· JOANNE FISCHER TO BE HONORED: Women’s eNews will hold a gala on Oct. 20 to honor Philadelphia Leaders 2010, “an awe-inspiring list of individuals dedicated to improving the lives of women.” One of the honorees is our own JoAnne Fischer, who heads the Maternity Care Coalition. Click here for more information.
· NEW BABY: Leo de la Cruz Redei was born Sunday, Aug. 22 at 11:01 p.m., weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces. His mom, MCH Student Fellow Cara de la Cruz said, “The birth was truly incredible and everyone is doing beautifully! Thank you all so much for your love and support.”
· RUTH LUBIC ON THE MEND: Section Member Ruth Lubic was hospitalized in Washington, D.C., at the beginning of September with viral meningitis, but was recovering nicely at last report. Updates and good wishes can be transmitted to her through former Section Chair Linda Randolph, President and CEO, Developing Families Center, 801 17th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, (202) 398-2007. Ruth took her MacArthur Grant to an under-served area of Washington, D.C., where she established a birth center combined with other family support services, child care, and preventive health services for children. This unique facility serves as a national model, and is conveniently located where it can be visited easily by members of Congress and federal officials.
· JANINE LEWIS TO HEAD ILLINOIS MCH COALITION: Section Member Janine Lewis PhD (c) has recently been hired as the new Executive Director of the Illinois MCH Coalition (IMCHC). Her passion for improving health outcomes for mothers, children, and families, coupled with her extensive academic and practice-based knowledge, make her uniquely qualified to lead the organization. Lewis received her MPH from Boston University in international health, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her dissertation focuses on stressors in the lives of African-American women and how these stressors may lead to adverse birth outcomes.
· REGULATIONS ISSUED ON WORKPLACE BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: The Department of Labor has issued regulations on lactation support. Included in the regulations are requirements for reasonable break time for lactating mothers to express their milk, and the provision of a private space (not a bathroom) for breastfeeding needs. Breastfeeding Committee member Chris Mulford was a part of the task force that developed the recommendations. Click here for the regulations.
· PATERNAL INVOLVEMENT: Section Member Dr. Jermane Bond has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Public Health. Dr. Bond is the convener of the Commission on Paternal Involvement in Pregnancy Outcomes (CPIPO), a trans-disciplinary working group focused on raising awareness of the importance of paternal involvement in pregnancy and family health. CPIPO recently released a report endorsing 40 best and promising recommendations on paternal involvement in pregnancy outcomes. Dr. Bond will be presenting a poster session at APHA entitled Two to Tango: Enhancing Paternal Involvement to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes. Her colleague, Dr. Michael Liu, will be presenting the recommendations in a session entitled Men and Fathers: the missing link for improving birth outcomes. CPIPO is funded by the DHHS Office of Minority Health.
· OFFICE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PAGE: Section member Claudia Ruland wants everyone to know that www.girlshealth.gov now has a new page addressing environmental issues. We know environmental health is an important part of our overall health, and learning about hazards in the environment at a young age can help girls take charge of their health and find ways to clean up the earth at the same time! Remember: it’s up to each of us to do our part to keep the earth — and ourselves — healthy. Girlshealth.gov was developed to promote healthy, positive behaviors in girls age 10 to 16, giving them reliable useful information on health issues they will face as they become young women, with the tagline: “Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You. Beautiful.”
· No link between vaccines and autism, appeals court rules: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a decision last year by a special vaccine court, which concluded vaccines are not to blame for autism. For the full story, click here.