NACCHO celebrates the 5thAnniversary of the Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support: A Blueprint for Communities during National Breastfeeding Month on August 24, 2026.
National Breastfeeding Month, founded by the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) in 2011, is an annual opportunity to celebrate, advocate for, and advance breastfeeding and human milk feeding nationwide. This year’s theme, “RISE: Resilience, Interdependence, Self-Determination, Empowerment,” recognized the strength of communities, organizations, and advocates working together to create a landscape of support for breastfeeding families through policy, systems, and environmental change.
In recognition of National Breastfeeding Month, NACCHO hosted a webinar celebrating five years of implementation of the Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support Blueprint and the impact it has had on strengthening community-based breastfeeding systems across the country. The webinar highlighted key successes, lessons learned, and practical strategies that demonstrated how local health departments, community-based organizations, and their partners have advanced measurable systems change to improve breastfeeding outcomes. Over the past five years, more than 45 communities have implemented Blueprint recommendations through NACCHO’s capacity-building workshops, tailored technical assistance, and Community of Practice activities. NACCHO has provided over 500 hours of individualized technical assistance and has promoted 178 resources within the Blueprint resource repository. As a result, NACCHO’s “Blueprint” partnership initiatives with communities have supported workforce development with over 1,000 CE credits earned and capacity-building of nearly 400 local health practitioners.
During the webinar, NACCHO was also joined by three guest presenters who have implemented key recommendations from the Blueprint: Augusta University School of Public Health (Georgia), Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association (Michigan), and Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities (North Carolina). Speakers shared how they applied the Blueprint in their community contexts to strengthen coordinated care, build community-reflective support systems, enhance clinical-community linkages, and sustain multi-sector partnerships. Through examples ranging from Georgia’s MILKS Pipeline model to Detroit’s community-driven breastfeeding initiatives and Durham County’s long-term strategic planning efforts, presenters demonstrated how Blueprint recommendations can be translated into local action and sustainable systems change.
Several cross-cutting themes emerged throughout the session, including the importance of community-centered planning and involvement, workforce capacity development, partnership development and sustainability, and strong referral and care coordination systems. Presenters also highlighted practical tools, implementation strategies, and lessons learned that can help communities strengthen continuity of care and build more equitable breastfeeding support systems.
Together, NACCHO and these community models demonstrated how the Continuity of Care Blueprint continues to serve as a valuable framework for advancing coordinated, scalable, sustainable, and community-driven breastfeeding support. Five years after its release, the Blueprint remains a powerful resource for communities seeking to align strategy and systems, strengthen partnerships, and improve breastfeeding outcomes for families.
Next year, NACCHO will be hosting the 3rd cohort of the breastfeeding community of practice (CoP). The CoP serves as an opportunity for local health departments to connect, learn from each other in peer-to-peer networking groups, address community challenges, and discuss opportunities for partnership. To stay updated, sign up for NACCHO’s MCAH Newsletter here.
Webinar materials
- Webinar Recording: Click here to register and view the recording.
- Presentation Slides: Click here to view the presentation slides.
- Webinar Evaluation & Continuing Education Credits: Click here to complete webinar evaluation and quiz to earn 1.50 R-CERPS.
- Questions for Speakers: Email [email protected].
- Subscribe to the MCAH Newsletter: Instructions are available here.
Webinar Resource Guide
NACCHO Resources
- Key Concepts from the CoC in Breastfeeding Support Blueprint
- Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Community Preparedness Systems Webinar *Webinar, must register to watch
Partner resources
Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association
- Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association
- Michigan Doula Best Practice Guide
- Birth and Breastfeeding Leadership Institute
- Yes to BMBFA
- 2026 Birth and Breastfeeding Virtual Conference
- CoC Blueprint Implementation Tool – Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guide
Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities
- Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities
- Strengthening Breastfeeding Initiatives Presentation
- 10 Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community
- Building the Environment
- Blog Post - Policy Gaps
- Blogpost - Everyone Has a Thread: One Cloth, Many Hands
Augusta University School of Public Health
- Mini Systems Designs Challenge Worksheet
- Breastfeeding Systems Partnership Mapping Worksheet
- CoC Blueprint Implementation Tool - MILKS Pipeline
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
Breastfeeding Public Health Partners
