Make Change Happen: Investing in Healthy Families Across the Lifespan
Videos and Downloads from the October 2009 Partnership Meeting
The fiscal year 2010 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Federal/State Partnership Meeting focused on the concept of improving the health of the Nation by investing in strategies that examine and address the intersectional nature of social determinants, life course, and health inequities that impact the MCH population. This meeting was unique in that it highlighted opportunities and models that are used to advance the health and well-being of all MCH populations; with a particular focus on the influence women have on children, family, and community health.
View confernce agenda PDF.
Goal
The meeting showcased the unique role of the Title V MCH programs to Make Change Happen in a transformed health system through investments that build and sustain healthy families across the lifespan. The meeting explored opportunities to advance the health and well-being of all MCH populations throughout the life course, with a particular focus on addressing those factors and means that help women lead longer, healthier lives.
Objectives
Conference attendees had the opportunity to identify programs that have the potential to enhance maternal and child health outcomes in their State and hear from maternal and child health experts who have experience with those models. Plenary and breakout sessions addressed the following topics and objectives.
- Wellness/Prevention: Focus on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention, and their importance for optimizing the health of the MCH population.
- Health Disparities: Consider the critical need to reduce disparities in the health status of America’s MCH population, including racial and ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged groups, and will examine social and economic policies and practices that create barriers to health.
- Social Determinants/Health Equity: Focus on how to increase awareness of the social determinants of health, disease and disability, and how to impact social determinants to most effectively improve health outcomes for the MCH population.
- Life Course Perspective: Examine the life course perspective and its applicability to building a system of care that results in optimal health for the MCH population.