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WIC Can Help During the Holidays
The holiday season can be a time for increased stress on families, whether it be additional tension in already difficult living conditions; increasing anxiety about how to pay for necessities-rent, food, utilities-as well as some modest gifts; how to pay for additional childcare during school breaks; or how to provide a holiday meal. WIC Can Help provides resources on programs that families can consider for additional help so that the holiday season can be about spending quality time together and creating positive memories.
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Run for Your Life!
Recent research found links between any amount of running and a 27% lower risk of all-cause death. The significant association applied even to people who only ran once per week or less frequently, individuals who ran at relatively low speeds, and those who ran for less than 50 minutes. So don't stress too much about your speed or routine - just run!
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Senate Passes WIC Funding, Another Continuing Resolution Likely
Last week the Senate passed its first spending package for fiscal year 2020, which included the Agriculture Appropriations bill that funds WIC. The House had previously passed an Agriculture Appropriations bill in June. WIC funding levels are consistent between the House and Senate bills at $6 billion, but the Senate version contains a smaller increase in set-aside funding for breastfeeding peer counselors. The House and Senate have still not agreed on funding for some more contentious issues, such as President Trump's proposed border wall, and a consensus must be reached before the House and Senate can agree on a final Agriculture Appropriations bill that will ensure funding through the end of FY 2020. If negotiations are not wrapped up by November 21, Congress would have to pass an additional continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown, which seems likely.
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Spring Conference - Save the Date!
We are ready to Unite, Inspire and Uplift with you at the 28th Annual Conference and Trade Show, April 5-8, 2020. Registration will go live on November 18th. In the meantime, please think about who will be attending and if they and/or a team from your region would like to lead a Wellness Activity. This could be Salsa, Zumba, Yoga, core exercises, stretching, meditation, or another fun activity. Contact Jodi with ideas.
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WIC Card Outreach Materials
Wave 5 for the California WIC card rollout is live this week in parts of Los Angeles. Thanks to state and local WIC staff and partners for this herculean effort. WIC agencies have been getting the word out about the new card and improved shopping experience using lots of materials provided from CDPH/WIC. Some local agencies have created materials of their own and a couple of pieces produced by PHFE WIC are posted on the CWA website on our Engaging Families webpage under Outreach Materials. If you are interested in the files, you can contact Kelly Barnett.
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WIC Works Webinars
NWA webinar series provides opportunities to learn about strategies to maximize WIC participation and issues relevant to providing WIC services. CWA has partnered with NWA for four webinars this fall. Register for the final webinar, Nov. 21, and check out the recordings. These webinars feature examples from CA and valuable information from NWA.
- TeleWIC: Providing Services in New Ways This webinar was Oct. 17, you can sign in and watch the recording here. Shout out to, Arina Erwin, Trinity County WIC and Andrea Weiss, Community Medical Centers WIC for presenting.
- Exploring New Opportunities for Co-Location in Hospitals and Health Centers
This webinar was on October 24th, click here for the recording. Snaps to George Verastegui and Azalia Garduno of Mendocino WIC and Mary Sammer from North County Health Services for presenting.
- Challenges and Strategies for Retaining and Developing the WIC Workforce
This webinar was on Oct. 31 and you can sign in and watch the recording here. Thank you to Susan Wnuk, New Hampshire WIC and Chair, NWA Recruitment and Retention of RDs in WIC Task Force, and Nancy Nesa, CA WIC Career Development Coordinator.
- Improving Program Linkages for WIC
This webinar
will take place on Nov. 21. Applications for federal benefits programs are complicated and, in many ways, redundant. WIC participants expect use of technology and streamlined business processes. This webinar will provide examples of successful program linkages between federal benefits and highlight recent findings among California WIC agencies related to data sharing and program linkages for health care and state and federal programs.
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Prioritizing Nutrition Research
Americans depend on scientists to advise us on nutrition, and that advice can change as new information is discovered. The National Institute of Health and USDA have been relied upon for nutrition research and guidance. A recent article shares a number of concerns for our national nutrition priorities, including shrinking research budgets, lack of national nutrition strategic priorities, and needed coordination across departments. Industry-provided research has its challenges and conflicts. Chronic disease, especially diabetes, and other nutrition related illnesses are not being adequately addressed. Recently some proposals are coming from Silicon Valley, calling for a renewed nutrition focus, including a NIH National Institute of Nutrition.
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Nursing Moms Who Are Supported at Work are More Productive
A new study
shows that women who aren't supported to express milk after returning to work are less able to complete work tasks and produce less milk than better-supported nursing mothers in the workplace. Researchers at the University of Arizona conducted two studies, both with women who worked full time and pumped at work. Women who reported more difficulties (such as scheduling, appropriate space, or lack of proximity to pumping space) in the experience of pumping at work also self-reported as being less focused on work goals later in the day. And compared to women who reported better experiences, they didn't produce as much milk. Researchers reported that for every "unit" of increased feelings of "enrichment," women produced 1.12 oz more milk than the average (12.27 oz compared to an average of 11.25 oz).
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Preschoolers That Get More Screen Time Have Different Brain Development
Preschoolers who spend more time in front of a screen have lower structural integrity of white matter in areas of the brain - or brain wiring that relates to language, literacy, imagination, and executive function such as self-regulation, according to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers found that 16 to 56 per cent of those areas of the brain were negatively affected by higher screen use. Other studies have advised limits on screen time for children and teenagers to help boost their well-being. The study found that wiring in the brains of children whose families practiced screen habits that aligned with AAP recommendations were more well-developed. In other words, the connections were stronger between different networks in those children's brains. Researchers noted that this type of study does not prove causality, since it does not show whether screen exposure causes these measures of the brain to be lower, but does show an association that merits further study.
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Native American Heritage Month Resources
November is Native American Heritage Month! The US Breastfeeding Committee has published a very helpful webpage titled "Native American Heritage Month." The webpage features a compilation of resources, tools, and materials from USBC and the field. Please send additional resources to newsletter@usbreastfeeding.org.
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Pregnancy and Family Leave Resources
Great progress has been made in California the last few years, for pregnancy and family leave, and lactation accommodation, thanks to the hard work of community partners. But figuring out leave for new families and parents is still confusing! Get some help with that, using these interactive tools from Legal Aid at Work. There is more! Fact sheets for not only new families but family care providers, sample letters for medical providers and employers, guidebooks and videos, are available for order, or call or email to ask a question. The site also provides links to partner organizations, like CA Work and Family Coalition, with related resources and updates, including PowerPoint presentations for community education.
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Community Wellness Initiatives
Have you checked in with collaborative work being done in communities to address wellness and prevent disease? Much of this work was moved forward by the Affordable Care Act and based on foundations of health care reform. Learn more in a report and webinar, from the Healthcare Transformation Task Force, and the work described here in thirteen California communities, participating in the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative. A recent presentation at the state Capitol provided updates on the programs.
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Reproductive Freedom Index
The National Institute for Reproductive Health has released the "2019 Local Reproductive Freedom Index." The Local Reproductive Freedom Index evaluates the reproductive health, rights, and justice policies - including breastfeeding support, paid family leave, and sick days - of cities across the United States. The Local Index analyzes the policies in place in 50 cities across the country and offers suggestions for how to become a more equitable community, one in which all people have the freedom to control their reproductive and sexual lives, the ability to choose whether and when to become parents, and the support they need to raise their families.
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