Stay in the know with the Nevada Statewide Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coalition. Meet new members of the committees. Learn about the new programs and events that MCH is involved with. Stay connected with what's important.
November is Prematurity Awareness Month
Preterm birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the United States and globally. This urgent health crisis is significantly fueled by the health equity gap in our healthcare system today. On November 17, World Prematurity Day, March of Dimes raises awareness of the global crisis of prematurity.

You can join us to take action by:
  • Donating to support lifesaving research, advocacy and programs to improve the health of mom and babies.
  • Demanding #BlanketChange for policies that put moms and babies first.
  • Lighting it purple, including your office, lobby or the outside of your workplace or home. If you can wear it, make it purple, too.

Find out more about the Prematurity Campaign, the 2021 March of Dimes Report Card and how together we can give every family get the best possible start.

Upcoming Meetings
Northern Nevada MCH Meeting

November meeting is canceled as it falls on Veteran's Day.
Next Meeting To Be Held on January 13
Now accepting nominations for Chair, Co-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary!
Please send nominations to Tori at [email protected]
Southern Nevada MCH Meeting
Next Meeting To be Held on November 9
Meeting number (access code): 2556 960 2607
Meeting password: r7iMcYtvd43

Join by Phone: 1-415-655-0001 US Toll
Upcoming Trainings and Events
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) Trainings
In this 60-minute virtual training, you will gain a better understanding of what PMADs are, who is impacted, learn the risk factors associated with PMADs, how stigma discourages women from getting care, and identify local resources and referral systems.

Please click on the sessions below to register.
Nevada OB/GYN COVID-19 Provider Survey
We Need Your Help!
In collaboration with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Nevada Office of Public Health Informatics & Epidemiology (OPHIE), High Sierra Area Health Education Center (AHEC) ) collects, analyzes, and submits maternal health data as it relates to pregnant individuals and neonates who test positive for COVID-19. Through our efforts in representing our jurisdiction, Our goal is to act as a resource, to develop, and share and maintain educational materials for our State’s OB/GYN Providers and Patients.

Please complete the survey to ensure you and your patient's educational needs are met.
National Alliance on Mental Health
Upcoming Trainings and Support Groups for the Community
NAMI FaithNet is an interfaith resource network to increase mental health education and support in spiritual communities. Mental health affects everyone and faith and spiritual practices can be beneficial to mental health recovery. Join their upcoming Volunteer Interest Meeting!

Monday, November 22, 2021 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. PST
NAMI Connection - Recovery Support Group is led by trained peer facilitators and provides a safe space to share experiences, to give and receive support and practical information from individuals with similar lived-experience.
Family and Friends is a 90-minute seminar led by trained presenters with lived experience of supporting a loved one with a mental health condition or symptoms. Topics discussed included: understanding diagnosis, treatment, recovery, effective communication, self-care, crisis preparation and resources.

Saturday, December 18, 2021 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. PST
Family-to-Family is a FREE, 8-week education program for family, friends, and significant others of adults with mental health symptoms or conditions. Topics discussed include: mental health conditions, treatment, stress management, communication and more.

Mondays, January 10 - February 28, 2022 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
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Resources
The NCED Family Navigation Network:
Mapping the Maze
As most parents know, mapping out healthcare when you have a child with a special health care need is anything but simple. From applying to public insurance programs with different eligibility requirements, policies, and procedures, to finding the right provider, to gaining a diagnosis, many families report that healthcare management becomes a confusing full-time job.

The Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities Family Navigation Network offers family-led healthcare system navigation. We’ve been where you are! We’ve walked through the maze of services and supports often feeling frustrated and alone. Our staff have both personal experience and training to help you make sense of these complex systems. We provide one-on-one information, education, training, outreach and peer support.

We help families:
  • Find appropriate care and services
  • Apply for Medicaid, CHIP, or private insurance
  • Identify and access community support programs
  • Develop a family-centered approach to decision-making
  • Understand youth healthcare transition
  • Advocate to ensure effective and cost-efficient care
  • Connect with parent mentors

We are the designated Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2FHIC) for the state of Nevada, and our work is statewide. There is one F2FHIC in each state, in the District of Columbia, in five U.S. territories, and three tribal communities.

Find out more about F2FHICs here: https://familyvoices.org/lfpp/f2fs/

Connecting families with the resources that help them better care for their loved one is the heart and soul of our work. We also work closely with other family groups and professionals to help improve services.

Contact Us
833-427-1673
Family Navigators Wanted!
NCED Family-to-Family Health Information Center is looking for Family Navigators throughout the state. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact:

Lex Owen, PhD, LMSW
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
University of Nevada, Reno
Pronouns: she/her
Adolescent Medicine Specialist
Were you aware Reno and Las Vegas have Adolescent Medicine Specialists? 
Adolescent medicine specialists have extra training in the medical and emotional issues faced by many young people. Specific areas of focus include reproductive health, substances, eating disorders, mood changes, questions about sexual identity, problems at home or school, etc. 

Adolescence is a period of change and transition, physically and psychologically. Adolescents and young adults deal with multiple issues, many of which are sensitive, during their development from childhood to adulthood. Providing care to adolescents requires an approach to engage and teach them how to become responsible for their health and the decisions they make about their wellbeing.  

Las Vegas:
Oriaku Kas-Osoka serves as the only practicing Adolescent Medicine Specialist in Las Vegas Nevada. 
Her website shares Dr Kas’s passion to serve adolescents and highlights her specialty areas: https://drkasmd.com/
Dr. Oriaku A. Kas-Osoka
Practice location: UNLV, 1524 Pinto Lane, 3rd Floor Las Vegas NV 89106
Practice Phone: 702-992-6868

Referrals are not necessary


Reno:
Caroline Berangan serves as the only practicing Adolescent Medicine Specialist in Reno, Nevada

This two-minute video shares her passion and strengths for helping youth: https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=667158513864307&_rdr

Dr. Caroline Berangan
Practice location: Renown Medical Group, 75 Pringle Way, Ste 505 Reno, NV 89502
Practice phone: 775-982-5437

Referrals are needed by a primary care provider
CDC Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication
Website
To build a healthier nation, we must confront the systems and policies that have resulted in the generational injustice that has given rise to health inequities.
 
CDC’s Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication emphasize the importance of addressing all people inclusively and respectfully. These principles are intended to help public health professionals, particularly health communicators, within and outside of CDC ensure their communication products and strategies adapt to the specific cultural, linguistic, environmental, and historical situation of each population or audience of focus.
 
Learn more about health equity considerations for inclusive communication by visiting CDC's Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication website.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Bright Futures
Resources
  • To encourage parent-child interaction, the revised Bright Futures Activity Book, 2nd Edition, provides a fun, informative, and interactive overview of the 12 themes from the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th Edition. The activity book is in English and Spanish.
  •  Bright Futures National Center tip sheet outlines suggested roles for Title V MCH programs in supporting Pediatric Health Care Professionals (PHCPs) to screen for social determinants of health and connect to community resources, as appropriate. This tip sheet was developed in partnership with AMCHP's Child & Adolescent Health team.
  • Visit the Families page on the Bright Futures website that contains valuable resources for children, teens, and families about well-visits. The Parent and Patient Education page include easy-to-access, web-based education for parents/caregivers and patients related to each well-visit from birth through age 21. The guidance is organized by age and stage: Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence, and is available in both English and Spanish. 
Children's Safety Network
Webinar Archive - Protecting Children from Heatstroke in Vehicles
It can happen to anyone, even the most loving parents and caregivers, but it is entirely preventable. Every 10 days a child dies from Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke (PVH) while unattended in a car. The total number of PVH deaths in the US, from 1998 through 2020 is 882; an average of 38 fatalities a year.i It only takes a few minutes for a car to heat up and become deadly to a child inside. While the majority of these deaths happen when a child is unintentionally left inside of a vehicle, about 25% occur when a child gains access to a car and becomes trapped inside.ii In this webinar, Jan Null, Adjunct Professor of Meteorology at San Jose State University and founder of NoHeatstroke.org, discussed the scope of the problem and related trends. He also explained the dynamics of vehicle heating and the impact they have upon a child’s heath. Amy Artuso of the National Safety Council shared resources that can help you learn more about this important topic, as well as tools that will enable you to share information with others, in preparation for National Heatstroke Prevention Day, observed May 1, 2021. One child is too many and we can all take action to help eliminate this preventable cause of death. Kristin Kingsley of KKingsley Consulting moderated this webinar. 
Northern Nevada Pro Bono Attorney Work
Maternal and Child Health Title V
Newly Launched Data Dashboard
This dashboard will be updated annually in April. It currently has the most up-to-date data that is available.
Postpartum Support International
Information
Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders
  • Are you feeling sad or depressed?
  • Do you feel more irritable or angry with those around you?
  • Are you having difficulty bonding with your baby?
  • Do you feel anxious or panicky?
  • Are you having problems with eating or sleeping?
  • Are you having upsetting thoughts that you can’t get out of your mind?
  • Do you feel as if you are “out of control” or “going crazy”?
  • Do you feel like you never should have become a mother?
  • Are you worried that you might hurt your baby or yourself?

Any of these symptoms, and many more, could indicate that you have a form of perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, such as postpartum depression. While many women experience some mild mood changes during or after the birth of a child, 15 to 20% of women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. Please know that with informed care you can prevent a worsening of these symptoms and can fully recover. There is no reason to continue to suffer.
Women of every culture, age, income level, and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options to help you recover. 



You are not alone and you are not to blame. Help is available. You will get better.
HelpLine: 1.800.944.4773
Text in English: 800-944-4773 | Text en Español: 971-203-7773
Northern Nevada
Postpartum Support & Therapists
Call for More Information and Insurance
Thrive Wellness of Reno - 775-525-8103

Megan Kornbluth - 530-580-8848.

Quest - Alyson Mullen - 775-786-6880.

Amber Creek - Rachel Goforth - 775-575-2144.

Desert Bloom Wellness - Caitlyn Wallace - 775-453-4149

Healing Home Counseling - Ashley Hanna Morgan - 775-391-0781
Dignity Health
Free Virtual Classes & Workshops
Dignity Health Community Outreach is offering online and hybrid fitness, wellness, and children's classes.
OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS NOVEMBER 1ST!
Dignity Health Connecting You to Health Insurance Options! Are you uninsured? Navigators are available for Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance. Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2022. For coverage beginning January 1, 2022 you must enroll by December 31, 2021. Outside the Open Enrollment Period, you generally can enroll in a health insurance plan only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Call for an appointment at 702-616-4904

Spanish-Speaking Navigators Available
Group Peer Support
Free Support Groups
Group Peer Support is offering a variety of free support groups for pregnant moms, postpartum parents, mental health, social service providers, support group facilitators, people in recovery, front-line workers, and more.
New Mama Care Kits
Southern Nevada Organizations interested in distributing New Mama Care Kits to new moms are encouraged to contact

In March 2021 the Southern Nevada Maternal and Child Health Coalition launched its first direct client services program, sponsored by Anthem Nevada Medicaid. Our “New Mama Care Kits” will assist low-income women by providing them with after birth supplies including pads to manage the flow, hemorrhoid wipes, sanitary wipes to keep stitches clean, hand sanitizer, and undergarments. The kits will also include important information and resources regarding infant safe sleep, immunizations, and postpartum depression.
Thank You Platinum Sponsor
Anthem Nevada Medicaid
Thank You Platinum Sponsor
Molina Healthcare
Thank You,
Volunteers, from Fit4Mom
Bright Futures Family Tip Sheet
The Bright Futures tip sheet for families, The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect, is now available in Spanish! This tip sheet is written in plain language and is a great resource for families. 
 
The Well-Child Visit - Why Go and What to Expect - SPANISH / ENGLISH
Helpful Information
Mothers pregnant with their first baby are eligible to get connected with a free personal nurse from Nurse Family Partnership
Each year, hundreds of thousands of babies are born to vulnerable first-time moms facing serious challenges. Nurse-Family Partnership provides first-time moms with specially trained nurses to help them be the best moms they can be!

Over 40 years of evidence show the measurable, long-lasting difference Nurse-Family Partnership makes in the lives of moms and their children.
Many more moms and babies need our help!
Nevada Tobacco Quit-line
Quitting tobacco is a process. Whether you are thinking about quitting, are not yet ready to quit, or have already quit, Nevada Tobacco Quit line can help you with each step of the way.

For more information please click here
Learn About MCH Programs
Go Before You Show
The Nevada Statewide Maternal and Child Health Coalition, in coordination with Washoe County Health District, is launching the Go Before You Show® campaign statewide. The mission of Go Before You Show® is simple -- to affect social awareness and create long term change by promoting the importance of women seeing a doctor early in their pregnancy to help improve their health and the health of their baby. Women are encouraged to see a doctor early if they think they might be pregnant or before their twelfth week of pregnancy.
Go to Nevada 2-1-1 for more information

The MCH coalition has flyers to distribute for the community. If your organization would like flyers, please contact Tasha Choi by email [email protected].
Sober Moms, Healthy Babies
The mission is to reduce the impact of substance use in Nevada. One of the primary goals is to prevent alcohol and drug use among women of childbearing years and women currently pregnant. To achieve this goal, they have partnered with many of the treatment centers in the state that treat pregnant women struggling with addiction. Overall, for State Fiscal Year 2013, SAPTA funded 22 treatment organizations, providing services in 68 locations throughout Nevada. Together, these providers had 11,907 treatment admissions. Sober Moms, Healthy Babies provide many resources if you are looking for help or if you are wanting to help someone else. 

Medical Home Portal
The Medical Home Portal is a unique source of reliable information about children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), offering a “one-stop shop” for families, physicians and medical home teams, and other professionals and other caregivers. The portal's mission is to assist and support professionals and families in working together (the Medical Home model) to care and advocate for CYSHCN by providing reliable and useful information about their conditions and caring for them and knowledge of valuable local and national services and resources.

The NV Statewide MCH Coalition sub-grant is supported by the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) through Grant Number B04MC29352 and BO4MC30626 from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the State of Nevada General Fund.
NVMCH | Phone: (702) 616-4912 | www.nvmch.org