New Information and Resources about Infant Formula Safety
The FDA is advising parents and caregivers not to feed their baby Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powder formulas that meet all three of these conditions:

  • The first two digits of the code are 22 through 37.
  • The code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2.
  • The expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

Due to these recalls of infant formula, please access the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service's Infant Formula Safety webpage for information on topics including:

  • Information for WIC Participants.
  • Key Messages for Consumers.
  • Infant Formula Safety Tips.

These resources are updated regularly and can be used to make sure families are getting what they need to keep their babies safe and healthy.
Additionally, the FDA and Missouri WIC published a Do's and Don'ts guide for navigating the current shortages of infant formula:
Do:

  • Feed your baby (6 months and older) more baby food and less formula.
  • Search for formula at multiple stores in your area, including checking with customer service desks.
  • Call your pediatrician if you run low. They will be able to give you guidance on a safe formula switch and may have samples available.
Don't:

  • Dilute (water down) your baby’s formula to make it last longer.
  • Hoard formula. Only keep a monthly supply, at the most, to give other caregivers the opportunity to find formula.
  • Follow online advice except from trusted, expert sources. Your baby’s health and nutrition is too important to risk! 
The FDA also continues to advise against making infant formulas at home and encourages caregivers to work with their child’s health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices, if needed.
May is Older Americans Month
When Older Americans Month was established in 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. However, in the decades since, interest in older Americans and their concerns has continued to grow.

The 2022 theme for Older Americans Month is Age My Way, focusing on aging in place and exploring how older adults can plan to stay in their homes and live independently in their communities for as long as possible. Topics cover how planning, participation, accessibility, and making connections all play a role in aging in place – emphasizing that what each person needs and prefers is unique.
Collaborative Efforts Help to Better Serve Rural Communities
As of today, 1,368 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) have been established in the United States. And when you factor in FQHC Service Sites and Look-Alikes (similar providers that do not receive the same government funding), that number is over 14,000.

FQHCs are health centers that provide comprehensive care in underserved and rural areas. In addition to the Section 330 grant funding FQHCs receive from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), one of the biggest benefits is enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. These allow FQHCs to serve vulnerable populations without experiencing many of the financial struggles rural hospital systems often face.   

For many rural areas, a collaboration between FQHCs and existing rural health care entities has been a solid answer to financial quandaries and service gaps. For example, in small or remote communities, obstetrical services are often the first to be cut when a hospital is struggling. A Capital Link report noted, “As rural communities continue to experience financial stress in their health care delivery systems, it’s critical that health centers and hospitals increase their capacities and collaborate.” 

Click the button below to read the full article and learn more about how collaboration between health care providers and FQHCs can better your community.
DA Limits Use of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine to Certain Individuals
On Friday, May 6, the FDA limited the authorized use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older for whom other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate, and to individuals 18 years of age and older who elect to receive the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine because they would otherwise not receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Enroll Today for the Care You Deserve
Rural residents work hard to provide for their households whether they are alone, a single parent, or supporting a family. Adults who may not have been previously eligible for health insurance may now receive low-cost or free coverage.

Missouri Medicaid expansion is here thanks to the dedication of rural voters. Insurance provided through MO HealthNet covers annual checkups, prescription medicines, telehealth visits, mental health services, dental care, and more. To find out if you qualify and to enroll, click below.
Registration Now Open for the 2022 Missouri Rural Behavioral Health Summit
Book Your Well-Woman Appointment with HCC
Preventive care is essential to a long, healthy life. HCC Network's Community Health Centers offer a variety of well-woman services including:

  • Breast exams.
  • Breastfeeding support, supplies and services.
  • Gestational diabetes screening.
  • Cervical cancer screening.
  • Sexually transmitted infection treatment and counseling.
  • Intimate partner violence screening and counseling.
  • Pap test.
  • Urinary tract infection testing and treatment.
  • FDA-approved contraceptives.

HCC's Community Health Centers also provide well-child services, primary and behavioral health care, dental care, and enrollment assistance, among other services.

With the recent end of ACA Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment, these programs are timely for families, especially women and children, who need immediate health care services. To schedule an appointment, contact one of our Community Health Centers -- even if you are uninsured.
West-Central Independent Living Solutions Scholarship and Career Camp
West-Central Independent Living Solutions (WILS) is offering eligible high school students a $500 scholarship toward continued education. Learn more and apply by May 31, 2022.

WILS is also offering a youth career camp this summer, June 21-24, at WILS Warrensburg. Students with disabilities are invited to journey with WILS to explore the skills needed to transition beyond high school to work and/or continued education.

The camp aims to prepare students ages 16-21 for their future by exploring a variety of skills including resume writing and job interviews, budgeting and money skills, self-advocacy and building self-confidence, and more.
Register Today for MRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference
Please join the Missouri Rural Health Association, Missouri Primary Care Association, and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Office of Rural Health and Primary Care), as collaborating partners, for their joint 2022 conference.

Expected audiences consist of hospitals, clinicians, physicians, FQHC’s, health departments, in-home & community frontline workers, community & social agencies, policymakers, CEOs, CFOs, transportation & ambulance professionals, insurance & investment brokers, health law attorneys, among other professionals in attendance.
Conference Attendees

To register as an Attendee, complete the appropriate form on the website OR register and pay online.
Exhibitors & Sponsors

Showcase your business at the Vendor Expo on Wednesday, August 10, and enjoy full conference privileges.
May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
During National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, celebrated each May, the nation turns its attention to teen pregnancy prevention and the great strides that have been made over the last 20 years. While there have been advances in reducing teen pregnancy, progress is still needed to close racial/ethnic and geographic disparities in teen birth rates in the United States. 

Teen pregnancy prevention is one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) top seven priorities or “Winnable Battles” in public health. CDC encourages prevention partners, schools, and other youth-serving organizations to amplify teen pregnancy prevention efforts through a variety of mediums and efforts.

This year, get involved! Clinicians and health care providers can learn more about the tools and resources for serving teens, as well as detailed sexually transmitted disease (STD) guidance and HIV prevention through the CDC National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month page, linked below.

For additional information and ideas, access the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month Supporter Toolkit, or the Administration for Children & Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau. These are also accessible through the CDC website linked below.
Upcoming Webinars
Addressing Diabetes Risk Factors in School-aged Children



May 24, 2022
Strategies to Support Agricultural Workers Experiencing IPV or Human Trafficking


May 24, 2022
Building Rural Recovery Ecosystems Summit




June 8-10, 2022
Show Me MO CKDIntercept Initiative



June 9, 2022
Ending the HIV Epidemic In Missouri




June 11 or 14, 2022
SelfMade Health Network Series: Moving Cancer Moonshot Forward, Pt. 2


June 14, 2022

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