Election Re-Cap
The votes are still being counted from last week’s election; several races are still too close to call, but as it stands, it appears that Republicans have narrowly gained control of the House though there are still over a dozen uncalled races (and ten of them are in California), while Democrats have retained control of the Senate. Californians voted to keep Governor Gavin Newsom in office, and to fill the many open spots in the legislature with an increasingly diverse group of new members, as well as to amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to abortion and contraception, in a direct response to the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.
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Hispanic, AAPI Leaders in Congress Urge USDA to Advance Science-Based Food Package Review |
Last week members of the Congressional Hispanic and Asian Pacific American Caucuses, including 26 California representatives, sent a joint letter to Secretary Vilsack urging a science-based review of the WIC food package, in keeping with commitments outlined in the White House National Strategy presented at the National Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Proposed revisions to WIC’s food packages have been under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget and are expected to be released for comment very soon. |
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COVID-19 Public Health Emergency to Continue past January
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The U.S. will keep in place the public health emergency status of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing millions of Americans to still receive free tests, vaccines and treatments, two Biden administration officials said last week. Several key WIC waivers that have allowed the program to continue operating during the pandemic, including remote service options and certain food package flexibilities, are tied to the PHE. DHSS has indicated that they will give 60 days’ notice to states before terminating the PHE, and USDA plans to provide an additional 90 day phase-down period for waivers after the end of the PHE. |
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ACTION: Join NWA in Urging Congress to Advance Key WIC Priorities by End-of-Year
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The continuing resolution passed by Congress at the end of September expires December 16th, and lawmakers have started negotiations on an omnibus package to avoid a government shutdown. The omnibus package also presents an opportunity for some of the measures of Child Nutrition Reauthorization and an extension of the CVB bump to be included. The National WIC Association invites state and local organizations and agencies to sign on to a letter in support of passing key WIC priorities before the end of the year. To read the full letter and sign on, please fill out the form linked here by this Friday, November 18. Any questions can be directed to Nell Menefee-Libey at nmenefeelibey@nwica.org.
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WIC, Medicaid, SNAP Coordination |
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities tracks the work of states to improve cross program collaboration and provides these updated and encouraging reports:
State WIC Agencies Continue to Use Federal Flexibility to Streamline Enrollment focuses on areas where WIC agencies have the flexibility under the standing federal rules (even without the COVID-19 waivers) to adjust their policies and practices to remove barriers to enrollment and recertification, which can help reach and retain more eligible families. The policies compiled demonstrate that WIC state agency administrators have made widespread use of these flexibilities.
WIC Coordination With Medicaid and SNAP is a compilation of cross-program collaboration efforts involving these programs. Compared to a year ago, more state WIC agencies are coordinating with Medicaid and/or to receive enrollee data to identify WIC coverage gaps and conduct targeted outreach.
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Register Now: Human Lactation in the LGBT Community
Join us Wednesday 12/14/22, for the second session in the Human Lactation in the LGBT Community Series: Clinical Applications & Case Scenarios. The first session was fantastic, it was well-attended with thoughtful questions and insightful comments, we learned a lot, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive with many looking forward to how we can apply what we learned. If you would like to view the recording, download the flyer, and/or register for the next session, please visit https://www.calwic.org/events/wic-works-webinars/.
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Conference 2023: Call for Speakers! SUBMISSION DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY!
CWA’s Conference Planning Committee is meeting weekly to put together a fabulous virtual conference for 2023. They are reviewing session proposals as they come in, as well as reflecting on 2022 evaluations and considering feedback from agencies on what WIC employees and community partners would like to see. The deadline to submit a session proposal is Friday, November 18. You can read more about the upcoming conference and apply by visiting the 2023 CWA Virtual Conference & Tradeshow page. Attendees love to hear from their colleagues and truly learn from best practices, they enjoy wellness activities lead by WIC staff or community partners, and they love to hear from WIC participants. If you have ideas about speakers/panels, session topics, wellness breaks, or tradeshow vendors, please let Jodi know at jmulliganpfile@calwic.org. This is an iterative, committee-run process, so feel free to share your ideas. And please Save the Date for April 11-14, 2023.
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Workplace Absences for Childcare Reasons Hit All Time High |
High rates of flu, RSV, covid-19, and the common cold, combined with staffing shortages at schools and day cares to create unprecedented challenges for parents and teachers. More than 100,000 Americans missed work last month because of child-care problems, an all-time high that’s even greater than during the height of the pandemic.
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Flu Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths Rising Sharply |
The nation's flu positivity rate and hospitalizations continue to climb, with Southeastern and South-Central states reporting the highest levels of activity, according to the CDC's latest FluView report. Fourteen states reported "very high flu activity." California reports "high" flu activity.
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Tiny Molecules in Human Milk May be Protective Agaisnt Allergies |
Now, a new study by Penn State College of Medicine finds that small molecules found in most humans’ breast milk may reduce the likelihood of infants developing allergic conditions and food allergies.
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A recent study found surprising rates of newly diagnosed hypertension among patients during hospitalization for birth and also post-hospitalization in postpartum follow up care. A number of risk factors were identified for the birth parents. The study has implications for postpartum care, including beyond the usual six week period.
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Embracing Nutritious Seasonal Foods |
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for family, friends, good health and great food. A lot of seasonal foods are also packed with nutrition - think squash, cranberries, brussels sprouts. This year, try replacing one or two of the old stand-bys with healthier versions, or try something new entirely! Get a new recipe here.
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Lactation Dietitians Needed for Research Study!
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) Research, International and Scientific Affairs Team is looking for dietitians that specialize in breastfeeding to help collect information about the nutrition care and documentation provided to patients giving and receiving human breastmilk. If you are working in hospitals, inpatient and outpatient clinics, private practices, public health centers and other facilities you may be eligible to participate. This is an exciting opportunity to participate in research! The project is funded by the Pediatric Nutrition and Women’s Health dietetic practice groups. For more information, look at the study website or email BFRegistry@eatright.org. Inquire today before recruitment ends!
Code for America Texting Playbook to help state agencies implement texting in support of Medicaid, SNAP, WIC and other benefits programs. Download the Texting Playbook
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Housing
Stable housing can positively impact child development, education, mental and physical health, and other social and economic factors. This month, we provide resources on housing assistance for people with low and moderate incomes offered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD also contracts with state and local agencies to make sure everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. WIC Can Help by referring families to local resources for rental assistance, subsidized housing, foreclosure prevention, and other ways to keep a roof over their heads.
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Support CWA online!
As a nonprofit membership organization, CWA relies on the contributions of many organizations and individuals to help us achieve our mission. There are many ways to give of your time, talents, or resources to help CWA promote healthy families, strong communities, and bright futures! We appreciate all forms of support and invite you to join us!
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California WIC Association www.calwic.org
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