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Are you passionate about vaccine advocacy and education? If so, check out MAIC’s Spring Newsletter to see how you can get involved. It takes a village! (MAIC is a program of Nurture KC.)

In addition to introducing our new Parent Action Network, this newsletter also covers MAIC’s involvement at the Iowa Public Health Conference on MINK Day (MINK stands for Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas); a legislative update on immunization for both Kansas and Missouri; MAIC being back out in the community, a link to Nurture KC’s Annual Report; and video links to former anti-vax moms sharing their stories — so powerful and informative.

Being a new mom can come with joys and obstacles, such as postpartum depression. That’s why moms in our Healthy Start program can join small group therapy sessions at no cost to them! Licensed therapists lead the program, called Mother’s Voice, in both English and Spanish – so our moms get the support they deserve.

Learn more about Healthy Start at www.nurturekc.org/solutions.

Nurture KC is facilitating a new certification for local hospitals to adopt a safe sleep policy for babies, train staff accordingly and provide corresponding education to parents. Providence Medical Center is the first hospital to complete this certification process and be recognized as a “Nurturing Safe Sleep Champion.”

“Practicing safe sleep for babies is one of the most simple and effective tools in preventing infant death. In Kansas City, unsafe sleep accounts for 16 percent of all infant deaths, and 24 percent of Black infant deaths. These deaths are preventable,” says Tracy Russell, Executive Director of Nurture KC. “Our goal is for every area hospital to complete this certification and, ultimately, save lives.”

Click “read more” below to learn details and hear from Providence Medical Center on this honor.

Welcome, Samantha! She will work closely with Nurture KC’s Community Health Workers to improve birth outcomes for our Healthy Start program participants with high-risk pregnancies. Learn more about Samantha at nurturekc.org/team/samantha-menghini.

Samantha joins another nurse on staff – Katherine Campbell, Coordinator of our Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program. Learn more about Katherine at nurturekc.org/team/katherine-campbell.

We appreciate both of our nurses and all they do to serve families!

Nurture KC’s Healthy Start Program Director, Shannon Williams, talks with KSHB-41 News about Roe versus Wade potentially being overturned. Watch the news segment: “Post-Roe world could have significant consequences for communities of color.”

Unintended pregnancy often impacts “moms who are experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, homelessness and domestic violence,” Williams says. “If Roe versus Wade is overturned, it will exacerbate a system that’s already broken.”

Nurture KC is proud to announce we will now have Community Health Workers at KC CARE Health Center as part of our Healthy Start program. We look forward to this partnership! Learn how Healthy Start helps pregnant women and new moms at nurturekc.org/solutions.

Wow … so many wins this month! Access our April Recap to see how we:

• Helped Kansas extend postpartum Medicaid coverage
• Published our 2021 Annual Report
• Introduced our Parent Action Network to protect immunization
• Appeared on KSHB 41 to share how we bridge the gap in prenatal resources
• Appeared in USA TODAY and Kaiser Health News to talk about immunization standards
• Celebrated Black Maternal Health Week

Do you believe in routine childhood vaccines for your kids? Want to become involved in vaccine advocacy and make a difference in your community? If so, check out our new Parent Action Network at nurturekc.org/solutions/immunization#pan. We need your help to get essential immunization back on track.

#WorldImmunizationWeek

Have you been following the immunization drama by some Kansas lawmakers? They tried to dilute state immunization requirements when routine vaccinations have overwhelming bipartisan support. Thankfully, Kansas’ immunization standards were upheld in the regular legislative session. This article, “Anti-Vaccine Ideology Gains Ground as Lawmakers Seek to Erode Rules for Kids’ Shots,” by Kaiser Health News shares what went on legislatively the past several months. Executive Director of Nurture KC, Tracy Russell, is quoted in it and talked at length with Kaiser Health News. The article received even more national attention today when it was picked up by USA Today. Also noteworthy: Kansas vaccine advocate, Andy Marso is quoted in the article as well. Marso is a meningitis survivor and shares his story on our immunization page.

This April, let’s debunk misinformation and encourage our community to get fully vaccinated during National Minority Health Month. Boost your community with facts on vaccines and boosters. Learn more about this year’s theme, and access resources, by visiting visiting minorityhealth.hhs.gov/nmhm. For more vaccine resources and local stories and information, go to Immunization – Nurture KC.