U.S. Senate Approves Bill Aimed at

Preventing Premature Births

(Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy)
Thursday, August 03,2006

The Senate on Tuesday approved by voice vote a bill (S 707) aimed at preventing premature births, CQ Today reports (CQ Today, 8/2). The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), would expand and coordinate research through NIH and CDC on preventing preterm births and caring for preterm infants; authorize grants for demonstration projects on treatments for prematurity; authorize the creation of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low-Birthweight, which would require HHS representatives to report annually to Congress and the HHS secretary about their work on the issue; and authorize additional funding for the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, according to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), a co-sponsor of the bill. The bill also would provide funding for research on the needs of parents and families with infants in neonatal intensive care (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 6/29). Similar legislation (HR 2861), sponsored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and introduced in the House on June 9, 2005, is before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration, according to CQ Today (CQ Today, 8/2).

2006 Fall Forum on Children's Issues

Tuesday and Wednesday,

October 10-11, 2006

University of Centeral Oklahoma

Edmond, Oklahoma

Mark your calendars and plan to attend The Annual Fall Forum on Children's Issues. The Fall Forum is a two-day working conference where advocates from throughout the state gather to view the current picture of Oklahoma's young people, share their ideas, and develop a legislative agenda to create positive change.

As Oklahoma prepares for our Centennial Celebration in 2007 we invite you to join us in mapping our children's future.

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Harold Hodgkinson, demographer from the Institute for Education Leadership, will discuss how population trends will affect heatlh care and education policies in Oklahoma's next hundred years.

• Kathy Gephardt, Director of Children's Voices in Colorado, will share her perspective on the Colorado experience with TABOR (the so called Taxpayers, Bill of Rights). She will also conduct an in-depth workshop on the issue.

• Kevin Johnson (invited), spokesperson for the Stand Up organization, will relay his journey from NBA stardom with the Phoenix Suns to founding the St. Hope Academy in Sacramento.

Work Groups:

1. Maternal and Child Health
2. Early Childhood Issues
3. School-Age Health and Safety
4. Out-of-School Time/Positive Youth Development
5. Children with Special Needs
6. Children's Behavioral Health
7. Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
8. Balanced and Restorative Juvenile Justice
9. Child Abuse: Prevention
10. Child Abuse: Intervention and Treatment

On-line registration begins

August 15, 2006 at www.oica.org

Choices in Recovery

An Informational Seminar with the Oklahoma City National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (OKNAMI)

Don’t miss this special educational seminar!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Crossings Community Church Pavilion
14600 N Portland
Oklahoma City, OK

Registration time: 6:00 p.m. (Pizza will be served.)

Program time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Choices in Recovery: What’s in it for you?

Today there are more treatment options – and more opportunities – available for individuals with schizophrenia than there ever have been before. But one thing hasn’t changed: It’s still true that the single most important thing that individuals with schizophrenia can do to stay well and live their lives to the fullest is to follow their treatment plan. When you focus your treatment plan on achieving treatment goals and recovery, you can successfully manage schizophrenia by making healthy lifestyle choices, working with a treatment team, reducing stress, using advocacy and support groups, and taking your medication. Join us for an informative and interactive discussion on these and other ways to achieve your treatment goals and reach recovery.

There is always hope for recovery!

The purpose of this educational program is to help you understand schizophrenia, its treatment, and how its treatment can lead to achieving therapeutic goals and recovery. Although there is no cure for schizophrenia, the process of recovery is possible.

The program will also assist those with schizophrenia feel comfortable in sharing important information with their treatment team. So if you know anyone who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia invite them to this meeting.

You’ll learn about….

• How recovery is possible
  
• How recovery can be achieved
  
• How to set realistic treatment goals and recovery strategies
  
• How to develop a treatment plan with a treatment team
  
• How to work a treatment plan into daily life
  
• How treatment forms the foundation for recovery

Speaker:

Thomas Gazda, MD

Banner Behavioral Health
Scottsdale, AZ

For free registration, call NAMI Oklahoma City Metro at 405-378-6195. Space is limited, so register today.

Sponsored by NAMI Oklahoma City Metro

Funding provided by Janssen, L.P.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy released its 2006 Legislative Report on Children and Youth. Below you will find the bills that were of particular importance to Maternal and Child Health Advocates. To view a full copy of the report click on the link below
The Child Advocate

Prenatal Care: "Assure access to quality health care for all pregnant women, which may include: increasing covered services, increasing the number of "safety-net" providers, providing coverage for more women through all insurance types, and providing incentives for predominatly Medicaid providers."

• The Oklahoma Health Care Authority requested $630,000 for High-Risk OB. HB 1071 appropriated $622,806 for OB High-Risk Care.

• The Oklahoma State Department of Health requested $1,200,000 for Safety Net Providers. SB 34 appropriated $700,000 for Safety Net Providers.

School/Community Health Projects: "Expand community-based abstinence programs and teen-pregnancy prevention programs, and support school health programs in urban and rural areas and tribal entities."

• The Oklahoma State Department of Health requested $1,302,000 for School/Community Health, and $1,219,000 for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Projects. No new funds were appropriated for either program

Substance Abuse Services: "Increase funding for substance abuse servcies for adolescents and pregnant and parenting mothers, including residential and community based treatment."

• The Department of Mental and Substance Abuse Services requested $2,500,000 for treatment for Pregnant/Parenting Moms and an unknown amount for Adolescent Treatment Services. SB 36 appropriated $1,500,000 for adolescent substance abuse treament, but nothing for the treatment of pregnant and parenting moms.

Parent Education: "Provide services to additional families by increasing funding for child abuse prevention programs, such as Children First, Office of Child Abuse Prevention, Child Guidance Services and Oklahoma Parents as Teachers Program.

• The Oklahoma State Department of Health requested $1,200,000 for Children First, $650,000 for the Office of Child Abuse Prevention, and $1,268,000 for Child Guidance Services. The State Department of Education requested $3,074,936 for Parents as Teachers. SB 34 appropriated $650,000 for Children First, $650,000 for the Office of Child Abuse Prevention, $000 for Child Guidance. SB 3 appropriated no new funds for the Parents as Teachers program.

Other Bills of Interest:

• Medicaid Reform- The costs of medical care and health insurance have skyrocketed in recent years, causing lawmakers around the country to seek ways to curb costs. HB 2842 is the Medicaid Reform bill that creates a pilot program that will touch all those involved in health delivery--consumers, physicians, nursing homes, pharmacists and hospitals. The plan will cost over $100 million to implement, and funding was provided during the Special Session.

• Genetics- Advances in genetics are helping physicians identify and treat genetic disorders in newborns in order to ensure optimal healthy outcomes. Last year, almost 50,000 Oklahoma infants were screened for cyctic fibrosis (CF) and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), providing an opportunity for early and comprehensive follow-up services. Because of the complexity of these issues, genetic counseling has emerged as a discipline to help educate patients, their families and physicians. SB 990 creates the Oklahoma Genetic Counseling Licensure Act to provide a means for the Board of Health to set standards and requirements for these professionals.

• Breastfeeding Friendly Work Places- HB 2358 provides guidelines for employers to create a positive environment for new mothers who wish to continue breastfeeding their babies after returning to work. Research shows that breastfeeding benefits both the mother and infant by reducing the risk for obesity, diabetes, respiratory problems, stomach infections, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that about 25% of Oklahoma mothers choose breastfeeding over formula, leading the organization to issue a goal to double those numbers. This would mean an additional 12,500 breast fed infants, saving the state an estimated $24 million per year in profected healthcare costs!

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

I recently recieved an email from a HMHB member in NE Oklahoma. The email contained a video clip of a news story about Inflamatory Breast Cancer, which is attached at the bottom. I had never heard of such a thing and wondered how many others where in the same boat as me, so I thought I'd share a little information about it.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer-A type of breast cancer in which the breast looks red and swollen and feels warm. The skin of the breast may also show the pitted appearance called peau d'orange (like the skin of an orange). The redness and warmth occur because the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin.(National Cancer Institute)

According to the National Cancer Institute website, this is an uncommon type of breast cancer, but one that can spread very rapidly. MayoClinic.com reports changes that occur with Inflammatory Breast Ccancer can become apparent in a matter of days to weeks. Unlike other types of breast cancer, you probably won't develop a distinct lump. Instead, you might notice an area of thickness or a feeling of heaviness in one of your breasts. Inflammatory breast cancer tends to develop as a sheet rather than a lump or tumor. Which means it's not usually detected by monthly breast exams.

Diagnosing inflammatory breast cancer can prove difficult. Often no lump can be felt, and the area of concern may not show up on a mammogram. Additionally, the signs and symptoms can be easily mistaken for a breast infection (mastitis). In order to confirm that a woman has inflammatory breast cancer a biopsy will need to be taken.

Signs and Symptoms Include:

• A breast that appears red, purple, pink or bruised
  
• A tender, firm and enlarged breast
  
• A warm feeling in the breast
  
• Itching of the breast
  
• Pain
  
• Ridged or dimpled skin texture, similar to an orange peel
  
• Thickened areas of skin
  
• Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm, above the collarbone or below the collarbone
  
• Flattening or retraction of the nipple
  
• Swollen or crusted skin on the nipple
  
• Change in color of the skin around the nipple (areola)

(Source: The National Cancer Institute and Mayo Clinic)

For more information visit:

The National Cancer Institute

The Mayo Clinic

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Association

To view the News Story from KOMO News:

The Silent Killer:Inflammatory Breast Cancer

TOTS Brief: The Oklahoma Toddler Survey

The Oklahoma Toddler Survey also known as TOTS is a two year follow-back survey to the Oklahoma PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitorying System) survey. TOTS was developed in 1994 to provide a glimpse into the health of Oklahoma's toddler population on key topics such as insurance, childcare, safety, illness and injury as well as family structure and demographics.

Mothers with live infants who respond to PRAMS surveys are sent a TOTS survey the month their child turns two years of age. Like PRAMS, TOTS is a mixed-mode surveillance system. Two mail surveys are sent in an effort to gain participation followed by telephone surveillance for non-respondents. The response rate for 2004-2005 data is 65.5%. Data are weighted to represent the two-year-old's birth cohort for a given year.

The topic for Volume 1, Issue 1 is Health Insurance Coverage. Click on the link below to view a PDF version of the survey. Hard copies are available from the Oklahoma Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition upon request. If you would like a copy please call 405-236-5437x108

TOTS Survey

Current Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Activities

July was a very busy month for The Oklahoma Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB). Below you will find a summary of activities we are currently engaged in. If you would like more information or what like to take part in any of the activities listed below please don't hesitate to give Bonnie Bellah a call.

• In an effort to coordinate perinatal activities in central Oklahoma, several meetings took place in July between HMHB and the Leadership of the Central Oklahoma Perinatal Coalition (COPC). COPC, an integrated broad based community organization of consumers, provider groups, agencies and, organizations, committed to building systems of access and comprehensive quality care to serve the health and social needs of women, infants, children and families, especially those most vulnerable, under served and uninsured. The purpose of these meetings was to build a partnership between COPC and HMHB and offer support to COPC in its on-going efforts to improve the health and well being of women and their families. HMHB hopes to serve as a bridge between COPC and other Perinatal Coalitions and activities across the state.
  
  If you live in central Oklahoma and would like to participate with HMHB and COPC, meetings are currently being held at the office of James Farris and Associates, 690 NW 63rd in Oklahoma City. Meetings are held on the third Friday of every month. There will be no meeting in August. The next meeting will be on September 15th from 10 am to Noon.

• Legislation encouraging businesses to support mothers who use their work breaks and lunch time to pump breast milk passed during the most recent legislative session. HMHB is taking part in a workgroup that is developing a process for workplaces to be recognized as “breastfeeding friendly” and will encourage businesses and other public places to show their support for breastfeeding moms by displaying decals that indicate that breastfeeding mothers are welcome. HMHB along with the Coalition of Breastfeeding Advocates will take part in the "certification" process for becoming a breastfeeding friendly work place and the distribution of decals to breastfeeding friendly businesses and other public places.

• HMHB met with several people in the Lawton area who are interested in participating in the development of a pregnancy/child birth education class for low income pregnant women. The lack of child birth classes in the area for those that can’t afford to pay was mentioned at a June meeting in Lawton. HMHB has made contact with a certified child birth educator in the area. She is participating in the development of the class and has agreed to do the classes for free. The Children First program is also participating. Classes would be offered for any pregnant woman no matter the gestational age. Participants would only attend one 3 hr class. The plan is for the classes to be offered once a month alternating between an evening and a Saturday Class, making them more available for working families. In addition to general topics such as anatomy and fetal development other topics would be incorporated such as the effects of drugs, alcohol and smoking during pregnancy, postpartum mood changes, and shaken baby. The group is currently looking into options for a place to hold the classes. HMHB will provide assistance in developing materials for the classes and will be looking for possible funding sources to help with the cost of other materials such as Child Birth Education posters, a doll, and “The Gift of Motherhood” book to given out to participants. HMHB would also like to be able to offer Wal-Mart Gift Certificates as an incentive for attending the class.

• An Informational meeting on postpartum mood changes was held in collaboration with Postpartum Support Oklahoma on July 27th. A partnership has been created between Postpartum Support Oklahoma and HMHB. Participants received updates from the most recent Postpartum Support International Conference. Discussions also took place about the current state of postpartum support in Oklahoma and what efforts need to take place in order to improve postpartum support for Oklahoma mothers. The collaborative relationship that has been developed between Postpartum Support Oklahoma and HMHB will be an on-going process. The two groups are looking into ways of getting the word out to providers and Oklahoma mothers about the support available through Postpartum Support Oklahoma and ways of building a true statewide network of support for those who experience postpartum mood changes.

Again, if you are interested in participating in any of these activities please contact Bonnie Bellah at 405-236-5437x108