Michigan Council for Maternal & Child Health Friday notes

November 7, 2014

In this issue

Election 2014 Concludes; Legislative Leadership Elections Held

New 'Baby Bench Card' Available from MI-AIMH

March of Dimes Calls for 50 Percent Reduction in Preterm Births by 2030

Election 2014 Concludes; Legislative Leadership Elections Held

Despite some predictions for higher voter turnout leading to Democrats' success on election day, voters gave Governor Rick Snyder a second term and strengthened Republican control of the Legislature.

Gongwer News Service has created a photo chart of the 98th Legislature, which MCMCH members may download here.

As had been widely expected, the 27 Senate Republicans that will take office in 2015 chose Senate Majority Floor Leader Arlan Meekhof to serve as the majority leader for the Senate next term. Sen. Meekhof (R-West Olive) succeeds outgoing Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe), who is leaving the Senate after this year because of term limits. As the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, Sen. Meekhof has long been seen as the most likely successor, and no one mounted a serious challenge.

Democratic Sen. Jim Ananich of Flint was voted the Senate minority leader. Sen. Ananich won a special election to the Senate in May 2013. Prior to coming to the Senate, he served two terms in the state House. Senate Democrats also elected Sen. Morris Hood III (D-Detroit) to the post of minority floor leader.
The new House Republican caucus elected Rep. Kevin Cotter the House speaker for the 2015-16 session.
Rep. Cotter's election came as Rep. Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville), who had campaigned for the speakership as well, dropped his bid and will chair the House Appropriations Committee instead.
To be elected speaker, Rep. Cotter (R-Mount Pleasant) needed at least 32 votes of the 63-member House Republican caucus that will be in place next term.
Rep. Cotter is currently chair of the House Judiciary Committee and vice chair of the Elections and Ethics Committee.
House Republicans elected Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) to the post of House majority floor leader and Rep. Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) as speaker pro tempore. Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R-Walker) will be the caucus whip.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, House Democrats re-elected Minority Leader Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills), but made a change in the No. 2 post of floor leader. Rep. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) won the floor leader job, replacing the current Minority Floor Leader, Rep. David Rutledge (D-Ypsilanti).

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New 'Baby Bench Card' Available From MI-AIMH

The Baby Bench Card is a new, user-friendly tool designed for family court professionals responsible for making and guiding decisions about out-of-home placement, custody, and parenting time of children birth to three. It is also a reference for child welfare or infant and early childhood mental health professionals advocating on behalf of children within the family court system.

The card provides a clear understanding of the very young child's experience of caregiving relationships and how changes in family environment impact the child's well-being and development. The Baby Bench Card is designed with windows that show how the world looks to the infant or toddler at different ages; what a judge, attorney, or foster care worker should ask when evaluating a young child's caregiving relationships; and suggests weekly visitation guidelines.

Cards are available for purchase from MI-AIMH here.

The Baby Bench Card is a great companion to the new joint-developed policy and  Best Practice Recommendations for Infants and Toddlers in Foster Care recently co-published by the Michigan Department of Human Services and MI-AIMH.

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March Of Dimes Calls for 50 Percent Reduction in Preterm Births By 2030

The March of Dimes is calling for a nationwide effort to reduce U.S. preterm births to 5.5 percent of all live births by 2030. Seven other developed countries already have preterm birth rates below 6 percent, and 15 have rates below 7 percent. The U.S. rate of 11.4 percent in 2013 is one of the highest. The U.S. ranked 37th out of 39 high resource countries in 2010.

"The United States spends more money per capita on health care than almost any other country in the world, and yet our premature birth rate and our infant mortality rate are among the highest," says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "The U.S. should aspire to be among the best globally in preterm birth rates and give all our children a healthy beginning."

In an article published online in Pediatrics, Dr. Howse and coauthors outline interventions and risk reduction strategies known to prevent premature birth, including:

Eliminating early elective deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancyOptimizing birth spacing (18-23 months between pregnancies)Helping women quit smokingOffering progesterone treatments for all women with a prior preterm birthReducing multiple births by following fertility treatment best practicesOffering low-dose aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia in women with high risk pregnancies.

The authors also call for expanded funding for research to discover the unknown causes of premature birth and identify new interventions. The March of Dimes is funding a network of Prematurity Research Centers that currently include Stanford University, and a consortium of universities in Ohio including University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, and Case Western Reserve University.  Two new research centers will be announced later this month.

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Contributors to this Issue Gongwer News Service HealthDay March of Dimes MDCH __________________________________________________________

Quick Links . . .

MDCH Seeks PRAMS Projector Coordinator

The Michigan Department of Community Health Maternal & Child Health Epidemiology Section within the Lifecourse Epidemiology and Genomics Division is seeking qualified candidates for the part-time (30 hours/week) with benefits position, MI PRAMS Project Coordinator.  This is a contract position with the Michigan Public Health Institute, but the coordinator will work at the Michigan Department of Community Health's Central Office.

The PRAMS Project Coordinator is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the Michigan Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PRAMS grant in collaboration with external and internal partners. The position monitors data collection and management procedures of the MI PRAMS survey, including ensuring the quality and timeliness of the data and preparation and dissemination of routine reports. The position also creates analytic files for epidemiologic analysis by MDCH staff. This position reports to the MCH Epidemiology Section Manager who oversees the Michigan PRAMS and is PI of the CDC PRAMS grant. For a more detailed job announcement and online application instructions please visit the Michigan Public Health Institute site: https://www.mphi.org/careers/

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CDC Vital Signs Looks at Cervical Cancer and HPV Missed Opportunities

This month's CDC Vital Signs report presents an update on cervical cancer in the United States, highlighting that while cervical cancer is vastly preventable through screening tests and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, there are still 12,000 cases every year.

Wider use of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could  help reduce cervical cancer cases and deaths from the disease, the CDC said. A recent study by the agency found that the vaccine is underused, with only 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys receiving the three-dose vaccination series in 2013.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for children ages 11 to 12. Studies show that HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening combined could prevent as many as 93 percent of new cervical cancer cases, the CDC says.

Additionally, CDC has pulled together an HPV Vaccination Report for Michigan, highlighting vaccination coverage, vaccine ordering trends, missed opportunities for vaccination, and a call to action.

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Webinar: Public Health Departments and Delivery System Reform

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014

2 to 3 p.m. EST

Health reforms cannot fully succeed without a strong public health component, yet traditionally public health efforts and health care delivery systems have remained separate silos. As health reform underscores the need for a population approach to health care delivery restructuring, health departments can play an enhanced role in bringing communities together to develop integrated approaches that ensure services meet the needs of those they are meant to serve. This webinar explores the importance of local and state health department involvement and leadership in the discussions and decision-making processes related to health care delivery and finance reforms. It will feature officials from three public health departments who have experience as leaders in community-wide health reform initiatives. Register here.

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Youth Internet Safety: Risks, Responses, and Research Recommendations

This paper provides an overview of research representative of the depth and breadth of publications addressing child and youth online safety. Contents include an analysis of key findings, knowledge gaps, and policy recommendations. Topics include cyberbullying, sexual solicitation and unwanted exposure to sexual content, the role of privacy, parent and community involvement, and intergenerational gaps in attitudes toward internet safety issues.

Produced by the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings.