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Dear Friends,
Today, I want to wish you a very happy mother's day! I want to thank you for the work you do to support the moms, babies and families in your community.
As I reflect on and celebrate Mother's Day this year, I can't help but recognize that this is an amazing time in U.S. history for community health workers - for breastfeeding peer counselors, for community-based doulas, for outreach workers and case managers, for promotores de salud and community health educators. Community health workers are authorized in the Affordable Care Act, the Surgeon General has released a call to action on breastfeeding, and home visiting is now a multi-year billion dollar program of the federal government.
For years, we have known that community based interventions are cost effective, and today our nation's policymakers seem to be listening. We need to continue speaking, telling our stories, and gathering support not only for the new families we serve, but also for ourselves and for this work.
We do our work the way women experience birth in their lives - over time, and in the context of relationships. And this work - yours and ours together - impacts health disparities that cost billions of dollars over a lifetime.
On behalf of the entire HC One Board and Staff, I wish you a very happy mother's day! You are a powerful resource for health in our country, and I hope the following stories serve to remind you just how powerful you are.
Sincerely,
Rachel Abramson
Executive Director |
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MOMS IN THE FIELD - PEER COUNSELOR | | |
Breastfeeding Peer Support Imperative
by Cynthia Bloodgood, Doula, Childbirth Educator, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
I believe it is through our own personal experiences that we have the most powerful effect on change. When I gave birth to my daughter nine and a half years ago, it was a complete surprise to my husband and me that she would be born with special needs.
The one thing I knew for sure after giving birth to my daughter was that I was going to breastfeed. I said, "Oh, I have to do this even more now." And so we did. She breastfed beautifully, despite the challenges of low muscle tone and open heart surgery at five months. It was very challenging, when the doctor said to me, "You can't do this. You have to give her formula. She's losing weight. She's at the brink." This is where I feel those personal stories are so powerful, because at the brink of losing my daughter, I knew that I wouldn't give up.
My daughter, after being sedated for ten days ... I pumped and pumped and pumped and I knew that as soon as she came out of sedation, we were going to do this again. And she did it. I see amazing benefits from it. She has developed beautifully. She is just an absolute ray of sunshine. And I knew when I breastfed my daughter, it was the one time that I did not see her disability. It was my daughter, and she was at my breast and it was my daughter. I can't speak of my daughter without crying because she is everything to me.
One thing that resonates very deeply is the support and the encouragement I received from a couple of moms that also nursed their babies with Down Syndrome. I was so grateful to be guided and comforted by women who knew so well what I was going through, not just the technical difficulties, but the difficulties of emotions... These moms could relate. We were peers. We knew our stories, and it felt so comfortable and so comforting, because there were many times I had to call.
You can see why I believe so intently in the importance of peer support. The peer counselor role in breastfeeding is pretty much imperative. Every mother should have the ability to have that peer to call whenever she needs it.
In my career as a breastfeeding peer counselor, I have witnessed some magical transformations. Much of my experience has been with young first-time moms who come with a lot of reservations like, "Oh, my boobs are gonna be saggy. How can I do it?" and just the whole, "My boyfriend thinks, how can we share?" and you know, it's just nuts. But with proper information and guidance, and presence, it has been a really great success. When I had the pleasure of working at Access Community Health, 100% of my moms did initiate breastfeeding, with a few of those exclusively breastfeeding. I still keep in touch with a lot of those moms, and they're still breastfeeding. Two of them have become breastfeeding peer counselors themselves, and one of them became a doula also.
Editor's Note: Thank you to Cynthia Bloodgood for opening her heart to new moms, and employing the power of personal story to affect change. And thank you to all of the breastfeeding peer counselors and community-based doulas supporting new moms on Mother's Day and every day. For more information about HC One's breastfeeding peer counselor or community-based doula programs, please visit our website. |
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ILLINOIS BREASTFEEDING BLUEPRINT | | |
Chicago and Springfield Launch Events
HealthConnect One, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Human Services and the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Public Health, released the Illinois Breastfeeding Blueprint: A Plan for Change on Monday, April 25, 2011. The Blueprint, the first report of its kind on statewide breastfeeding statistics, was introduced by Executive Director Rachel Abramson to a standing-room-only crowd at HC One's Chicago headquarters.
Attendees, advocates, practitioners and media from throughout the Chicago metro area, heard from key stakeholders, to learn from their experiences and hear about change from within their communities. The Chicago announcement was followed by a Springfield launch on April 27 during the Illinois Statewide Breastfeeding Conference. Each event garnered media coverage from numerous outlets, including this story on WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio.
The report was created from data and analysis gathered since 2008 by experts in maternal and child healthcare, nutritionists and additional breastfeeding advocates to highlight successes and offer recommendations for reducing disparities in breastfeeding. This report will serve as a five-year action plan for hospitals, government agencies, employers, insurers and community groups.
To read and download the Blueprint, please click here. |
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NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE -
PROMOTORES DE SALUD | | |
Chicago's Laura Bahena Appointed!
We are extremely proud to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health has selected Chicago CHW Local Network Coordinator Laura Bahena to serve on the National Steering Committee for Promotores de Salud. This Steering Committee will help to provide leadership and guidance in the development and implementation of a new initiative focused on Promotores de Salud in Latino/Hispanic populations.
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| CHW POLICY FORUM - ILLINOIS | | |
 On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, more than 130 community health workers, promotores de salud, employers, health care providers, researchers, advocates, and health policy leaders gathered at the University of Illinois at Chicago for a forum entitled Exploring Policies that Support Community Health Workers in Illinois.
This forum was created and planned through a collaboration between HealthConnect One, Health & Medicine Research Policy Group, The Chicago CHW Local Network, CEED (Center for Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities) at Chicago, Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, Alivio Medical Center, UIC School of Public Health, Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Occupational and Environmental Education and Research Center and Rush University Medical Center, and funded by a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
A distinguished list of community organizations, Community Health Workers (CHWs) along with administrators, researchers, and hospital representatives from the Chicago Area were invited to participate in this forum. CHWs/Promotores de Salud and community organizations from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan were also represented.
Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox from Massachusetts Community Health Workers Association was the keynote speaker. In her powerful speech, she encouraged all CHWs to work together with other stakeholders, but to always remember that the CHW/Promotor de Salud movement for Policy development should be led by CHWs/Promotores de Salud. Other speakers presented information to show the importance of CHWs/Promotores de Salud in the elimination of health disparities.
Midway through the forum, the audience was divided into workgroups to develop strategies for pushing CHW issues forward. Issues tackled included the development of a basic core CHW certification, workforce development, funding and policy development.
The forum ended with a commitment among those present to continue working on the topics that were presented. If you would like to participate in follow-up discussions about training, certification and policy development, please join us at the next Chicago CHW Local Network Training & Certification meeting on May 13, 2011, from 3pm-5pm, at Alivio Medical Center (966 W. 21st Street, 2nd Floor Conference Room). Please RSVP to Laura Bahena at lbahena@healthconnectone.org.
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| BBB 2011 - THANK YOU | | |
Birth, Breastfeeding and Beyond:
Sustaining Community-Based Practices 
Thank you to everyone who joined us March 21-23, 2011 at the Hilton Arlington, just over the bridge from Washington, DC, for our fifth national conference!
For conference photos and links to some of the presentations, please visit our website. |
| CONGRATULATIONS! | | |
Georg'ann Cattelona
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Photo by Sandy Schaeffer |
Congratulations to Georg'ann Cattelona, Founder and Director of Bloomington Area Birth Services, on being named Bloomington, Indiana's Woman of the Year!
Georg'ann Cattelona founded Bloomington Area Birth Services (BABS) in 1994 and has worked tirelessly for more than 16 years on a local, state and national level to advocate for pregnant women's care. As a founding member of the Postpartum Depression Task Force, Georg'ann has been widely influential in addressing postpartum depression in the Bloomington community. She leads the Monroe County Perinatal Mood Disorder Committee, a multidisciplinary group striving to improve diagnosis and access to care for patients with PMD. She helped launch the new Lactation Center at BABS and works locally to support midwives and train doulas. She is a member of the Smart Start steering committee, the Physical/Mental Working Group and she spearheaded a project to develop an ABC book for children. This ABC book, based on Bloomington, was developed from a project with Leadership Bloomington Monroe County which Georg'ann participated in last year. Georg'ann has participated in various community partnerships where she is an enthusiastic, contributing member and leader.
Hear an interview with Georg'ann here on WFHB.
Editor's Note: We are thrilled that the City of Bloomington recognized Georg'ann Cattelona this year for her enduring commitment to her community. |
| NEWS, REPORTS & EVENTS | |
News
Washington Parent - May 2011
Huffington Post - April 9, 2011 HealthDay News - March 30, 2011 HealthDay News - February 22, 2011
Upcoming Events
International Doula Month - May 2011
DONA International honors its members and maternity care providers this month with their Capturing the Doula Spirit Photo Contest. Doulas are asked to submit photos which tell a story of memorable birth and postpartum experiences by the end of May 2011.
National Women's Health Week - May 8-14, 2011
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health is celebrating National Women's Health Week. This year's theme It's Your Time is meant to encourage women to take charge in making both their physical and mental health a top priority!
CAPPA Conference - Valencia, CA - June 23 - June 26, 2011
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ON SITE | |
 You Look Fabulous!
Atlanta, Georgia
Families First for Children's Sake in Atlanta, GA shares client success stories - inspiring stories from women and men who have conquered difficult obstacles.
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore Healthy Start, the only federally funded mortality reduction initiative in Maryland, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2011. Congratulations!
Washington, DC
Family Health and Birth Center has added a powerful and heartfelt video entitled Health Care in its Social Context to their website, showing the incredible impact they have made on the Washington D.C. community.
Editor's Note: If your community-based doula, breastfeeding peer counselor or community health worker site is doing something you would like to see shared in HC One's eNews, please contact Communications Associate RoiAnn Phillips, at rphillips@healthconnectone.org. Thank you. |
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| CONNECT FOR CHANGE - SPRING FUNDRAISER | |
 Chicago-Area Friends and Supporters:
Please join us for our Spring Fundraiser, hosted by the Associate Board!
Thursday
May 12, 2011
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Mars Gallery
1139 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, Illinois
Make your reservations today.
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