Weekly Wire: USBC 2022 Policy Impact Report Blog, WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Application, and more

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Weekly Wire: USBC 2022 Policy Impact Report Blog, WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Application, and more

10/28/2022

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- 2022 Policy Impact Report: We are Creating Change, Together!
- Find Upcoming Events All in One Place on the USBC Website!
International News
- Report on Global Women's and Children's Health Progress
- Webinar on the Impact of COVID-19 on Nutrition Outcomes
National News
- WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Application Open
- AHRQ Evidence Review Submissions Open
- Interactive Breastfeeding Resources
- Volunteer ERB Application Open
- Open Letter Calling for Action on PWFA
- Bill to Address Global Malnutrition Signed Into Law
- Report on WIC Waivers and Enhancements during COVID-19 Pandemic
- Report on Obesity Prevention and ECE Programs
- Bill Addressing Toxic-Free Food Introduced in Senate
- National Day of Racial Healing Announced
State & Community News
- DEI Policy and Statement from Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition
- Reports on Community-Level Partnerships and Projects in Michigan
Funding Opportunities
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

2022 Policy Impact Report: We are Creating Change, Together!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee published the "2022 Impact Report: Breastfeeding Policy Priorities," a detailed account of USBC advocacy efforts and accomplishments. The blog describes our work to secure federal funding for breastfeeding, protect infant and young child feeding in emergencies, ensure access to lactation support and supplies, advance workplace protections, and improve maternity care practices. The USBC and our network of members, partners, and supporters are diligently working to remove the policy, system, and environmental barriers that families face. We are proud to share that in 2022, we did many great things together, including achieving forward movement on all five of the policy priorities that were selected by our supporters and member organizations. The impact report includes legislative updates and current opportunities to take action. Thank you for your continued support!

Find Upcoming Events All in One Place on the USBC Website!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee maintains an Events Calendar with upcoming events related to human milk feeding and lactation hosted by our extensive network of USBC member organizations. Events include online trainings, virtual conferences, and more. Member organizations may submit their events via the USBC Member Portal.

International News

Report on Global Women's and Children's Health Progress

The Every Woman Every Child Initiative published a report titled "Protect the Promise: 2022 Progress Report on the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030)." The report shows that women's and children's health has suffered globally, as the impacts of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change converge with devastating effects on prospects for children and young people and women's rights and health. Data presented in the report show a critical regression across virtually every major measure of childhood well-being, and many key indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals. Breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding at six months, and continued breastfeeding at 12 months are included as key interventions across the continuum of care.

Webinar on the Impact of COVID-19 on Nutrition Outcomes

The United States Agency for International Development is hosting a webinar titled "Visualizing the Impact of COVID-19 on Nutrition Outcomes: Interactive Framework Tool Analyzes the Effects of Global Shocks on Nutritional Status Webinar" on Thursday, November 3, from 9-10 a.m. ET. The COVID-19 pandemic and other global shocks threaten to derail progress made towards achieving the maternal, infant, and young child nutrition targets endorsed by the World Health Assembly–particularly the targets for stunting, wasting, exclusive breastfeeding, and anemia in women of reproductive age. To provide a collective voice on monitoring the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition and collaborate on nutrition-related data collection, representatives from USAID, UNICEF, WHO, and USAID Advancing Nutrition formed the Agile Core Team for Nutrition Monitoring (ACT-NM) in the early days of the pandemic. The webinar will present the ACT-NM's COVID-19 and Nutrition Analytical Framework, an interactive tool illustrating the pathways connecting the secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition outcomes in both children and adults.

National News

WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Application Open

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service opened applications for the 2023 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence. The awards recognize exemplary local WIC breastfeeding programs and provide models to motivate other agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities. The award is designed to help increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants. Applications will close on Thursday, December 22, 2022.

AHRQ Evidence Review Submissions Open

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program announced that the agency has opened submissions for new evidence reviews. The AHRQ EPC Program reviews and summarizes the available evidence on current health care issues, such as tests, treatments, and methods of health care delivery, and describes their advantages or disadvantages. These reviews are based on relevant published and unpublished scientific literature and provide comprehensive, evidence-based information to consumers, clinicians, and policymakers. Evidence reports can provide a foundation for developing and implementing practice guidelines, performance measures, educational programs, and other strategies to improve the quality of healthcare and decision-making related to the effectiveness and appropriateness of specific healthcare technologies and services. Unique and new topic submissions will be prioritized. The online submission deadline is Friday, November 18.

USBC Insight: This is a high-level policy lever for potential change. 925 evidence reviews topics have been submitted since 2009, just five of which pertain to breastfeeding. Learn more about successfully submitting a topic to AHRQ.

Interactive Breastfeeding Resources

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service published two new interactive resources to support breastfeeding:

Resource Handout: "Breastfeeding Takes All of Us"
Online Quiz: "Returning to Work or School and Breastfeeding"

Volunteer ERB Application Open

Baby-Friendly USA is seeking applications for external review board (ERB) members. Members of the ERB review facility assessment reports prepared by BFUSA assessors and evaluate them for designation decisions. This is a volunteer and remote position.

Open Letter Calling for Action on PWFA

A Better Balance published an open letter from more than 125 mothers in 42 states asking the Senate to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) as a full-page ad in The New York Times. The PWFA would ensure reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job is limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including lactation. The bill was passed by the House with strong bipartisan support, and has bipartisan support in the Senate. Highlights from the field include:

A Better Balance Statement: "Majority Leader Schumer Fails Women Ahead of Midterms; Delays Bringing Pregnant Workers Bill to Vote"
The Hill: "Pregnant workers are pushed out of work, and it's time to finally protect them"

Bill to Address Global Malnutrition Signed Into Law

The President signed the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 (H.R.4693) into law. The bill will work to advance targeted and evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of global malnutrition and improve program coordination. The law includes language to increase coverage of nutrition interventions, including breastfeeding support.

Report on WIC Waivers and Enhancements during COVID-19 Pandemic

The Food Research & Action Center released a report titled "WIC During COVID-19: Participation and Benefit Redemption Since the Onset of the Pandemic." The publication details the change in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation and benefit redemption food costs during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and offers recommendations to strengthen WIC now and beyond the pandemic. The report includes a description and timeline for changes to the fruit and vegetable benefit for participants who are breastfeeding.

Report on Obesity Prevention and ECE Programs

The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education released a report titled "Achieving a State of Healthy Weight, 2021." The publication examines the level of support, nationally, for 47 high-impact obesity prevention standards (HIOPS) in new childcare licensing regulations in 2021 and identifies opportunities for early childhood education (ECE) regulations to improve support of obesity prevention in young children. The report includes a discussion section on how states can use childcare licensing regulations to better support breastfeeding parents and their young children in early care and education.

Bill Addressing Toxic-Free Food Introduced in Senate

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Ensuring Safe and Toxic-Free Foods Act of 2022 (S. 4316). The bill calls for stricter regulation of Generally Recognized as Safe substances by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create an Office of Food Chemical Safety Reassessment within FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. In the bill text, breastfeeding women are included in the definition of vulnerable human populations. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

National Day of Racial Healing Announced

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) announced that the 7th Annual National Day of Racial Healing will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. The annual National Day of Racial Healing originated as part of WKKF's national Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation efforts – a national, community-based process of transformative, sustainable change, addressing the historic and contemporary effects of racism. The day will be centered around experiences rooted in truth-telling that lead to racial healing for a more just and equitable future. WKKF published resources for individuals, students, and health equity organizations.

State & Community News

DEI Policy and Statement from Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition

Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition published a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice Statement. The publications share the coalition's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice in support of lactation professionals, human milk feeding families, and their communities.

Reports on Community-Level Partnerships and Projects in Michigan

The Michigan Breastfeeding Network released a series of reports on recent partnerships and grant-funded activity in the state. The reports highlight work being done by MIBFN partners and the impact of funding in their communities.