Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - USBC Executive Director Announcement & 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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Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - USBC Executive Director Announcement & more

6/27/2024

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Welcoming Jennifer Day as USBC Executive Director!
- Welcoming Stephanie Sieswerda as USBC Membership Engagement Manager!
- Celebrating 1 Year of PWFA: Blog on Protections for Lactating Workers
- FY25 Sign-On Letter Urging Congress to Invest in Breastfeeding Delivered to Policymakers
- Upcoming Technical Assistance Sessions on USBC Infant Feeding Survey Tool
- Weekly Wire Hiatus & USBC Office Closures
National News
- USDA Interactive Dashboards Provide Nutrition Program Data
- USDA Report on Feeding My Baby Study
- Office of Inspector General Report on Infant Formula Safety
- Opportunity for Employers to Highlight Paid Leave Policies in 2024 Leading on Leave Index
- A Better Balance Report Reflects on PWFA Impact
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

Welcoming Jennifer Day as USBC Executive Director!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) Board of Directors announced that Jennifer Day has been appointed to the role of Executive Director of the USBC. As an organizational leader, Jennifer brings a wealth of talent and demonstrated skills with organizational fundraising. Joining the team this summer, Jennifer will work with the USBC Board to strengthen the financial sustainability of the organization, support and enrich the staff team, and engage with the field while we continue driving collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. Jennifer is a co-founding member of the Southeast Michigan IBCLC's of Color (SEMI), previously served on the Board of Directors and as a Community Building Manager with the Michigan Breastfeeding Network (MIBFN), and served on the Board of Directors of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE).

Welcoming Stephanie Sieswerda as USBC Membership Engagement Manager!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee team continues to grow! We are excited to welcome Stephanie Sieswerda to the USBC as the new Membership Engagement Manager. Stephanie has a passion for the policy, systems, and environmental changes that contribute to creating a landscape of breastfeeding support. She has previously worked for the DC Breastfeeding Coalition and served as Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program Coordinator for the state of Texas. Get to know more about Stephanie and the rest of the team on the USBC Staff Team webpage.

Celebrating 1 Year of PWFA: Blog on Protections for Lactating Workers

Today marks one year since the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee published a new blog, "Understanding Strengthened Protections for Lactating Workers Under the PWFA: A Conversation with A Better Balance." The blog features an interview with Elizabeth Gedmark, Vice President of A Better Balance, on how the PWFA protects lactating workers, including information on how the law builds on federal protections under the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and Family and Medical Leave Act. The PWFA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, including and beyond break time and space for lactating workers.

FY25 Sign-On Letter Urging Congress to Invest in Breastfeeding Delivered to Policymakers

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is mobilizing action to maintain and expand investments to support babies and families by urging Congress to direct $20M to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Hospitals Promoting Breastfeeding program in the Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill. The House Appropriations LHHS Subcommittee released and is marking up the Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill today. To demonstrate widespread support for this funding, the USBC delivered a letter signed by 167 organizations to committee members that states why this funding is so important. Organizations are invited to sign on to the letter to be included in future deliveries.

Upcoming Technical Assistance Sessions on USBC Infant Feeding Survey Tool

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee invites organizations to participate in our data survey tool, "Infant Feeding in the U.S." The simple survey tool can help support maternal and child health stakeholders in collecting timely and accurate data on infant feeding at the organizational, state, and national levels. Organizations are able to brand the survey with their own logo and images and distribute the five-question multiple-choice survey to their clients who have given birth within the past six months. The tool is a great resource for clinician offices, Healthy Start sites, WIC clinics, and all direct service organizations working with postpartum families. As more organizations engage, survey hosts will be able to compare their (de-identified) results with other participating organizations. In collaboration with the designers at Rebel.Science, the USBC is hosting technical assistance (TA) sessions to help organizations launch their survey. Join us to get your data project off to a great start and answer any questions. Register below:

Weekly Wire Hiatus & USBC Office Closures

The Weekly Wire will be on hiatus next week and the USBC offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. In addition, USBC offices are closed on Fridays during the months of June, July, and August to allow our team time for rest.

National News

USDA Interactive Dashboards Provide Nutrition Program Data

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) hosts the "WIC & FMNP Outreach, Innovation, and Modernization Dashboard." The dashboard tracks the progress of USDA efforts to reach more eligible families, retain families, encourage families to redeem more of their food benefits, and advance equity in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). In addition, the USDA launched the "FNS Program Participation Dashboard," an interactive tool that provides participation data on a wide range of FNS nutrition programs, including the WIC program.

USDA Report on Feeding My Baby Study

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the "Feeding My Baby Study : Sixth Year Report." This is the only national study to capture data on caregivers and their children over the first nine years of the child's life after enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program, regardless of their continued participation in the program. The report focuses on children's dietary intake patterns, eating behaviors, and weight status during the child's 6th year after WIC eligibility has ended. The report also explores whether patterns of WIC participation in early childhood are associated with dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes after WIC eligibility ends.

Office of Inspector General Report on Infant Formula Safety

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report titled "The Food and Drug Administration's Inspection and Recall Process Should Be Improved To Ensure the Safety of the Infant Formula Supply." The OIG initiated an audit to examine the FDA's oversight of infant formula manufacturing facilities in the time leading up to the infant formula recall at the Abbott facility in February 2022 to determine whether the FDA followed applicable policies and procedures. The report details the findings from this audit and provides nine recommendations to the FDA to identify risks to infant formula and respond effectively through its complaint, inspection, and recall processes. Media highlights include:

Food Safety Magazine: "Federal Report Gives FDA Nine Recommendations to Improve Infant Formula Oversight"

Opportunity for Employers to Highlight Paid Leave Policies in 2024 Leading on Leave Index

The National Partnership for Women and Families opened applications for the "2024 Leading on Leave Index." The index offers the private sector a unique opportunity to showcase their values and policies to potential and current employees as well as other stakeholders including policy leaders and customers. Employers participating in the index will also receive guidance on best practices to improve their paid leave offerings. Companies of all sizes with comprehensive employee paid leave, as well as those seeking to strengthen their policies, can apply. The Leading on Leave Index application will be open through Friday, September 13.

A Better Balance Report Reflects on PWFA Impact

A Better Balance released, "Pregnant and Finally Protected: One Year Later, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Provides a Lifeline to Workers." Last year, on June 27, 2023, the landmark Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect, expanding protections to millions of pregnant workers. This report illustrates the powerful impact of the PWFA by featuring profiles of workers A Better Balance has assisted over the past year and comparing them to those who were unable to rely on the law before passage. The report concludes with recommendations for the future to ensure the promise of the PWFA is fully realized.

Action Opportunities

Children First: "Urge Harrisburg to Pass Paid Family & Medical Leave"

Maine Department of Labor: "Maine Department of Labor Publishes Paid Family Medical Leave Rules for Public Comment"

Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings: "Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Request for Comments"

National WIC Association: "Help Continue to Strengthen WIC Through the FY25 Budget!"

North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition: "Advocacy Rack Cards for Clients"

Funding Opportunities

California Employment Training Panel & California Labor and Workforce Development Agency: "California Paid Family Leave Grant." Application deadline: May 31, 2026.