Maternal and Child Health (MCH)

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Through a cooperative agreement with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), NACCHO has undertaken a number of activities to support the efforts of local health departments (LHDs) to improve the health of women, children, and families.

The goal of the maternal and child health (MCH) project is to assist local health officials in improving the health of women, children, and families by providing programs that ensure and assess women's and children's health, and by developing policies to improve the health of women, children, and families. More »

March Spotlight Topic: Tobacco

Local Health Department Spotlight: Chautauqua County's Baby & Me- Tobacco Free Program

The Baby and Me: Tobacco Free Program targets smoking prenatal women in Chautauqua County. The preliminary results show that 87% of the women enrolled in the program successfully quit while pregnant and stay quit for 3 months postpartum, and 85% at 6 and 9 months are still smoke free. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of pregnant women in Chautauqua County who smoke by 17%. The goals and objectives are clearly linked to the fact that Chautauqua County has a 37% smoking prenatal rate, which is 17% higher than the national rate of 17-20%. This causes an increased rate in Chautauqua County of premature births, low-birth weights, asthma and respiratory diseases, and sudden infant death syndrome.

Recent MCH Tobacco News

»	Smokers "Make Their Children Ill"
	A leading hospital says up to a third of the children it treats for certain conditions are ill because their parents smoke in front of them. More »
»	Tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy, may threaten health of women and children
	Findings from a National Institute of Health (NIH) study indicate that rates of tobacco use during pregnancy, as well as exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke, are significant threats to health in several low and middle-income countries. More »
»	Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Smoking: A Selected Annotated Bibliography
	This resource is filled with studies and other resources about maternal and child health in relation to smoking. Studies such as Influence of maternal smoking habits on the risk of subsequent stillbirth: Is there a causal relation? are featured and have links to provide easy access to data and other information. More »
»	CDC Factsheet: Preventing Smoking and Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Before, During, and After Pregnancy
	This factsheet offers information on the effects of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy. This resource also provides recommended strategies and policies, as well as ways to take action. More »
»	Stop Smoking Therapies Have Benefits, Risks for Pregnant Women
	An article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests pregnant smokers can get help quitting, but the benefits of these therapies must be weighed against concerns about early birth. More »
»	New Report Warns New Tobacco Products Threaten Efforts to Reduce Tobacco Use and Save Lives
	A recent report issued by a coalition of public health organizations warns that a "new generation" of tobacco products such as flavored cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the form of dissolvable, candy-like tablets is threatening efforts to reduce tobacco use in the United States. More »

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE

»	Action Alert SCHIP Reauthorization
	As you have heard in the news, President Bush vetoed a bill October 3 that would provide health insurance coverage for nearly 10 million children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This critical legislation reauthorizes the SCHIP program for five years and will ensure that the current 6.6 million children who receive benefits under SCHIP continue to receive coverage. Additionally, the bill will likely reduce the number of uninsured children by nearly 4 million. The bill will provide an additional $35 billion for the SCHIP program over 5 years by increasing the federal tobacco tax by 61 cents. The House is scheduled to vote to override Bush's veto October 18 and every vote will count. Please consider joining a broad national effort to urge Members of Congress to override the veto by calling your Representative and Senators now. Instructions and contact information are provided here. Thank you for making this effort to preserve funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Please contact Eli Briggs at NACCHO with any questions: ebriggs@naccho.org or 202-783-5550 x229 SCHIP Reauthorization: How Will Low-Income Kids Benefit under House and Senate Bills? Eligible but Not Enrolled: How SCHIP Reauthorization Can Help Concerns about Parents Dropping Employer Coverage to Enroll in SCHIP Overlook Issues of Affordability Summary of SCHIP Reauthorization Act of 2007

»	E-MCH Conference Series
	NACCHO and CityMatCH present the fifth year of the Emerging Issues in Maternal and Child Health Conference Series. These calls highlight research, information, and collaborative efforts between state and local public health agencies on a variety of MCH topics. More » The MCH Leadership Competencies: From Theory to Local Practice Thursday, May 15, 2008 3:00 - 4:30 PM ET Archive Webcast Now Available Learn the Signs. Act Early: CDC's Campaign to Address Autism

»	Applying for Funding Conference Call Series
	These skill-building conference calls/webcasts assist LHDs in soliciting federal, public, and private foundation funding. These trainings will help LHDs enhance skills for writing quality grant applications for government or private funding sources and provide an overview of the grant review process. Archive Materials Available! Obtaining 501(c)3 Status to Sustain and Increase Local Health Department Funding