Join Maryland Hunger Solutions and anti-hunger partners from across the state for a combined Maryland Food Access and Nutrition Network (MFANN) Conference and Legislative Brainstorming Session. 

MFANN is a statewide coalition of nonprofit organizations, and federal, state, and local government agencies focused on using federal nutrition assistance programs and other proven and innovative solutions to create sustainable connections between low-income Marylanders and healthy, affordable food. 

As the only statewide anti-hunger conference in Maryland, MFANN creates an important forum to convene anti-hunger leaders and food systems experts to inform, engage, and inspire action to promote equity in food access and nutrition in Maryland. While this annual conference has been on hiatus during the pandemic, it will return virtually this fall in conjunction with Maryland Hunger Solutions’ annual Legislative Brainstorming Session. 

The day will be virtual and divided into two segments, with Legislative Brainstorming discussions happening in the morning and MFANN panels in the afternoon. A full agenda will be shared in the coming weeks. 

Registration details are forthcoming. 

We look forward to this opportunity to share in discussions around creating a more equitable and sustainable food system together! 

About Us

Maryland Hunger Solutions is an initiative of the Food Research & Action Center.

Contact Us

mjwilson@mdhungersolutions.org

Join our partners at the Early Childhood Investment Corporation for a candid roundtable conversation on what it takes to build an inclusive human services system. The panel discussion will feature early childhood leaders including a federal administrator and parent leaders from Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and federally recognized sovereign tribes.

During the webinar, you will:

• Learn from parent leaders the best ways to move beyond buzzwords and focus instead, on time, trust, and power sharing. 

• Gain insights into how parent leaders recently gave their time and talents to help the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families plan the first federally-sponsored national conference solely devoted to creating an inclusive human services delivery system.

• Learn about the benefits and outcomes of “extending the tent to include everyone” and how working differently and alongside family and parent leaders can strengthen DEI and accessibility practices in early childhood systems.

When:Thursday, June 22, 2023, 12:00-1:00 pm ET

Who: 

Moderator:

• Jacob Pinney-Johnson, Consultant, Equity & Leadership, Early Childhood Investment Corporation

Panelists:

• Anthony Queen, Parent Leader

• Zach Ben, Parent Leader

• Amber Robinson, Parent Leader

• Angela Green, Midwest Regional Administrator, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services

We hope you’ll join us.

Register Here

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Invites You to Attend a Webinar:

Back-to-School Planning: Enrollment, Retention, Vaccines, and Mental Health Services 

Wednesday, June 21, 2023
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST

While enrollment is open year-round, the Back-to-School season is an opportune time to help connect families, kids, and teens to health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Well-child visits, vaccines, and behavioral health care are often top of mind for families as kids get ready to head back to school and are all covered through Medicaid and CHIP. It’s also an important time to remind people who have Medicaid or CHIP about the need to renew their coverage as states have restarted eligibility reviews and can disenroll people now that the continuous coverage requirement has expired. 

In this webinar, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid staff will discuss important topics to keep kids healthy throughout the school year – the importance of immunizations, the integration of behavioral health services in schools, and how to help families maintain their coverage as states restart eligibility reviews. In addition, a current Connecting Kids to Coverage grantee will share their own experience collaborating with schools and families. Speakers will share best practices for school-based outreach that organizations can put into motion now for the fall and learn about the Campaign’s school-based materials to support these efforts.

Webinar speakers:

• Stefanie Costello, Director, Partner Relations Group, Office of Communications, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• Aditi Mallick, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• Kate Ginnis, MSW, MPH Senior Policy Advisor, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• Ashley Smith, MPH Project Manager, Greater Flint Health Coalition

• Porter Novelli Public Services, Outreach Contractor, Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign

REGISTER HERE

We Want to Hear from You!
The Campaign wants to hear how organizations like yours are working to enroll eligible children and teens in Medicaid and CHIP during the Back-to-School season. Send us an email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov. And visit our website to access slides and recordings from previous Campaign webinars.­

Stay Connected with the Campaign 

• Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.

• Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.

• Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.

Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign eNewsletter “Campaign Notes” is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, we invite you to sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.

In our work with families, there’s so much we want to do and say, but never enough time. How can we use our existing moments to better support parents’ concerns and spark conversations? Join us for a conversation with our partners at the Mount Sinai Parenting Center about Sparks, a series of videos for parents that addresses age-related parenting concerns with practical ways to promote development and build relationships.

During the webinar, participants will gain insights on:

• Why video is an effective medium for reaching, educating and building relationships with parents

• How the Mount Sinai Parenting Center is transforming the way pediatric healthcare is delivered by maximizing opportunities to promote strong parent-child relationships and early childhood development within everyday healthcare interactions

When:Wednesday, June 14th, 1 pm-2pm ET

Who:Dr. Carrie Quinn, Pediatrician & Executive Director of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center

We hope you’ll join us.

Register Here

A wide range of conditions in the places where children live, grow, play, and learn can get “under the skin” and affect their developing brains and other biological systems. Rapidly advancing science around early childhood development provides evidence that, beginning before birth, these environmental conditions shape how children develop, which shapes their lifelong physical and mental health, in turn. Join The Hunt Institute and an expert panel inspired by Place Matters, the most recent working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child for this important conversation.

Register Here

In this webinar series, attendees will learn about what states and communities are doing to help build their system of care. Attendees will then learn how to apply specific public health theories and models that incorporate/ingrain equity into the processes that help to (re)build, implement, and evaluate their system of care. Finally, application of these models will be utilized to see what other best practices are currently happening in the field that help build capacity and infrastructure, including fiscal mapping and cost modeling of core system of care components, to support sustainability efforts while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

May 24th – register here

Panelists and participants of the 2022 Maternal Health Incubator told us that in order to achieve maternal health and health care equity, public health and clinical data sets must include stories in the authentic voices of those who tell them. They reinforced that we must listen to, learn from, and act on the accounts, events, and experiences patients and community members describe in a way that current data collection methods do not allow. Participants emphasized the need for qualitative maternal health data and suggested the AAMC Center for Health Justice facilitate efforts centered around patient and community experiences and work with community partners to update standards for data collection.

We heard you!

Join us virtually on May 18 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET for an exploration of how and whether available qualitative tools, such as natural language processing, can retain the wisdom of patient and community member stories, even as those stories are transformed into data and signal. We’ll assess the current state of the science and practice and co-develop guiding principles so that any application of natural language processing in service of maternal health equity is, by design, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

Registration and more information about speakers and sessions will be available in early spring. Subscribe to the Center for Health Justice newsletter and follow us on Twitter @aamcjustice to stay up to date on this and other events. Questions? Contact us at healthjustice@aamc.org.

In this webinar series, attendees will learn about what states and communities are doing to help build their system of care. Attendees will then learn how to apply specific public health theories and models that incorporate/ingrain equity into the processes that help to (re)build, implement, and evaluate their system of care. Finally, application of these models will be utilized to see what other best practices are currently happening in the field that help build capacity and infrastructure, including fiscal mapping and cost modeling of core system of care components, to support sustainability efforts while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

May 3rd – register here

We'll be in conversation with leaders from Denver, New Orleans, and San Antonio about how they have approached governance for their early childhood programs and what lessons they might share with other program leaders.

Register now   

Hosted by the Learning Policy Institute and the National Institute for Early Education Research. Co-sponsored by the Council for Chief State School Officers, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Association of State Leaders in Early Education, and National Conference of State Legislatures

Most states in the United States operate their public preschool programs in a mixed delivery system, in which children are served through a combination of local education agencies (LEAs) and non-LEA providers, such as Head Start agencies, child care centers, private schools, and family child care homes. There are many benefits to a mixed delivery system, including adding capacity through expanded staffing and facilities and providing families with choices of settings and environments. However, there are several challenges as well, including coordinating and supporting the participation of myriad preschool providers across settings.

This webinar is designed to shed light on the policy and practices that support children’s access to consistent, high-quality learning in all settings. Presenters, including state administrators and local providers, will describe the mixed delivery systems of five states that have taken different approaches to supporting providers across settings: Alabama, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. They will identify key decision points states face such as how to approach governance and administration to  support program quality. Presenters will also share recommendations for practice and policy.

Speakers

• Janet Bock-Hager, Coordinator, West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Teaching and Learning

• Barbara Chow, Director of Education, Heising-Simons Foundation

• Libby Doggett, Community Advisor

• Joselyn Estevez-Vargas, Vice-President of Early Childhood Programs, HOPES CAP, Inc.

• Karin Garver, Early Childhood Education Policy Specialist, National Institute for Early Education Research

• Sarah Keiper, Title II Special Education Early Childhood Specialist, Nicholas County Schools

• Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute

• Allison Muhlendorf, Executive Director, Alabama School Readiness Alliance

• Pamela Truelove-Walker, Senior Director of Early Learning and School Readiness, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education

• Robin Wilkins, National Association of State Leaders in Early Education, President; Education Program Specialist, NJ Department of Education, Office of Preschool

Registration is required. Can’t make it during the scheduled time? Register anyway and we’ll send you a link to the recording.

Register Here https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/event/webinar-improving-access-high-quality-preschool-lessons-five-state-mixed-delivery-systems?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=e29afb0b9d-LPIMC_MixedDeliveryCORRECTION_2023_03_24&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-430aa0ef78-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

Register here https://jh.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdO-hqjosE9BhXOfBE-oAvOpk49YNrZzS

Register here https://jh.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdO-hqjosE9BhXOfBE-oAvOpk49YNrZzS

The Week of the Young Child is good, but a Month of the Young Child is better!

MFN is partnering Arts for Learning Maryland, MDAEYC, MSCCA, and Ready at Five to declare April 10 through May 5 the Month of the Young Child. The four week long celebration will kick-off with an online event on April 11 at 7:00 PM that is open to the public. This hour-long rally will feature a keynote address by Maryland’s Teacher of the Year Berol Dewdney, who is a pre-kindergarten teacher at Baltimore’s Commodore John Rogers Elementary School. Then, just as little kids seldom sit still, participants at the kick-off event won’t either! Arts for Learning artist, Natasha Mirny, will engage participants in joyful, interactive theater and creative movement activities that support language and literacy development in young children. Participants will also learn about opportunities to advocate on behalf of young children in Maryland. Register for the event here. 

States and communities are engaged in activities to help enhance their prenatal to five system of care to provide better support to families and children. These types of approaches can be strengthened by using community-based public health approaches, identifying lessons learned from years of home visiting implementation, and collaboration with stakeholders that have experience in providing technical assistance in this process. 

In this webinar series, attendees will learn about what other states and communities are doing to help build their system care. Attendees will then learn how to apply specific public health theories and models that incorporate/ingrain equity into the processes that help to (re)build, implement, and evaluate their system of care. Finally, application of these models will be utilized to see what other best practices are currently happening in the field that help build capacity and infrastructure, including fiscal mapping and cost modeling of core system of care components, to support sustainability efforts while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. 

This three-part webinar series will be held at 2pm eastern/1pm central/12 mountain/11am central on the following dates: 

• April 5th – register here 

• May 3rd – register here 

• May 24th – register here 

Registration is required and can be accessed via the links above.   

In this webinar series, attendees will learn about what states and communities are doing to help build their system of care. Attendees will then learn how to apply specific public health theories and models that incorporate/ingrain equity into the processes that help to (re)build, implement, and evaluate their system of care. Finally, application of these models will be utilized to see what other best practices are currently happening in the field that help build capacity and infrastructure, including fiscal mapping and cost modeling of core system of care components, to support sustainability efforts while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

April 5th – register here

Guest presenter: Gary Romano, Civitas Strategies

Retirement benefits are an important part of compensation, yet this benefit is rarely available in child care settings. Supporting retirement plans can expand the educator pipeline, increase educator retention and build individual wealth. They also provide an opportunity to leverage invested funds through a variety of business credits. Shared Service Alliances and other intermediaries can be key resources for providers to help them start retirement plans for their staff and for themselves. This webinar explores ideas and resources to help providers cost-effectively build their retirement savings.

Click Here to Register for this Webinar

Please join the Early Educator Investment Collaborative on April 4, 2023, from 12:30–2:00pm ET for a webinar featuring the work of three of our grantee partners: North Seattle College; Salish Kootenai College; and University of Colorado, Denver. The session will explore the role of higher education in leveraging philanthropic dollars to build capacity in public ECE workforce systems. 

The webinar will be moderated by Sherry Cleary, former Executive Director of the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and the University Dean of the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives. The session will feature a panel discussion and facilitated Q&A.

Learn more about the panelists here: https://bit.ly/3KcsPqo    

Register here: https://bit.ly/3lpoJBu

Over the past three years, BPC has conducted a series of surveys of parents with children under age five to learn about the child care challenges they face-- before, during, and following the pandemic. These surveys focus on several issues, including the cost of child care and how it affects a family's budget, the impact of COVID-19 on a parent's work status and their child care needs, and unique child care needs of American Indian and Alaska Native and rural parents.

Join BPC on Monday, March 27 to review what we have learned.

SPEAKERS

Panel Discussion

• Anubhav Bagley | CEO, Arth Analytics

• Claire Taylor | Director, Client Services, Morning Consult

Moderator

• Linda Smith | Director, Early Childhood Initiative, BPC

REGISTER NOW

Join us for a conversation regarding perinatal substance use disorder. Lindsay Calveri, Parent Leader, and Gwen Doland, Substance Use Disorder Clinical Manager will center their discussion around addressing perinatal substance use disorder as a public health issue while challenging the historical system response that has often been stigmatizing, shaming, and punitive. As a parent leader, with lived experience navigating the child welfare system, Lindsay will provide insights into the barriers, successes, and opportunities to support healing and recovery for parents and their young children. Through the conversation, shifts in practice and policy that can reduce stigma and support engagement in services for pregnant individuals and their families will be highlighted.

Objectives:
1. Participants will increase their awareness of substance use disorders among parents as a public health concern and chronic disease instead of the historical system's response which can often be stigmatizing, shaming, and punitive.
2. Participants will gain insights into strategies that reduce stigma.
3. Participants will develop strategies to support the engagement of pregnant and parenting individuals and their families.

Register - https://zerotothree.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nHQwgbXvQbiPI45O-9aROg?utm_medium=email&utm_source=email_link&utm_content=sb_webinar_03072023&utm_campaign=Safe_Babies_Webinars

We are bringing stakeholders, leaders, and experts together to develop a vision for a better early care and education system. Join us!  

Learn about United Way of Central Maryland’s United for Childcare Initiative and help identify priorities to improve the childcare system in Central Maryland. United for Childcare is a multifaceted strategy that will partner with others, expand equity and access to early childhood education, and strengthen the local economy with new jobs and childcare sites. 

Be a part of our movement to transform and elevate the early childhood education ecosystem through a multigenerational strategy focused on economic, educational, and racial equity. 

This event is free. Register by Friday, March 17. Meeting Registration - Zoom

We'll be in conversation with leaders from Alameda County, CA, Multnomah County, OR, Detroit, MI, and St. Paul, MN about the most important questions and considerations policymakers should ask as they approach planning.

Register now    

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are offering virtual training for parents, caregivers, and families on the mental health needs of children!

ACF and SAMHSA are both committed to improving behavioral health (mental health and substance use) for children, youth, and families. As part of our agencies’ ongoing behavioral health efforts, this March 22nd training aims to provide parents and caregivers with the information and resources to recognize, manage, and support their children’s mental health needs.

Event facilitators and speakers will include ACF Assistant Secretary January Contreras, SAMHSA Assistant Secretary Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Dr. Sunny Patel (Senior Medical Advisor, SAMHSA Center for Mental Health), Dr. Gary Blau (Senior Advisor, SAMHSA), Lauren Behsudi (Senior Advisor, ACF), David Armstrong (parent and caregiver advocate) and Arc Telos Saint Amour (Executive Director, Youth MOVE National).

We understand that parents and caregivers play a vital role in the lives of children, families, and communities. This training will provide parents and caregivers with tools and skills to support their children.

March 22, 2023

6-7:15 pm ET

Zoom Webinar – please register HERE

Please reach out to lauren.behsudi@acf.hhs.gov if you have any questions.

Throughout this webinar, Dr. Baston, MD, MSc Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at Cooper University Hospital and Assistant Professor at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, and Kim Nabarro, Parent Leader, and Makua Ally, will delve into the stigma and marginalization associated with addiction in pregnancy, and how both patients and medical professionals suffer from the lack of addiction medicine training in healthcare. This presentation will explore advances in the science and the neurobiology of Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) that will strengthen the work among practitioners, community providers, and court-related participants in the exploration of approaches that support families involving pregnant people with opioid and other substance use disorders as well as children exposed prenatally. As a parent leader with lived experience navigating the child welfare system and a current Makua Ally working alongside pregnant and parenting individuals who are battling perinatal substance use disorder, Kim will bring an additional lens that will deepen the learning in this session.

Objectives:
• Participants will review the history of addiction treatment structure in our country and how it should be adapted to incorporate evidence-based approaches.
• Participants will learn about the importance of understanding appropriate screening tools and techniques for identifying substance use in pregnancy.
• Participants will learn about the components of family-centered care that can improve outcomes for infants and families in a more holistic and healing.

Register - https://go.zerotothree.org/webmail/565212/1062379735/21b1335b458a7e51be2011036968a63446480a7e84a90d380c7968e5906bb2ff

The CAYL Catalyst Webinar Series will return on March 2, 2023. We will be discussing ECE PRIDE: The Impact We Make. We hope you will register to join us!