Healthy Families...Strong Communities...Bright Futures!

March 27, 2009 FEDERAL BUDGET: This week, House and Senate Budget Committees moved toward passage of a budget resolution, a non-binding spending blueprint for the authorization and appropriations committees to follow as they deliberate on policies and funding for federal programs in FY 2010. Obtaining an adequate level of funding to meet growing demands for WIC, a domestic discretionary program, will be challenging this year due to opposition from both Republicans and fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats, who are concerned about various estimates of a long term, stratospheric deficit. President Obama wants WIC fully funded in FFY 2010, with a target caseload of 9.8 million. We may have some heavy lifting ahead to ensure that the final Budget Resolution gets us there. Go here for a primer on federal budget process. WIC "MULTIPLIER" EFFECT: A new ERS study estimates that in FY 2008, the $4.6 billion worth of food purchased with WIC vouchers generated $1.3 billion in farm revenue. Because WIC participants would have purchased some of these foods with their own money in the absence of the program, the net addition to farm revenue from WIC is estimated at $331 million and the net increase in full-time-equivalent farm jobs at 2,640. The study uses an Input-Output Multiplier Model to derive these estimates and assumes that recent revisions in the WIC food packages were implemented in all States in fiscal 2008. MILITARY FAMILIES AND WIC: Just as First Lady Michelle Obama decried the fact that military families she visited needed food stamps to get by, a group of Senators introduced the Military Family Nutrition Protection Act of 2009 which would exempt combat pay for the purposes of determining eligibility for participation in the WIC and Child Nutrition Programs. The bill, S. 581 was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee. CWA RESPONDS TO NEGATIVE ARTICLE: The April 2009 issue of the Atlantic Monthly magazine included an article that questions research demonstrating the health benefits of breastfeeding and suggests that breastfeeding is "this generation's vacuum cleaner-an instrument of misery that mostly just keeps women down." The National WIC Association and the US Breastfeeding Committee wrote a response and collected signature from national groups only, so CWA submitted a separate Letter to the Editor. For a copy, contact Robbie Gonzalez at [email protected]. To view the article. To view the USBC partnership letter click here. HEALTH ADVOCATES WANT WIC REFORMS: A new policy brief from Children's HealthWatch, Feeding Our Future: Growing up Healthy with WIC, highlights research showing that WIC not only improves children's health, but reduces their risk of developmental delays, and makes specific recommendations for WIC during upcoming reauthorization and appropriations deliberations. CWA SPONSORS TWO STATE BILLS: We are excited about our two breastfeeding policy bills, which have been introduced by two great legislators and are beginning their journeys through the Legislature. To receive updates on each bill, be sure to "Subscribe" by clicking on the button on each bill's page, linked below:

SB 257 introduced by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Los Angeles) has been assigned to Government Operations Committee for April 14. Letters of support are needed by April 1! This bill requires every state agency and department, including local offices, to notify each female employee nearing maternity leave, of the provisions in existing law (AB 1025). Currently employers are required to provide a reasonable amount of break time to employees desiring to express breast milk, and make reasonable efforts to provide the use of a room, or other location, other than a toilet stall, in close proximity to the employees' work area, for the employee to express milk in private. Sample letter and Committee fax numbers are posted on the CWA website. Read and subscribe to the bill here. AB 513 introduced by Assemblyman Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) mandates that health care service plans and insurers, including HMOs and Medi-Cal Managed Care, to include coverage for lactation consultations with IBCLCs and for the rental of breast pumps as part of their contracts and policies. This bill will be heard in Assembly Health Committee, April 21 or 28. You can fax letters to Health Committee members now! Sample letter and Committee member fax numbers are on CWA website. Read and subscribe to the bill here. RESOURCES FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS: A Fact Sheet from the California Healthcare Foundation provides information on finding affordable health care for workers who have been laid off. CWA WEB FORUM APRIL 1: The second in the series of Web Forums on the WIC Food Packages, WIC Food Changes for Childcare and Early Childhood Providers and Advocates, co-sponsored by the Child Care Food Program Roundtable and California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. Find out about the new baby foods, whole grains, soy foods, and fruits and vegetables that will help WIC toddlers develop healthy tastes that will last a lifetime. Early childhood providers and advocates can help WIC "broadcast" fun and simple health messages to the families you serve, using the Sesame-WIC Healthy Habits for Life campaign. Register here. CHANGE HAPPENS 2009. Help Us Make WIC History! CWA Spring Conference is from April 26-29 at the Fairmont San Jose. There is still time to register. Please encourage your staff to get involved in activities that celebrate and promote healthy fun, innovative WIC practices, and creativity. •

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Local Agency Sharing Tables: These do not need to be elaborate or fancy - just bring your creative ideas for better WIC services and education! It's a great way to allow junior staff to shine and grow! Deadline Extended! WIC Foods Cook-Off: We know there are some great international cooks working in WIC. We'll have celebrity chef judges, real chef hats, and cash prizes! Deadline extended! Sesame Costume Contest: Use your creative juices to dress in the splashiest Sesame Street- themed attire. Get your picture taken at the Photo Op Booth with photographer Thom Cheney. Fun prizes!

WATCHDOG WANTS A BETTER CDPH: The Little Hoover Commission is urging the State to strengthen the new California Department of Public Health. In its January report, First Year Checkup: Strategies for a Stronger Public Health Department, the Commission recommends bolstering the independence the Department by moving it out of the Health and Human Services Agency so the Director reports directly to Governor. The Commission's recommendations are sent to the governor and the Legislature. To obtain a copy of the report. HOSPITAL PRACTICES INFLUENCE BREASTFEEDING: A new study confirms that hospital practices strongly influence whether mothers followed through on their breastfeeding goals. Those who weren't offered water or formula supplementation were much more likely to achieve their intention to exclusively breastfeed -4.4 times more likely among first-time mothers and 8.8 times more likely among mothers who'd previously

given birth. BETTER WIC-HEALTH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: State WIC staff members have been working with health care community, including physicians, medical clinics, health plans, pharmacies, to educate them on the upcoming food packages that are designed to meet the guidelines recommended by the IOM and the AAP. Providers will be asked to help WIC meet federal requirements for medical documentation for some of the new foods and special formulas, especially for women and children with particular health care needs. If you have experience coordinating with the medical community in your region, please share strategies that have worked with you with Karla Magee at [email protected] by April 10th. Best practices will be discussed at the upcoming CWA Conference STUDENT OBESITY LINKED TO PROXIMITY TO FAST-FOOD OUTLETS: Low-cost, high-calorie eateries near schools increase the odds, according to a recent study by researchers from UC Berkeley and Columbia University. Teens who attend classes within one-tenth of a mile of a fast-food outlet are more likely to be obese than peers whose campuses are located farther. JUNK FOOD WEBSITES TARGET CHILDREN: Companies such as Kellogg's, KFC, McDonald's, and Nestle are attracting children online with Internet clubs, interactive games, and My Space-style sites, according to a report titled, New Media, Same Old Tricks, which was released for World Consumer Rights Day. NIH PARTNERSHIP TO ADDRESS CHILDHOOD OBESITY: The National Institutes of Health's We Can! program has partnered with Subway Restaurants to reach families throughout the United States and beyond with practical tips and tools to help children and their parents maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity. Subway will promote messages and resources in restaurants and through the SubwayKids.com Web site. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAUSES SPIKES IN WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE COSTS: Women experiencing physical abuse from intimate partners spent 42 percent more on healthcare per year than nonabused women, according to a long-term study of more than 3,000 women. And the costs continue even after the abuse ends. For more information. COUNCIL FOR WOMEN: President Obama signed an executive order creating the first-ever White House Council on Women and Girls. The Council will be charged with creating among all federal agencies a coordinated approach to the challenges faced by women and girls. In its first year, the Council will focus on women's economic security, work-family policies, preventing violence against women and improving access to healthcare for women and their families. CBC ANNUAL MEETING/TRIBAL BF COALITION: The CA Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) will meet April 26, at the CWA conference. Agenda will include business meeting, strategic planning and exploring the formation of an Inter-Tribal Breastfeeding Coalition. To register visit the CBC website. CHILDREN'S ORAL HEALTH BOOK: For National Dental Month, Hohm Press has published a new book in their Family Health Series, "We Like Our Teeth"

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Note: We invite readers to submit information about training announcements that promote a range of issues

supporting healthy living environments. * FNS Webinars - Maximizing the Message: Helping Moms and Kids Make Healthier Food Choices Helping Elementary-school Age Kids and Moms Make Better Choices. Thursday, April 2, 2009: 2:00 pm -3:30 pm EST For more information. * Empower Your Baby's Consciousness. Create A Womb Oasis Through Sound, Touch And Movement. PreNatal Advantage: "Tomorrow's Children" For pregnant women in their second and third trimesters. Taught By Camille Escudero, M.A. In Clinical Psychology. Thursdays, From 10:30 - Noon. Classes offered on a monthly schedule. Alameda, CA. Now Enrolling. For more information and to register, please contact [email protected] * Webinar Series On Obesity-Related Policy Evaluation: The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a web-based seminar series aimed to increase the skills of researchers and practitioners in policy evaluation effectiveness. Friday, April 3rd from 1-2pm EST, addressing pitfalls to research in real world settings; Friday, May 1st from 1-2pm EST, and will address enhancing the usefulness of evidence to inform practice; and Friday, June 12th from 1-2pm EST, and will address communicating results effectively. The four webinars will be taught by Dr. Kathryn Newcomer, Co-Director of the Midge Center for Evaluation Effectiveness and Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. For more info, send an e-mail to: [email protected]. * The 16th Bi-monthly Breastfeeding Coalition Teleconference. Martha Kautz, Kimberly Radtke, Arlene Toole. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division Of Nutrition, Physical Activity And Obesity & United States Breastfeeding Committee. April 14, 11.00am -12.30pm PST. Dial-in Number: 1-805-620-4005 (Ventura, CA). Access Code: 54158. www.breastfeedla.org * Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care. Caroline Cribari, MD, PhD Pec Indman, EdD, MF. April 2526, Hilton Garden Inn, Cupertino (Near San Jose Airport) For more information. * Lightening Up Lactation. Carol Schlef, RNC, MSW, IBCLC, LCCE. Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles. April 27. Northridge Hospital Medical Center. Information/questions: (213) 596-5776 or website * ENACT 2009. ENACT is the nutrition and activity lobby day in Sacramento. Folks from across the state will descend upon the capitol to push for a healthier California. Be sure to join us on Wednesday, April 29th. Click here for more information and here to register. * Coaching Boys into Men - Guiding Boys Towards Respectful and Responsible Adulthood. The Fatherhood Collaborative. Co-sponsored by Family Violence Prevention Fund. March 4, 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon. Silicon Valley Community Foundation, 1700 S. El Camino Real San Mateo. For more information, contact Eve Agiewich or see website. * Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach (LTLLTT) workshops- Global Learning Partners (GLP). CA WIC Association (This training is for WIC Agency Staff Only) May 12-15, 2009 in San Francisco, Info? Call Teresa Dean at (916) 928-8778. Space is limited to 18 people* per workshop, so sign up early! *Due to the high demand for participation from many local agencies, we can only enroll 2 staff maximum per agency. * Obesity Treatment and Prevention. Presented in affiliation with the Centers for Obesity Research and Education (CORE), will provide evidence-based, practical information and tools for helping overweight and obese patients lose weight and maintain their weight loss. Special Focus on Pediatric Obesity! April 30-May 2,

2009 - Las Vegas, NV. For details contact Contemporary Forums at 800-377-7707 ext. 0 or visit us online. * First Annual 5K Run/Walk to Celebrate 35 Years of Milk Banking. Mother's Milk Bank, Valley Medical Center, Santa Clara . Sunday, May 10, Vasona Lake County Park, 333 Blossom Hill Road Los Gatos, CA 95032. Check-in 8am, Run starts 9am For more information: http://milkbanksj.org. or Mary at 408.386.6444 * Evergreen Perinatal Education's Professional Education in Breastfeeding and Lactation. Presented by Evergreen Perinatal Education and Swag Conferences. Molly Pessl, BSN, IBCLC. May 11-15. Hs. Lordship Restaurant, Berkeley. For more information, please call Anne Garrett at [email protected] or Sue Wirth at [email protected] * The Men of Breastfeeding. E. Stephen Buescher, MD - The Anti-Infectious Properties of Human Milk; The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Human Milk; Mother's Milk Mysteries. Daniel Hirsch, MD - Lactation Physiology Vitamin D and Breastfeeding; The Magical Mystery Vitamin D Recommendation Tour; Supplementation of the Premature Infant after Discharge. Jack Newman, MD - Colic in the Breastfed Baby; Just One Bottle-How Can it Hurt?; Breastfeeding Controversies. May 14 & 15, Roseville, CA. Information/questions: 916-780-6454, [email protected], or http://www.placerbreastfeeding.org * Save the Date! The First Week of Breastfeeding: Success through Support. Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC. Breastfeeding Coalition of San Joaquin County 2009 Conference. May 15. 8.00am - 4.00pm. Hilton Stockton. Conference brochures will be mailed in February. Contact [email protected] to be added to the mailing list. * 5th Childhood Obesity Conference! The California Department of Public Health; the California Department of Education; and the University of California, Berkeley, Center for Weight and Health. June 9 - 12, 2009. Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles. For Conference registration details, or call (800) 858-7743. * "Overcome challenges in feeding your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and improve their health. What's In Your Lunch Box? (WIYLBOX), provides underserved families impacted by autism with "free" education & training programs on diet, nutrition, exercise and advocacy with its "F.E.E.D. the KIDS" program The Autism Spectrum Disorder Collaborative. Parents and Professionals work directly with your family and provide practical solutions including nutritional training, adaptive physical activity, straight talk about special diets, how to expand what our kids eat and how to advocate for community and school-based support". The WIYLBOX collaborative Includes: USC UCEDD Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California State University Northridge College of Health & Human Development: The Marilyn Magaram Center & Center of Achievement Through Adaptive Physical Activity, and Patricia Novak MPH RD CLE NutritionWise. Program Registration is required - www.whatsinyourlunchbox.net or call WIYLBOX 818-241-1169. * UCSD Extension Lactation Educator & Consultant Courses: A variety of lactation educator, counselor and consultant courses are scheduled through the rest of 2009. Attendees commit to multi-day trainings, offered in various locations across the state. For more information or to enroll, call (858) 964-1010 or email [email protected] Please DO NOT reply to this e-mail. You can contact CWA staff directly: Laurie True, Nancy O'Connor, Lena Workman, Karen Farley, Robbie Gonzalez-Dow or Kinkini Banerjee. To be added to the Flash mailing list, send email to Kinkini Banerjee.

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