Who would have predicted all of the changes that we have experienced over the past 6 months? We are working in times that call for innovation and demand attention to equity and inclusion. Maternity care and services have experienced rapid shifts in practice with some women receiving prenatal care via telehealth – in their cars, at a McDonald’s parking lot, with children in the backseat. Women and their families have experienced increased isolation, anxiety, and information gaps. Providers have been faced with shifting guidelines and new ways of working. And COVID-19 has exposed all the ugly seams of historic, structural racism in America. Never before has our collective work and action been more important. We recognize the major efforts underway to shift all of our work into a virtual space – from coalition building to strategic planning, training and learning. We stand with you and strive to meet your needs as you adapt and thrive.
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CARES Act Funds to Increase Maternal Telehealth Access
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COVID-19 collides with a long-standing public health crisis of significantly higher maternal mortality and morbidity rates for African American and Latina women. The pandemic is forcing a close examination of the weaknesses of traditional maternity care systems. This new initiative will support communities and provide evidence-based interventions while enacting innovative approaches to address the barriers that exist around equitable maternity care for women and families of color. Representatives of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), the National Birth Equity Collaborative, the Georgia Health Policy Center, R.A.C.E. for Equity, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, the National Perinatal Association, the Morehouse School of Medicine and National Area Health Education Centers Organization will address these disparities, support providers and families, and boost access to telehealth and distant care services with a one-time award of up to $4 million through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, awarded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Click here to read the full announcement. Currently there is an open call for proposals to support local efforts. To learn more click here.
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Tips & Resources for Working Virtually
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Virtual Icebreakers
Many people are working remotely and engaging with their colleagues online. While we are unable to exchange stories and personal updates in the office as we once were, building relationships with colleagues remains an important component of how we engage. Icebreakers remain a simple and fun way to establish connections and learn more about colleagues’ interests and personality. Icebreakers can also introduce some fun to a meeting and can be used to break up lengthy sessions. Pro tip: Be sure to keep the icebreaker simple and inclusive. If you’re looking for inspiration and facilitation tips for virtual icebreakers, check out these lists of resources: The workshopper, Snack Nation, Medium and Summit.
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Onboarding New Staff Virtually
COVID-19 has led to many adaptations, including hiring and orienting new staff virtually. Click here for ideas about how to engage new team members.
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Tamala’s Tips for Virtual Meetings and Collaboration Space
The MHLIC Administrator, Tamala Grissett, shares tips to boost productivity
- Be present in the moment (if possible, close and/or avoid desktop distractions, like email).
- Create virtual collaboration space beyond just email for your team, to maximize communication and promote teamwork. MHLIC uses Microsoft Teams—others to consider: Slack, Yammer, or Google Hangout.
- Do a practice run to make sure your technology works.
- Be efficient with your time and try to keep meetings less than an hour.
- Relax, relate, release—take time to meditate or practice mindful exercises and take care of yourself. Stretching is helpful as is taking a few minutes every hour to look out the window at something green.
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MHLIC Events in September
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National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium
September 23 & 24 (2:00 – 5:00 EDT both days)
State MHI and RMOMS Learning Institute
September 29 & 30 (Times TBD)
State MHI & RMOMS partners are offered a tailored learning and skill-building program. There will be opportunities for network development, knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer collaboration across locations.
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State MHI Measurement Community of Practice (CoP)
With the vision of being an exceptional national resource center, the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center will be creating online communities of practice for health care and public health professionals, state health agencies, communities and key stakeholders. Check out a recent blog on how the first Community of Practice (CoP) on data was established. Ideas for a CoP? Please let Alice Pollard know!
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Alice Pollard joined the team in June 2020 as the Training Coordinator. She leads training development and implementation for both MHLIC and the Telehealth project. Alice spent six years working at the North Carolina Community Health Center Association, the membership association for community health centers across NC, providing training and technical assistance to health centers and other stakeholders in a variety of areas. Alice has a background in managing health outreach and promotion programs. She is a native of Wilmington, NC and holds a BS in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Masters in Social Work and Masters of Science in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill. She lives in Durham, NC with her family, including twin toddlers. Alice is eager to hear about your training needs. Connect with her at alicepollard@unc.edu.
Allison George is our new Curriculum Development Specialist. She has close to 20 years of domestic and international public health experience. Allison has created, delivered and evaluated trainings and courses on a wide variety of topics. She holds a Masters of Public Health in Health Education and Health Behavior from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from Macalester College. She is a Masters Certified Health Education Specialist. Having lived in 7 countries, 5 states and the District of Columbia, Allison has a deep appreciation for the rich contributions that diversity brings to learning experiences. In her spare time, Allison gardens, paddle boards, and spends time with her cat.
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MHLIC Team Organization Spotlight
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MHLIC Team Member, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), joined with the National Partnership for Women and Families, as well as Every Mother Counts, to develop a tracker of Maternal Health Bills recently introduced in Congress to improve maternal health outcomes and address persistent dire inequities, including much higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black and Indigenous versus white women. This is a great resource!
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CDC Hear Her Campaign
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a national communication campaign to bring attention to maternal morbidity and mortality in the US. Hear Her seeks to raise awareness of potentially life-threatening warning signs during and in the year after pregnancy and encourages the people supporting pregnant and postpartum women to really listen and take action when she expresses concerns. The Hear Her campaign is inspired by and includes stories from the people who have been personally affected by severe maternal illness and loss.
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Advancing Racial Equity Webinar Series
To illustrate the effects of interpersonal and structural racism on health, the American Public Health Association is hosting a series of webinars to advance racial and health equity. Past webinars provided an overview of the historical and contemporary implications of racism on the social determinants of health and a call for reproductive justice in research, practice and policy. Upcoming webinars will address the intersection of racism and policing and housing, with a specific focus on strategies public health professionals can assume to promote racial justice. View the webinar series information here.
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Every Mother Counts Antiracist Reading List:
Course on Trauma-Informed Care:
Virtual Learning Opportunities:
Peer Reviewed Articles:
Briefs, Reports and Playbooks:
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Join our MHLIC Team Organization Listserves to Stay Up to Date
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From the MHLIC Team to Yours: We are Here to Support You!
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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U7CMC33636-01 for the National Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center Cooperative Agreement. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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Copyright © Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center, All rights reserved.
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