Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Training for Professionals

Training series for professionals who work with at-risk maternal and child populations in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (Region 10 of the Health Resources and Services Administration)

Purpose

This training series provides up-to-date information on topics related to Title V maternal and child health (MCH) national performance measures. A performance measure describes a specific need that, when successfully addressed, leads to better health outcomes. There are 18 national performance measures. All states are required to report on their progress toward achieving the targets they set for these measures.

The series is supported by the Maternal and Child Public Health Leadership Training Program with a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The program provides interdisciplinary, graduate-level training in maternal and child public health epidemiology and practice, including applied research, program planning and management, policy development, and advocacy.

Intended Audience

State public health personnel working with maternal and child populations in Region 10.

Format

The series of one-hour training sessions will be held online, using iLinc web conferencing software. Each session will be recorded and the archives will be posted on this web site.

You may need to download the latest version of Flash player before viewing the session recording. See our software and plug-ins page for a link to the download.

Session 6: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Public Health Practice

Presenters: Christopher Blodgett, PhD; Quen Zorrah, PHN, MSN
Date: January 20, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

This webinar will describe current work in adverse childhood experiences in Washington State. Christopher Blodgett describes funded work in Spokane that translates research on adverse childhood experiences and trauma into community development partnerships in early learning and K-12 schools. Dr. Blodgett will describe how public health principles can engage education systems as partners, define new roles for public health nurses, and adapt research about trauma treatment into education settings in order to reduce the effects of adversity in the lives of children.

Quen Zorrah discusses how Jefferson County Public Health has integrated the adverse childhood experiences into public health practice. The county includes questions about these experiences in a comprehensive assessment tool offered to new clients in its family health programs. The county has learned that public health nurses can effectively educate and screen clients for adverse childhood experiences and plan, with the client, ways to decrease the risk for intergenerational transmission of these experiences, strengthen the parent-child relationship, and build resiliency for both the survivor and the child.

Session materials and resources

Session 5: Alcohol Use During Pregnancy: What We’ve Learned and Challenges We Face in Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Presenter: Therese Grant, PhD
Date: October 28, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

This webinar will provide an overview of the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and the adverse long-term consequences of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. It will also review trends in rates of drinking during pregnancy in Washington State and describe the ongoing challenges faced by public health and medical providers. The webinar will also examine the role providers play in preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders within the context of a public health prevention framework.

Session materials

Session 4: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Evidence-Based Home Visiting

Presenters: Kathy Carson, Laura Porter
Date: June 16, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

New scientific discoveries about the lifelong impacts of adverse childhood experiences shed light on the intergenerational benefits of home visiting. Laura will share information about the ACES study, including data from Washington State. Kathy will discuss some of the evidence of outcomes for home visiting and how understanding the impacts of childhood trauma can impact home visiting practice. This presentation is aimed at people working with young children and families and anyone interested in parenting and child development.

 

Session materials

Session 3: Period of PURPLE Crying®

Presenter: Ronald G. Barr, MDCM, FRCPC
Date: October 13, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Shaken Baby Syndrome is the most serious form of infant abuse, and its incidence is increasing. A normal increase in infant crying in the first few months of life is the main trigger for this abuse. The public health education program Period of PURPLE Crying®, from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, is an effective approach to preventing infant abuse.

This webinar will describe the development, testing, and implementation of Period of PURPLE Crying®, including the results of three randomized trials of the effectiveness of changing knowledge and behaviors of caregivers, including high-risk caregivers. It will also describe the implementation and evaluation of two large trials in North Carolina and British Columbia.

Session materials

Session 2: Early Childhood Oral Health

Presenter: Julia Richman, DDS, MSD, MPH
Date: May 21, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This presentation is aimed at health professionals working with women and children. It addresses infant and child oral health topics including infant and child tooth brushing, the use of fluoride, diet, teething, the concept of the dental home, dental caries as a disease process, and the prevention of dental caries.

This webinar is a follow-up to Julia Richman's article, "Dental Caries in Children: Common, Infectious, Rapidly Progressive, and a Serious Threat to Overall Health," published in the winter 2010 issue of the Northwest Bulletin, "Laying the foundation for a Healthy Life: Preventive Oral Health Care." This issue is available at http://depts.washington.edu/nwbfch/.

Session materials

 

Session 1: Teen Suicide: Strategies for Prevention

Presenter: Melissa Schiff, MD, MPH
Date: November 6, 2009, 10:00-11:00 AM
Target Audience: State public health personnel working with maternal and child populations

After participating in this session, participants will be able to:

  • Describe scope of suicide problem, including rates for Region 10
  • Identify risk factors
  • Describe components of successful prevention strategies
  • Identify treatments for depression

Session materials