Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - CDC Tool for Estimating Pregnant Populations & more

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

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The WW goes on hiatus several times a year: the weeks of the Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's holidays, the weeks before the Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays, and the weeks of the USBC membership meetings.

Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - CDC Tool for Estimating Pregnant Populations & more

11/8/2024

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- USBC Office Closure for Veterans Day: Monday, November 11
- USBC Supports...
National News
- CDC Tool for Estimating the Number of Pregnant Women in a Geographic Area
- Final Rule on Safety Standard for Infant Support Cushions
- Final Rule on Drinking Water Regulations Includes Public Education Requirements
State & Community News
- Pennsylvania Bill on Juvenile Detention Signed Into Law
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

USBC Office Closure for Veterans Day: Monday, November 11

The USBC office will be closed on Monday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day. At the USBC, our mission includes advocating for policies that create equitable access to resources and support systems, ensuring that all families, including those of veterans, have what they need to thrive. On Veterans Day, we pause to reflect on the contributions of veterans and to recommit to our work in advocating for the health and well-being of all families, recognizing the unique needs of those who have served. We invite you to share your story to help us understand the supports and challenges veterans, families, and communities face while breastfeeding.

USBC Supports...

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs: "Preventing Maternal Deaths Act Reauthorization: FY25 Organization Sign-on Letter"

National News

CDC Tool for Estimating the Number of Pregnant Women in a Geographic Area

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the "Estimating the Number of Pregnant Women in a Geographic Area: A Reproductive Health Tool." The document describes an approach to estimate the number of pregnant women in a United States geographic area at any given point in time. Pregnant and postpartum women are classified as a population with special clinical needs in the 2019 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act. Knowing the approximate number of pregnant women within an area can inform emergency planning and response to better address the needs of this population. Highlights from the field:

Obstetrics & Gynecology: "A New Tool for Estimating the Number of Pregnant People in the United States"

Final Rule on Safety Standards for Infant Support Cushions

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the "Safety Standard for Infant Support Cushions" final rule. The final rule sets a federal mandatory standard to improve the safety of infant support cushions. The final rule addresses the risk of death and injury associated with infant support cushions primarily due to suffocation, entrapment, and fall hazards. It addresses positional asphyxiation hazards by requiring that all surfaces be sufficiently firm that they are unlikely to conform to an infant's face and occlude the airways, and by setting a maximum incline angle that would prevent hazardous positioning of an infant's head and neck along the surfaces of the product. The final rule also requires a strongly worded, conspicuous, and permanent on-product warning label. The rule will go into effect on Monday, May 5, 2025. Read the press release.

Final Rule on Drinking Water Regulations Includes Public Education Requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency issued the "National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI)" final rule. The rule revises the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for lead and copper to protect children and adults from the health effects of exposure to lead in drinking water. The rule emphasizes that exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. The rule requires drinking water systems to conduct public education actions if they exceed the lead action level, including delivering public education materials to customers, public health agencies, and organizations that serve pregnant people and children. The new rule will go into effect on Monday, December 30.

State & Community News

Pennsylvania Bill on Juvenile Detention Signed Into Law

Pennsylvania House Bill 1509 was signed into law. The bill makes a range of amendments related to juvenile detention facilities, including those related to pregnant and postpartum individuals in custody. The law requires a 72-hour post-delivery bonding period after birth.

Action Opportunities

Karna, LLC.: "Community-Based Needs Assessment Survey." Survey deadline: Friday, November 29. *This survey is part of a collaborative project led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to gather key insights from maternal and child health-focused community-based organizations (MCH CBOs) in order to provide critical capacity-building assistance tools and resources that address the needs and challenges faced by MCH CBOs.

Funding Opportunities

California Department of Health Care Access and Information: "Allied Healthcare Scholarship Program (AHSP)." Application deadline: Friday, December 13.

Maternal and Child Health Bureau: