Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - mPINC Hospital Reports Released, Special Section on Access to Lactation Support, & 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.

Subscribe: visit the signup page
Submit: visit the submission form

Please note: Inclusion of an item in this e-newsletter does NOT imply endorsement or support of such item by the United States Breastfeeding Committee, unless specifically noted.

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 - mPINC Hospital Reports Released, Special Section on Access to Lactation Support, & more

4/4/2025

In this issue:

Special Section on Access to Lactation Support
International News
- World Breastfeeding Week Slogan Announced
National News
- 2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Reports Released
- 2025 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report
State & Community News
- Minnesota Paid Leave Employer Toolkit
- Mississippi Bill Providing Paid Parental Leave for State Employees Signed Into Law
- Nevada Bill Introduced to Amend Paid Family Leave Requirements
Action Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

Special Section on Access to Lactation Support

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires health plans to cover certain Essential Health Benefits without cost-sharing, including breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment. However, these requirements do not apply to all insurance policies and, too often, new parents are left without the ability to access the lactation support they need to successfully initiate and maintain breastfeeding. Many states are advancing legislation relevant to lactation support providers, with some seeking to address policy gaps impacting breastfeeding families. Highlights from the field in this policy area include:

Connecticut:
- Representatives Leeper and Belton introduced House Bill 6584. The bill would require licensure of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.
- Representatives Leeper and Belton also introduced House Bill 6102. The bill would require Medicaid coverage, to the extent permissible under federal law, for licensed International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.
- The House Human Services Committee has also proposed Raised Bill 6934. The bill would provide Medicaid coverage for the services of licensed lactation consultants certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.
Hawaii:
- Senators Chang, San Buenaventura, Fevella, and Hashimoto introduced Senate Bill 317. The bill would establish a Board of Lactation Consultants within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and require that lactation consultants be licensed by the board. The bill would exempt lactation and feeding education performed by peer counselors and community health workers, among others.
- Senators San Buenaventura and Hashimoto also introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 14. The resolution requests the State Auditor to conduct a sunrise analysis of lactation consultant licensure.
Maine: Representative Boyer introduced Legislative Document 865. The bill would require Medicaid reimbursement for in-home lactation services provided by lactation consultants certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.
Massachusetts: Senator Fernandes introduced Senate Bill 242. The bill would create a regulatory framework for lactation consultants, lactation counselors, and advanced lactation consultants.
New York:
- Assemblymember Rosenthal introduced Assembly Bill 3526. The bill would create licensure for lactation consultants and establish a lactation consultant licensing board.
- Assemblymember Jackson introduced Assembly Bill 4677. The bill would require insurance coverage for lactation consultant services.
North Carolina: The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition (NCBC) released a position statement, "Supporting Medicaid Billing for Lactation Consultant Home Visits." The NCBC strongly advocates for the adoption of policies that allow board-certified lactation consultants to bill North Carolina Medicaid directly for home visit services.
Oregon: Senator Reynolds introduced Senate Bill 692. The bill would establish a community-based perinatal provider access program to increase access to culturally specific perinatal services and culturally competent perinatal services providers, including lactation consultants. The bill would also expand coverage in the medical assistance program and under health insurance policies for lactation consultations.

International News

World Breastfeeding Week Slogan Announced

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) announced that the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week slogan will be Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems. Annually, WABA coordinates and organizes the World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7, during the first week of National Breastfeeding Month. World Breastfeeding Week this year will focus on the environment and climate change, highlighting our roles in supporting breastfeeding to create a sustainable environment while simultaneously reducing the impact of climate change caused by artificial feeding.

National News

2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Reports Released

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the 2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) State Reports, 2024 mPINC National Report, and 2024 mPINC Regional Report. The CDC mPINC survey monitors infant feeding care practices and policies among all hospitals providing maternity care in the United States and territories. The national, regional, and state reports summarize the strength of breastfeeding support in hospitals across the nation and in each regional, state, or territory, as well as the areas that could be improved. These reports identify opportunities for states to better protect, promote, and support breastfeeding families.

2025 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released the "2025 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report." The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report features county-level data on community conditions that help families stay healthy and thrive. The report's new Model of Health provides a framework to understand how community conditions are shaped by societal rules and the way those rules are determined and applied through power. These reports are designed to create tools that support community-led efforts to accurately diagnose core problems, understand and account for historical context, and implement evidence-informed solutions to improve health for all.

State & Community News

Minnesota Paid Leave Employer Toolkit

Minnesota Paid Leave launched an Employer Resource Toolkit. This resource is designed to help business owners understand the obligations associated with the new paid family and medical leave program which launches on January 1, 2026. The toolkit details information about the program, including employers' roles and responsibilities.

Mississippi Bill Providing Paid Parental Leave for State Employees Signed Into Law

Mississippi Governor Reeves signed the MS State Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (House Bill 1063) into law. The new law provides 6 weeks of paid parental leave for eligible state employees after the birth or adoption of a child. Media highlights include:

A Better Balance: "VICTORY: Mississippi Enacts Paid Parental Leave for State Employees!"

Nevada Bill Introduced to Amend Paid Family Leave Requirements

A group of Nevada Assemblymembers introduced Assembly Bill 388. The bill would require certain public and private employers to increase the duration of paid family from 8 to 12 weeks for employees who have been employed for at least 90 days. Media highlights include: