CWA Flash Newsletter - September 29, 2020 |
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USDA Waivers Extended Through Pandemic |
On September 21st, USDA announced that they would extend waivers that allow for more flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic until thirty days after the end of the nationally-declared public health emergency. This means that WIC continues to be allowed to serve participants remotely via telephone, text or videoconference, remotely load WIC benefits onto WIC cards, and allow for flexibility in the WIC food package in case of supply or shortage issues. After the start of the pandemic, WIC agencies moved quickly to continue to serve families while keeping both families and WIC staff safe. Shortly after USDA announced the extension of the waivers, the House of Representatives advanced a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 11th, which also included authority for the USDA to extend WIC waivers through September 2021.The Senate is expected to vote tomorrow on the CR.
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Federal Judge Orders 2020 Census Counting to Continue Through Oct. |
A federal judge in California ruled last week that national counting for the 2020 census can continue through October 31. The Trump administration is appealing the decision, which is the latest development in a political dispute over the survey, which is used to allocate seats in Congress. The administration has previously pushed to end the count early, and to exclude undocumented immigrants. Internal documents released in the lawsuit over ending the census early showed intense concern among career Census Bureau officials, while the Trump Administration has argued that the Constitution's requirement to conduct a count of the US population every 10 years does not specify whether or how it should be accurate.
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Caravan of Service Workers Urges Gov. to Sign AB 3216 |
A caravan of laid off hospitality and service workers from around the state gathered in downtown Sacramento last week to urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 3216 (Kalra). AB 3216 would establish a “right of recall and retention” for workers in industries severely impacted by the pandemic, and is supported by many unions and organizations, including the California Work and Family Coalition and CWA. Across the state several cities have already passed local right of recall legislation including the city of Oakland, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and San Diego. Governor Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign the bill.
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WIC Watch Magazine - Summer Edition Available |
There is a lot to report these days. A lot is not good news, but when it comes to California WIC, there great stories. WIC agencies are not only standing up to a myriad of challenges and doing outstanding work, they are also modernizing the program, getting advanced degrees, taking care of breastfeeding families, informing decisionmakers and more. Check out the latest edition of the WIC Watch magazine and enjoy some good reads!
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CA WIC Resilience Story - #WICStrong |
A pandemic, annual wildfires, protecting immigrants, getting out the vote, ensuring census completion-and providing WIC services. What is a new WIC ordinary for you is extraordinary to others. Help CWA show decision makers and partners how services are delivered and the amazing tenacity of staff and participants. If they can’t see it, they can’t know it! We are creating some short videos to tell the WIC story of resilience and strength. We need your help! ACTION: Thank you for sending your photos, text messages, emails, your personal testimony of your commitment to Sarah ASAP, and thank you to Jenn Duran West of Lundquist WIC for being our WIC videographer extraordinaire!
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Evidence That Air Pollution Particles are Reaching the Placenta |
Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London. This demonstrates that inhaled particulate matter from air pollution can move from the lungs to distant organs, and that it is taken up by certain cells in the human placenta, and potentially the fetus. Researchers say that further research is needed to fully define the direct effect that pollution particles may have on the developing fetus. This research from London may be particularly important and consequential to those of us here in California, where over three million acres have burned this summer, causing hazardous air quality and severe smoke conditions over much of the state.
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Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Associated With Adverse Childhood Outcomes |
The number of pregnant people who say that they have used cannabis in the last month has increased from 3% to 7% in recent years, and acceptance of cannabis use during pregnancy seems to be rising as more states legalize recreational cannabis use, but the long-term consequences for children born to parents who used cannabis during pregnancy aren’t well-documented. A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry indicates that 9-11 year old children who were exposed to cannabis in the womb (regardless of when that exposure occurred) were slightly more likely to have adverse psychological outcomes, such as more psychotic-like experiences; more problems with depression and anxiety as well as impulsivity and attention; and social problems as well as sleep disturbance. They also had lower cognitive performance, lower indices of global brain structure during middle childhood as well as lower birth weight. However, when the researchers included important familial, pregnancy and child-related factors, cannabis exposure prior to maternal knowledge of pregnancy were nowhere near significantly associated with the same adverse outcomes, suggesting that the association between prenatal cannabis exposure during early stages of pregnancy may not be independent of confounding factors.
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'Front of Package' Nutrition Labels Improved Nutrition Quality |
A new paper, “Competitive Effects of Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Adoption on Nutritional Quality: Evidence from Facts Up Front–Style Labels,” in the Journal of Marketing, analyzes 16 years of data on tens of thousands of products and finds that placing nutrition labels on the front of food packages (FOP) is associated with improved nutritional content of those foods and their competitors. Researchers evaluated nutritional data on 44 categories of food products from 1996 through 2011. Specifically, the researchers evaluated whether there was any impact when products adopted the “Facts Up Front” style FOP nutrition labels. The results showed a clear association between FOP labeling and changes in the nutritional content of food products. Across all of the food categories in which at least some products adopted the FOP labels, there was a 12.5% reduction in calories; 12.97% reduction in saturated fat; 12.62% reduction in sugar; and 3.74% reduction in sodium. The findings suggest that voluntary, highly visible nutritional labeling can be an effective tool for encouraging change on an industry level.
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Why Children Fare Better Against COVID-19 |
The immune response to COVID-19 infection differ between children and adults, according to researchers from Yale and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Adults are more likely than children to develop acute respiratory distress as a result of COVID-19, causing some to theorize that children have a suppressed immune response, but the new study found that children actually express higher levels of two specific immune system molecules, which researchers believe may contribute to the better outcomes. The analysis also showed that certain types of other antibody responses thought to be protective were actually higher in adults, including those with severe cases, than in children. Researchers say that boosting certain types of immune responses may be beneficial to patients.
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This Season, Getting a Flu Shot is More Important Than Ever! |
With both flu and COVID-19 circulating this season, it is more important than ever that everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women, get immunized against flu. Getting a flu shot helps lower our risk of having to seek medical care or go to the hospital during the pandemic. Remind your WIC participants that flu vaccination for the entire family is an easy and safe way to help everyone stay strong and healthy during the pandemic. Some clients may feel uneasy about getting a flu shot, especially if they are pregnant. Millions of pregnant women have been safely immunized against flu. Encourage parents to talk to their doctor or midwife. Catching the flu while pregnant can be very serious for the pregnant person and baby, with complications including preterm birth, low birth weight, and even stillbirth of the baby. Also, getting immunized during pregnancy helps protect the baby from flu during the first few months of life. Consider sharing flu vaccination promotion messaging on social media, copies of this CDPH Prenatal Flu and Whooping Cough flyer during WIC appointments, and posting this CDPH Prenatal Flu & Tdap Vaccination poster in your waiting room. It’s important for WIC moms to know that:
· Flu complications are higher for pregnant women and children under 5.
· African Americans, Latinx, and Native Americans are more likely to be affected by chronic medical conditions like diabetes, asthma, or heart disease that increase the risk for serious flu and COVID-19 illness.
· Essential workers who have frequent interactions with each other and/or the public are more likely to be exposed to flu and COVID-19.
Your WIC families’ flu vaccinations are covered! Medi-Cal will cover flu shots for all adults given at the doctor’s office or pharmacy. If your participant is unable to get immunized at her doctor’s office, encourage her to get vaccinated at the same pharmacy where she picks up her prenatal vitamins or other prescriptions. You can also recommend or help your clients check VaccineFinder.org to find a pharmacy that offers flu shots. Family members under age 19 who meet Medi-Cal eligibility are eligible for free vaccinations through California’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. To find a participating provider, please visit: https://eziz.org/vfc/provider-locations/. Make flu vaccination appointments a priority. It’s more important than ever. Simply put: We’re stronger when we’re all protected.
Thank you for helping to protect moms and their babies from the flu!
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Interview on Breastfeeding Support in Crisis
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action published the recording of an interview titled "Providing skilled breastfeeding support in normal/crisis situations." The interview describes how to access materials on breastfeeding counseling, information on supporting breastfeeding at work, as well as outlining the challenges and solutions to providing skilled breastfeeding support during crisis or emergency situations.
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Breastfriend Training Program With ROSE
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere opened registration for the "Breastfriend" virtual training program. "Breastfriends" will help and support a breastfeeding mother during the first six weeks after birth. Applicants must be people who have breastfed for at least six months in the past five years. Training dates are available beginning September 14 and run through December 5.
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ScholarShare 529 Matching Grant Program
There’s still time to apply for ScholarShare 529’s 2020 Matching Grant Program, which offers eligible families a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $200 to those who apply and open and contribute to a new ScholarShare 529 account by December 31, 2020. Plus, eligible families will receive another $25 for establishing monthly recurring contributions of $25 or more. It’s a great opportunity for families to begin their child’s journey to a higher education, which remains one of the single greatest factors in their future success and upward mobility. Wondering who would qualify? An applicant’s household annual adjusted gross income would need to be $75K or less, here are the eligibility requirements. To learn more, click here or register to attend a free online webinar.
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Rent and Eviction Protection
Because millions across the state are behind on rent (and already facing, or are in danger of facing, notices of eviction for failure to pay) we've created a means for folks to access information about our new state law, as well as about any local ordinances about rent/eviction which might apply to them (depending on their zip code). Folks can text RentSOS to 211 211 and get back the information they need in English, Español, 中文, Tiếng Việt, 한국어, Tagalog. Please forward this email and share the following social media posts: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.
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California WIC Association | www.calwic.org
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