Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - 2024 mPINC Survey Update, Conference Keynote Speaker & Preliminary Agenda, & More

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Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - 2024 mPINC Survey Update, Conference Keynote Speaker & Preliminary Agenda, & More

5/17/2024

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- 2024 Conference Spotlight: Keynote Speaker & Preliminary Agenda
- Reminder: Add your Organization to the Joint Letter Urging Congress to Invest in Breastfeeding
- Upcoming Events from USBC Members
National News
- 2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Survey Closing Soon
- Updated Resources on Federal Protections for Pregnant and Lactating Workers
- Report Examining Home Visiting Implementation in Tribal Communities
- Maternal Mental Health Task Force’s National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care
State & Community News
- Louisiana Bill Requiring Insurance Coverage of Lactation Support Introduced
- Alabama Paid Leave for Educators Bill Introduced
- North Carolina Paid Family Leave Insurance Act Introduced
Action Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

2024 Conference Spotlight: Keynote Speaker & Preliminary Agenda

The National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening (NBCC) will be held Monday, June 3, through Wednesday, June 5. The virtual conference will feature a keynote address from the inspiring and insightful Montrece McNeill Ransom. Her talk, "Breastfeeding, Public Health, and Health Equity: From Barriers to Belonging," will kick off the conference with this important message: belonging is tied to living a life of dignity, is fundamental to unleashing human potential, and critical to reaching our health equity goals. In this presentation, Ms. Ransom will define and characterize belonging, exploring the phenomenon of belonging through the lens of public health and the law, and providing ways to cultivate cultures of belonging in our shared spaces and among the communities we serve. Download the preliminary agenda, learn more, and register today.

Reminder: Add your Organization to the Joint Letter Urging Congress to Invest in Breastfeeding

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is mobilizing the field to call on policymakers to direct $20M to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Hospitals Promoting Breastfeeding program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, an increase of $10.25M from FY2024. To demonstrate widespread support for this funding, organizations are invited to sign on to a joint letter urging Congress to prioritize funding for breastfeeding and human milk feeding in the federal budget.

Upcoming Events from USBC Members

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee maintains an Events Calendar with upcoming breastfeeding-related events that are hosted by our extensive network of USBC member organizations. Events include online trainings, learning opportunities, virtual conferences, and more. Visit the calendar to explore recently added events taking place in May and June. USBC member organizations are invited to submit events via the USBC Member Portal.

National News

2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Survey Closing Soon

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2024 national survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) will close on Monday, June 10. The mPINC survey assesses maternity care practices and provides feedback to encourage hospitals to make improvements that better support breastfeeding. The questions focus on specific parts of maternity care that affect how babies are fed. Only 35% of mPINC surveys have been submitted so far, but there is still time for every hospital to be counted. To receive an individualized Hospital Report and be included in state, regional, and national level reports, hospitals must complete and submit their survey. Email [email protected] with any questions.

Updated Resources on Federal Protections for Pregnant and Lactating Workers

In celebration of Mother's Day, the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division released new and updated resources and sharable content to help the public understand the range of federal protections for workers during pregnancy and after childbirth, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and the PUMP Act. New resources include:

Report Examining Home Visiting Implementation in Tribal Communities

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation released "Understanding Planning for Tribal Home Visiting Implementation: A Report from the Multi-Site Implementation Evaluation of Tribal Home Visiting." The report describes how Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs were planned and what influenced the planning process. It also offers general findings and recommendations for using evidence-based policy meaningfully and ethically in Indigenous communities. Grantees under the Tribal MIECHV program must collect, analyze, use, and report data on program implementation and improvements for eligible families participating in the program. Breastfeeding initiation is one of the performance measures grantees can select.

Maternal Mental Health Task Force Releases National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of a national strategy, with recommendations developed by the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, a subcommittee of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Advisory Committee for Women's Services, to address the urgent public health crisis of maternal mental health and substance use issues. The "Report to Congress" and accompanying "National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care" are part of broader federal efforts to address women's overall health, and maternal health in particular, across the nation, consistent with the "White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis" and the "White House Initiative on Women's Health Research." The national strategy recognizes the connection between breastfeeding and mental health and highlights some of the policy, systems, and environmental factors that impact breastfeeding. Read the press release.

State & Community News

Louisiana Bill Introduced to Require Insurance Coverage of Lactation Support

Louisiana Senator Duplessis introduced Louisiana Senate Bill 300. The bill would require any health coverage plan delivered or issued for delivery in Louisana that provides benefits for maternity services to include coverage for nutrition counseling services during pregnancy as well as postpartum services provided by a qualified lactation care provider.

Alabama Bill Introduced to Provide Paid Leave for Educators

Alabama Representative Wood introduced Alabama House Bill 477. The bill would require the Alabama State Board of Education to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth of a child, placement of a child for adoption, miscarriage, or stillbirth for employees of local boards of education.

North Carolina Paid Family Leave Insurance Act Introduced

A group of North Carolina Senators introduced the North Carolina Paid Family Leave Insurance Act (SB 815). The bill would establish a state-run paid family and medical leave program funded through employer and employee contributions. Eligible individuals would be provided up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave insurance benefits for qualifying exigency leave; up to 12 weeks for the birth, adoption, or placement through foster care of a new child; and up to 26 weeks to care for a family member with a serious health condition or to recover from the covered individual's own serious health condition.