Subject: Attend the Improving Arizona Birth Outcomes Summit

Action: RSVP Deadline is Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 3, 2014

IMPROVING ARIZONA BIRTH OUTCOMES SUMMIT

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Desert Willow Conference Center

4340 E. Cotton Center Blvd., Phoenix, AZ., 85040

Healthy babies take some work.  In order for a baby to be born healthy, a mom needs to be healthy before she becomes pregnant.  For a mom to be healthy she needs safe housing and livable neighborhood, access to healthy foods, access to health care and adequate employment opportunities.

The social and environmental conditions we are born in, grow up, live and work in as well as the systems in place to address behavioral and physical health affect the health of our babies and generations to come.  Current science points to the critical role that each of us plays in assuring that all babies are born healthy.  We invite you to share your unique expertise by participating in the Arizona Improving Birth Outcomes Summit Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. 

The ultimate goal for the summit is to develop a framework for how each of us can contribute to healthy babies for today and for tomorrow.  Arizona joins four other states that are currently working with National Governor's Association (NGA) on this initiative.  At the end of the summit, the intent is that we will have:

• Identified key strategic areas for improving birth outcomes
• Planned how we can build on and support current efforts that are happening around Arizona and replicate successful strategies
• Developed a framework for ongoing collaboration
• Established reliable and accurate measures to track outcomes
• Integrated elimination of health disparities into all aspects of the state plan

Attendance at this event is by invitation only to allow for rich dialogue and varied perspectives. Because the number of invitees is limited we ask that you RSVP to this invitation by Friday, Jan. 3. Please register by clicking here. Please note this link will direct you to the site for the event planner.

If you have questions, email mary.ellen.cunningham@azdhs.gov or Irene.burnton@azdhs.gov.

Thank you.