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MCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastBONUS Episode: Strengthening Maternal & Child Health Through Impactful PartnershipsIn this bonus episode of MCH Bridges, guest speakers Terrance E. Moore, Chief Executive Officer of AMCHP, and Marcus Allen, immediate Past-President of the AMCHP Board of Directors, discuss the meaning of effective partnerships and relationships and their role in strengthening maternal and child health (MCH). Through a candid chat recorded live at the 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference, they walk us through Marcus’ experiences as the Director of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs at the Virginia Department of Health and President of the AMCHP Board and the importance of fostering collaborations rooted in purpose and foc...2025-04-2919 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #22: Black Trans Joy: Childbirth & MedicineGuest Speakers: Allyn Cropper, (he/him), Executive Director of My Brother Too, retired service member Eve Lovelace-Cropper, (she/her) Guest Host: Dorcas A., (they/them), AMCHP Youth Voice Amplified Committee Member, DotDash Anti-Bias Review Board Member November is Transgender Awareness Month. Tune in to the latest episode of What The Health?! Black Trans Joy: Childbirth & Medicine, a special feature led by AMCHP’s Youth Voice Amplified Committee, presented by MCH Bridges. Guest Host Dorcas A. guides us through a powerful conversation with Allyn Cropper and Eve Lovelace-Cropper, a Black trans co...2024-11-2733 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #21: Navigating Prenatal Diagnoses: Reducing Harm for Parents of Children with Down SyndromeOctober is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. In this episode of MCH Bridges, guest host and Lettercase Program Director Dr. Stephanie Meredith reviews some of the findings from her recent study focused on the experiences of parents receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Dr. Meredith approaches her research as the mother of a 24-year-old son with Down syndrome. Additionally, listeners will gain insight from a recent project aimed at improving support for Black and Hispanic new and expectant parents of children with Down syndrome. Throughout the episode, Dr. Meredith uplifts the lived experiences of guest speakers Ayah I...2024-10-1839 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #20: Care Maps: The Power of Mapping Support for Children & FamiliesThis episode dives into the world of care mapping, as a continued conversation from a skills-building session at the 2024 AMCHP Annual Conference. Care mapping serves as a powerful tool to help families and professionals coordinate and enhance support and care for children and youth with special health care needs. By visualizing the complex network of care, these maps improve communication and foster a shared understanding among all involved. This episode also explores innovative uses of care mapping, including how it can aid youth in articulating their mental health needs. Tune in to join our guest speakers in d...2024-09-2049 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #19: Generating Policy Solutions to Protect Children with Complex Health Care Needs During EmergenciesOur new MCH Bridges podcast episode addresses the critical importance of planning for and responding to the needs of women, children, and families, particularly those requiring complex care, during public health emergencies. The efforts described in this episode reflect the panelists' personal and professional experiences advocating for and implementing a state-level policy change to do just this. Tune in now to this detailed discussion about what it takes to implement a policy change aimed at ensuring that children with the most complex health care needs are less vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters and other emergencies. T...2024-07-2245 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #18: What the Health is Food Insecurity?!Our newest MCH Bridges and What the Health?! crossover episode, led by AMCHP’s Youth Voice Amplified (YVA) committee, talks about the food insecurity crisis in the United States from a systems and lived experience point of view, and how these perspectives impact each other. This episode shares an overview of the state of food insecurity in this country, a background of different terms in the food justice space, and the inequities that present challenges for many in our communities. You will also hear about the importance of empowering communities and understanding solutions to accessing nourishing foods they connect wi...2024-05-0641 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #17: Medicaid Redetermination: Stories from Families to Inspire ActionAccording to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, as of February 1, over 16.4 million Medicaid and CHIP enrollees nationwide have been disenrolled and lost their coverage. Over 70% of people are losing coverage because of paperwork reasons, such as missing notices from the state Medicaid office and an inability to produce wage statements. Out of the states reporting age breakouts, children accounted for 38% of Medicaid disenrollments. Our latest MCH Bridges episode highlights the human experiences of what these alarming statistics mean for families across the country and emp...2024-02-2036 min
Public Health Review Morning EditionPolicies to Curb Sexually Transmitted Infections, Xylazine Regulation and TestingDr. Anne Zink, ASTHO Immediate Past President and Chief Medical Officer for the Alaska Department of Health, says policies can help address the fact that the number of babies born with syphilis is ten times higher than in 2012; JoAnne McClure, ASTHO Senior Analyst for State Health Policy, outlines the different ways states and territories have reacted to xylazine being in the illicit drug supply; and Amani Echols, Policy and Government Affairs Manager for the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, discusses an online webinar revealing an article ASTHO worked on about public health approaches to perinatal substance use.2023-12-1805 minPublic Health Review Morning EditionOregon’s Psilocybin Therapy Program, New Focus on Perinatal Substance UseCara Biddlecom, Interim Public Health Director at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, talks about the launch of the first-ever state-sponsored psilocybin therapy program; Amani Echols, Policy and Government Affairs Manager for the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, discusses an article ASTHO worked on about public health approaches to perinatal substance use; and ASTHO will launch a new website next month aimed at strengthening public health preparedness. ASTHO Webpage: Supporting Mental Health – Addressing a New Public Health Crisis Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs News Release: AMCHP and ASTHO Release Maternal and Ch...2023-12-1505 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #16: What the Health is Ecology of Homelessness?!November is National Youth Homelessness Awareness Month. Severe weather, extreme temperatures, and natural disasters present vastly increased challenges for homeless communities. Listen to our latest MCH Bridges and What the Health?! crossover episode, led by AMCHP’s Youth Voice Amplified (YVA) committee, to learn about how climate change is directly affecting people experiencing homelessness. You’ll hear from guest hosts Mitra Kashani, environmental public health scientist, and Lisa Brooks, expert in the homelessness system, as they share what homelessness can look like from an individual and systems-level perspective – confronting common misconceptions, emphasizing the impacts of climate change on marginalized and ru...2023-11-2041 min
DDNJ Author InsightsEp. 8 Ida Winters and Elizabeth Morgan - Paths to EquityIn this episode, we hear from two of the authors of the article titled, "Paths to Equity: Parents in partnership with UCEDDs fostering Black family advocacy for children on the autism spectrum" which was published in the 2023 special issue on diversity, equity, and inclusion. We were so thrilled to discuss this important work with Ida and Dr. Morgan and also learn more about them as people and why they are invested in what they do. A full transcript of this interview is available here in English and here in Spanish.
Ida Winters is the mother of 3 wonderful...2023-07-2758 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #15: Youth Perspectives on Mental Health: Supporting the Next GenerationListen to this MCH Bridges episode to hear three members of The Adolescent Champion Teen Advisory Council (TAC TAC), Melanie Avila, Fanta Guindo, and Yeina Han, share what adolescent and young adult mental health looks like in their communities, what they have experienced, and what needs to change. This episode talks about important concepts like positive youth development, youth-friendly services, and culturally competent care. It also identifies strategies for addressing barriers to youth seeking and accessing mental health services. This episode discusses mental health issues and mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal...2023-05-2339 min
No Is A SentenceEpisode 53: Joe ArridyWelcome back, lovely listeners! This week, Alex's man, Ivo, did all the research after being inspired by this case. Alex had no idea what we were getting into when we started recording. There is a second warning at the beginning of the episode but we can't stress enough that this case is heavy and heartbreaking.Joe Arridy, born in 1915 in Colorado to Syrian immigrants, was diagnosed with a mental disability at a young age. He was swee, funny, caring and a great person. However, when an attack occurs nearby, the sheriff decides to pin it on Joe...2023-05-101h 26Public Health Review Morning EditionBiden Gets PH Workforce Report; Maternal Care PoliciesLindsey Myers, ASTHO’s Vice President for Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure, explains the importance of President Biden’s report on the public health workforce; Maria Gabriela Ruiz, an analyst on ASTHO’s Maternal and Infant Health team, outlines how public health officials can address the root cause of rising maternal mortality rates; the FDA updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance; and you still have time to register online for ASTHO’s TechXpo and Futures Forum. ASTHO Statement on President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s Report on Supporting the U.S. Public Health Workforce Repor...2023-05-0404 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #14: The Joy of Autism: A New Way of ThinkingIn this MCH Bridges, we talk with AMCHP’s State Public Health Autism Resource Center’s (SPHARC) Autistic Faculty about the Autistic experience in a world that is centered around neurotypical people. You’ll hear from Autistic Faculty members Dave Caudel, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, and Haley Moss about neurodiversity, ways that Autistic and non-Autistic people are similar and how we are all connected as humans, and what celebrating autistic joy means to them. Resources: Frist Center for Autism and Innovation Morénike Giwa Onaiwu’s information and frequently asked questions page Morenike Giwa Onaiwu resource...2023-04-2551 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastBONUS Episode: The AMCHP Annual Conference ExperienceThis bonus episode captures the experience of attending the AMCHP Annual Conference from a variety of perspectives. As past attendees, our guest speakers shared what they learned, some pro tips for taking advantage of conference opportunities, and why it's important that we encourage and support youth and young adults, family leaders, community-rooted organizations, tribal government representatives, and students and early career professionals to attend the AMCHP Annual Conference. You’ll hear from Katherine Harvey, representing the perspective of a young adult leader, and Dana Yarbrough, a family leader and proud parent of a daughter with disabilities and special healthcare ne...2023-04-1933 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #13: Healing Through Breastfeeding: Honoring the Past, Investing in the FutureThis interview episode highlights the journeys of Kimarie and Dalecia as they found their passion and purpose in helping lactating persons achieve their breastfeeding goals. Intertwining lived experience and the desire to make a difference, you will hear how Dalecia and Kimarie found their calling in breastfeeding work. You will learn about how breastfeeding has been a healing journey and a way to reconnect with our past. You will also hear about the ongoing challenges in accessing adequate and culturally appropriate breastfeeding, especially for black and brown communities. Guests: Dr. Kimarie Bugg, Chief Empowerment O...2023-03-1536 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #12: We Need to Start Talking About StillbirthThis episode highlights the lived experiences of families who have experienced a stillbirth. You’ll hear from Jasmine Abraham and Nneka Hall, who share their personal experiences after Jasmine’s son Qasem and Nneka’s daughter Annaya were born still. You’ll also hear from Rose Horton, a nurse and Executive Director of Women and Infant Services at Emory Decatur Hospital who also created #NotOnMyWatch. You’ll learn about what stillbirth is and what we know about risk factors and prevention. The episode also discusses the short- and long-term impacts of the loss of a baby and what supports and system...2023-01-241h 05MCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #11: Community-Led Solutions for Change: The Story of Colorado's Birth Equity Bill PackageIn this special episode, AMCHP's MCH Bridges teams up with the Maternal Health Innovation podcast to explore maternal health policy successes, challenges and opportunities. Guest host Laura Powis, AMCHP's Evidence-Based Policy and Practice Program Manager, is joined by Indra Lusero, founder of the Elephant Circle; Demetra Seriki, Midwife at A Mother's Choice Midwifery; and George Davis V, a community member on Elephant Circle's Birth Equity Implementation Steering Committee to discuss Colorado's Birth Equity Bill Package. This recently passed legislation is a comprehensive and community-led response to the maternal health crisis designed to increase access and decrease inequities in obstetric c...2022-11-2153 min
Maternal Health InnovationColorado Birth Equity Bill Package and The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP)In this special episode, Maternal Health Innovation is teaming up with AMCHP's MCH Bridges podcast to bring you this episode on maternal health policy successes, challenges and opportunities while discussing Colorado's recent passing of the Birth Equity Bill Package. A series of three bills designed to increase access to decrease inequities in and overall improve obstetric care in the state, this comprehensive and community-led response to the maternal health crisis is the first ever state led policy platform for birth equity. In this episode, host Laura Powis, program manager for Evidence-Based Policy and Practice at AMCHP and...2022-11-1553 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #10: Queering Perinatal Mental HealthIn this episode, we are joined by Leo Andreas (he/him) and Jenna "JB" Brown (they/he) to explore the unique perinatal mental health experiences of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people. Leo, a dad of a two-year-old, shares his mental health experiences of his journey to parenthood. And JB, a full-spectrum doula and community educator, explains the positive impact person-centered, radically inclusive care can have on the mental health of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people during the perinatal period. This episode discusses mental health issues and mentions suicide. If you or someone you k...2022-10-2435 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #9: Centering the Soul Ties to the Food We Eat: A Strategy for Equity in Nutrition ServicesThis episode highlights the effects of structural racism and the history of our food system in the United States. It discusses the demonization of cultural foods, the use of Eurocentric dietary standards as the primary baseline for nutrition recommendations, and how these continue to contribute to the gap in nutrition inequality we see today. Tune in now to hear from guest speaker Sadé Meeks as she shares her concept of food as resistance and how we can empower communities through a holistic approach in the interconnected complexity of identity and food. As a subsequent part of...2022-09-2730 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #8: Public Health Across Borders: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Mental Health, and the U.S. Immigration SystemThis episode explores the unique experiences of unaccompanied immigrant children (UICs) and the ways in which immigration impacts mental health. The Young Center, an organization dedicated to promoting immigrant children’s rights, ensures the safety and best interests of unaccompanied children in United States custody by advocating for them as they navigate the immigration system. In this episode, José Ortiz-Rosales, Deputy Director of the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program, and Anne Kelsey, Policy Analyst for Disability Rights at the Young Center, offer their perspectives on opportunities for the public health field to better support unaccompanied minors’ mental and physica...2022-08-2223 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #7: What's Public Health Got to Do With It? Maternal Health, Substance Use, and the Criminal Justice SystemThis episode explores the unique experience of pregnant people navigating substance use disorders and the criminal justice system. Jenna’s Project, a program of UNC Horizons, works to support people in recovery at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women. In this episode, a mom shares her journey navigating incarceration while pregnant and recovering from a substance use disorder, and Essence Hairston, the program’s clinical instructor, offers her perspective on opportunities for the public health field to better support pregnant people who use substances. Resources:Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts: Integrating Obstetrical and Subs...2022-07-1216 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #6: The Kids Are Not Okay: Climate Change, Environmental Injustice, and What MCH & Youth Advocates Can DoIn the first part of this episode, we talk with Rhea Goswami, co-founder of the Environmental Justice Coalition (EJC), about why youth engagement is so important, especially when working to address climate change and climate injustices, how MCH can engage with young people, the importance and impact that environmental health has on MCH populations, and the need for environmental and media literacy skills for children and youth. In the second part of the episode, we chat with one of Rhea’s mentors, Dr. Megan Latshaw in the Department of Environmental Health & Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, about ne...2022-06-2741 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #5: Rest is Infinite: Shifting Our Mindsets on Rest & ProductivityIn this episode, we tackle the topic of redefining rest and productivity with Marissa McKool, Career and Life Coach. Marissa shares her personal wake up call on the brink of burnout, explores why we are sometimes hesitant to take time off, discusses how supervisors and managers can be more supportive of staff, the intersection of oppressive systems and thoughts on rest, and shares ideas and tips for reshaping our mindset throughout the conversation. Resources:Redefining Rest Podcast Episodes (Marissa's Podcast): Taking a Sick Day and Vacation BrainBurnout Recovery Mini-Course (McKool Coaching)Addressing Health Worker Burnout The...2022-05-1932 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #4: Preparing for the Unexpected: Lessons from MCH Emergency Preparedness & Response Efforts In the times we live in, we are constantly facing all sorts of emergencies and preparedness is essential to keep families safe and promote health and wellbeing in challenging situations. In this episode, we explore how Tennessee has intentionally centered communities of color in response efforts and learn about Puerto Rico’s experience facing emergencies like Zika, Hurricane Maria, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest Speakers: Dr. Tobi Amosun, Assistant Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health Division of Family Health and WellnessJacquie Johnson, Section Chief, Children and Youth with Special Needs, Tennessee Department of HealthCamille Delgado-López, Coordinator Surve...2022-04-2224 minMCH Bridges: The Official AMCHP PodcastEpisode #3 Part 2: Redesigning Birth Work For The Future with the InTune Mother SocietyIn part two of this episode, a culturally centered perinatal wellness project, the InTune Mother Society, discuss Black entrepreneurship, ingenuity, how the maternal and child health field can equitably support community-rooted birth justice work.Please complete this short survey to share input on the episode and let us know who or what you’d like to hear about on future episodes: https://bit.ly/MCHBridgesPilot.------Additional Resources Related to This EpisodeThe InTune Mother Society (TIMS) is Redesigning Birth Work For The Future. TIMS is working hard to b...2022-02-2533 min