a look at the policy brief or access the full article here.

#UMNMCH student Andrea Lawson (she/her) describes her deployment with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in partnership with the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition. During her deployment, she worked with Somali and African-American birthing parents to understand how cultural beliefs influence breastfeeding practices. By analyzing qualitative data, Andrea hopes that this information can be used to promote equity in breastfeeding education. She also was able to experience how the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition had partnered with communities and providers to develop culturally responsive breastfeeding guidance.

Andrea wrote, “The best part of my deployment was seeing the prioritization of breastfeeding disparities within these communities. It offered a valuable opportunity to educate others on cultural practices and beliefs regarding donor milk, thereby addressing the unique breastfeeding needs of these groups to support their overall health and well-being.” Read more about Andrea’s experience here.

Faith Angus, a recent MPH graduate from the University at Albany's School of Public Health (SPH), is the latest featured author for MCH Leads. In her Health Equity Edition entry, Faith reflects on her experience as an intern with the CYSHCN Health Equity Improvement Project at the New York State Department of Health and the opportunity she had to examine how local health departments in New York State to foster health equity in their programs. During this internship, Faith suggested next steps and best practices to improve community engagement for the program.

Reflecting on this experience and how it relates to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, she stated, “This competency aligns directly with my passion for equitable access to care for all, which is especially important in our current political climate. For public health programs to achieve health equity, they must understand the community they serve and ensure that individuals from varying backgrounds and cultures are represented.” Learn more about Faith’s contributions here.

How to Turn Qualitative Insights into Compelling Multimedia Presentations–Quickly with Rich Thau
Thursday, January 30th, 2025 | 11:30am - 1:00pm CT | Virtual

In this session, participants will learn how to quickly produce accurate multimedia presentations of qualitative research results following the completion of online focus groups. In preparation for the session, feel free to browse through Engagious' previous videos. Register here.

Women's Health Research Conference

Thursday, February 13th, 2025 | McNamara Alumni Center or Virtual

Hosted by the Center for Women's Health Research and BIRCWH Project, the Women's Health Research Conference is an event that features presentations, discussions, and a poster session on women’s health research. It draws interdisciplinary women’s health researchers, healthcare providers, students, and community public health professionals for a day of learning, networking, and research dissemination. Additional details to come. The Center is a co-sponsor of this event. Submit your abstract by Monday, January 20th.

An exciting new publication from Dr. Ellen Demerath was published in Cell Genomics in September 2024. Dr. Demerath is a Distinguished McKnight University professor and is an MCH and Public Health Nutrition faculty member at the UMN School of Public Health. Mary Hoff of the College of Biomedical Sciences writes, “...the research, the first ever to analyze the genetic factors that influence gene expression in human milk cells, not only shines light on how genetics affect human milk, but also opens the door to new insights for ensuring babies get the best nutritional start possible in the early months of life.” Congratulations to Dr. Demerath and the fellow contributors for this groundbreaking research.

The newest National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) Data from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is available. Content in this data brief includes social/emotional well-being, health conditions, healthcare access/use, and more.

This NICHD-funded study found that the bond between children and their dog promotes high levels of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes social behavior and bonding, compared to children who play alone with toys. These findings could be informative in involving pets in health interventions to promote the physical, emotional, and mental health of children.

November 17-19, 2024 | Brooklyn Park, MN
The Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH) will be hosting its 7th annual meeting, and centered around working with young children, relationship-based work, research, and resources that inform the field today, and more. Registration prices vary depending on how many days you will be attending and whether you will be attending in-person or virtually. MACMH members get 15% off of registration prices.

November 20-23, 2024 | Seattle, WA

The 2024 NCFR Annual Conference aims to be a national model for building resilience and unity following heightened societal strain, division, and political tension that disproportionately burdens families. Registration prices vary.

December 4, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CST | Virtual
How can programming help meet the needs of all young people, including those who are impacted by trauma? In this webinar hosted by UMN Extension, participants will learn about the differences between behaviors and trauma responses, how to navigate both situations effectively, learn to address challenging behaviors, and explore strategies they can use to support the social and emotional wellbeing of all youth in their programs. Any and all are welcome. Free to attend.

This episode of The American Journal of Public Health Podcast discusses how data collection for the transgender population in the U.S. can be improved upon to better inform policy development in transgender health. Listen to the Soundcloud audio or watch the episode on YouTube for an engaging conversation on transgender health.

Developed by the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) in partnership with the Infodemiology Training Program, this guide covers the current misinformation landscape, tools to assess risk, and how to create public health responses with clarity, accurate information, and accessible language.

In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) launched this series of stories to highlight the impacts of emergencies, build evidence for equitable response strategies, and more. Download the ‘Lessons Learned’ summary document and the project’s compilation video to learn more.

November 11-14 is Global Health Equity Week! The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offers a unique depth and breadth of expertise in health innovation, public policy, workforce development, and more. Access their video series year-round to learn more about prominent global public health topics.

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