In 2017, the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund Board of Directors voted to honor the organization’s founding president with the establishment of the Kim Moore Award for Visionary Leadership. Each year, the Fund solicits nominations in a chosen strategic field of work and honors one individual whose leadership has had a positive effect on the health of a specific group of persons. For 2023, the Health Fund is inviting nominations for a leader who has previously or is currently serving in the strategic area of access to care in Kansas.
The winner of the award will be honored at a ceremony in May 2024. The individual will receive a cash award of $500, and if associated with an organization, that agency will receive an additional $2,000 to use as it deems.
Please direct any questions about this award to Katie Schoenhoff, Director of Programs. To nominate a candidate, please complete the online form below or include the same information in an email or letter to Katie (katie@healthfund.org / United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, PO Box 1384, Hutchinson, KS 67504-1384).
Nominations need to be received in the Health Fund office by November 17. If you previously nominated an individual who was not selected, you are welcome to renominate that person for the 2023 award.
Candice McField is the founder of Candice McField Fitness and As for Me and My Body. She is a certified health coach, fitness educator and serves on the Kansas Governor’s Council on Fitness. McField is passionate about teaching wellness solutions that help her clients strengthen their relationship with Christ and instruct clients on practical ways to keep their bodies mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy.
In her book, As for Me and My Body, McField invites churches to connect their spiritual and physical health to come to a deeper understanding that taking care of the body is an act of serving God. By incorporating relevant scripture, McField challenges readers to evaluate the body, mind, and spirit through professional insight, scriptural portions, and personal stories that are encouraging and easy for anyone to understand. McField guides clients through a personal, life-changing quest that will enable faith leaders to:
• Strengthen their relationship with Christ
• Increase joy, happiness, energy, and hope
• Stop dieting and live a healthy lifestyle
• Conquer health and fitness goals
The Health Fund has partnered with McField to lead groups of 20 Healthy Congregations members through the book over five weeks. Weekly discussions are Tuesdays at noon from January 9-February 2.
You are welcome to sign up as an individual or as a Healthy Congregations team, but each member should sign up individually.
The deadline to RSVP is December 28 or until filled. Each participant must complete a pre- and post-survey, and should commit to participating in all five sessions. The RSVP form is below.
Get vacation abs with Candice!
Join us this fall!
As for Me and My Body details
Participants receive: -copy of the book -5 virtual coaching sessions
To participate, individuals must: -complete a pre- and post-survey
Session Dates: Noon to 1 PM on Tuesdays 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, and 2/6
All registration spaces for the 2024 As for Me and My Body have been filled. Thank you for your interest. Please contact Dashinika Poindexter, dashinika@healthfund.org if you would like to be placed on a waiting list.
The relationships that infants and toddlers form with their caregivers are foundational. Through strong attachment and nurturance, children are better prepared for school and to hit developmental milestones on time.
The second phase of the pilot is underway and focuses on creating healthier futures for toddlers. Our evaluation will measure executive functioning and child well-being, which are both related to school readiness.
“Investing early is an opportunity to help have a profound impact on the health and economic well-being of children and families,” said David Jordan, Health Fund president. “For every $1 invested you see a $7 return. Ultimately, we all share the goal of having healthier kids and families. ABC helps us get there for some of the most vulnerable Kansans. The results are promising, and the future is bright.”
Mental Health First Aid training is a proven and effective resource that teaches lay people how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in their community.
We are excited to offer online training sessions at no cost to interested Kansans. Many sessions have filled quickly, demonstrating a large interest in mental health training in our state.
You must register two weeks in advance of the training. You should register individually, even if multiple people from one organization are attending. We will not offer special trainings for individual organizations.
Spaces are limited and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis; please register early. Each virtual session will be from 9 AM – 3:30 PM (MHFA Adult) or 9 AM – 2:30 PM (MHFA Youth) with breaks, including a half-hour lunch break.
Please view our MHFA page for current schedules and additional information.
The results of four phases of telehealth research during the COVID-19 pandemic are clear. Patients, providers, and administrators expressed that telehealth increased access to care and saw benefits beyond expanding access during the pandemic.
While providers were attuned to access and continuity of care, patients were attuned to benefits like convenience, savings of time and money, and the importance of choice between telehealth and in-person services.
Overall, patients and providers were satisfied with telehealth, though some reported specific bad experiences. Providers and patients agreed not all health services were suitable for telehealth and believed they knew when it was time for an in-person visit.
Patient access to devices and internet connectivity was generally good; the same was true for providers. Patients, particularly those who participated in the consumer poll, wanted rural broadband access to be increased to improve access to telehealth and improve health.
New consumer focus group research with Kansas patients demonstrates that telehealth has increased access to care, has room for improvement, and that patients want telehealth to be a permanent option. This research reinforces results from a 2021 consumer poll of Kansas voters—participants had positive experiences with telehealth, found it to be an important option, and wanted policymakers to support telehealth by increasing access, including broadband capabilities.
The consumer focus group qualitative research, conducted for the Health Fund and REACH Healthcare Foundation by the University of Kansas Medical Center during 2021 and 2022, included an oversampling of Black, Hispanic, Spanish-speaking and rural consumers to ensure sufficient sample sizes of minority populations.
Summary of Patients’ Perspectives
A summary of the patients’ perspectives on telehealth includes:
Many participants were enthusiastic about continuing to use telehealth—finding it easier, more convenient, safer and a time saver.
Potential cost savings related to spending less on gas and transportation and saving time, including missing less work, crossed socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, and parental or caregiver status.
Most suggestions for improvement focused on making telehealth a more integrated part of health care through better care coordination and greater standardization of scheduling, processes, and platforms. Patients wanted to see certainty in terms of costs and payor policies. They also recognized the need for better broadband internet access.
Telehealth allowed some patients to receive care that was many hours away or that they otherwise would not have been able to access.
Some participants did not have access to reliable transportation or to transportation at all.
Patients did not like that it was harder to show providers injuries or other visible health conditions on a telehealth videoconference.
Most participants reported using their smartphones for telehealth videoconferencing. Many also used laptops, and a few used iPads or other tablets.
Several participants noted specific barriers to utilizing telehealth regarding interpretation services, insurance coverage, and tech savviness.
Overall, caregivers of elderly parents and children alike found telehealth to be a convenient option that aided in better use of their time and generally lowered the burden of caregiving.
Kansans want telehealth to remain an option for care. An initial provider survey, a statewide poll of voters, also co-funded by the Health Fund and REACH Healthcare Foundation, in-depth provider interviews, and this consumer focus group research are evidence that telehealth can play a significant role in improving health care access for Kansans.
This guest blog post was authored by Joyea Marshall-Crowley, CBS, Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition.
In the Wichita area, we have heard from Black and brown mothers that they are not even being asked about breastfeeding as an initial feeding choice, and that their healthcare providers assume they are formula-feeding their babies. This makes it difficult for Black and brown mothers to obtain breastfeeding resources, support, or information during pregnancy and upon delivery. It is imperative to have these supports for a woman’s breastfeeding journey, and it should be accessible to all mothers no matter their decision to breastfeed or not.
The need for the Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition is clear.
Who is the Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition?
The Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition (WBBC) was formed in October 2020 under the non-profit organization Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition. The foundational vision for this local breastfeeding coalition is to help increase breastfeeding rates in the Black and brown communities of the Wichita Metropolitan Area.
The coalition currently houses six members. The outstanding members of the WBBC hold many titles, such as Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (currently on track to obtain their IBCLC), Certified Trained Doulas, Registered Nurse, Chocolate Milk Certified Trainer, Chiropractor, and Midwife, to name a few.
All WBBC members share the same passion for helping women of color gain the support, resources, and tools needed to reach their breastfeeding goals. We want mothers of color to have a safe space just for them to receive the breastfeeding support they need—and that is what they will get from the Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition.
“I Breastfed; This is My Legacy”
Representation of Black women is so important when it comes to normalizing breastfeeding. This group is underrepresented, and there is already a stigma in the Black and brown community that breastfeeding is a “white” thing. When they see pictures and videos of breastfeeding mothers that heavily display white mothers as the focus it just reinforces the same message as the stigma and creates barriers.
To dispel this myth, the Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition created a project called “Latched Legacy.” This project highlights and normalizes that Black women do indeed breastfeed. The campaign video shows Black mothers confidently sharing the statement “I Breastfed; This is My Legacy” while capturing them with their children and partners. The project’s goal is not only to increase breastfeeding initiation rates in the Wichita Metro Area but also to increase media representation for Black mothers regarding breastfeeding.
“Latched Legacy” campaign video
In conjunction with representation, this project has also allowed us to provide breastfeeding kits for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers of color. These kits include supplies and information to encourage them to initiate breastfeeding as their first choice upon delivery. As a result, we have a success rate of 95% of mothers who have received a kit while pregnant initiating breastfeeding as their first choice of feeding after delivery.
Breastfeeding is for mothers of all backgrounds. We are changing the Black breastfeeding narrative one family at a time in the Wichita area. Every Kansas family should receive the resources and support they need to reach their breastfeeding goals. You can support new or expecting parents in your area by referring them to a local breastfeeding coalition or to an organization that provides breastfeeding resources.
About the series
This is the final post in a series on breastfeeding in Kansas. Prior posts include:
This guest blog post was authored by Heather Peterson RDN, LD, CLC, Reno County WIC Coordinator.
Every day, I look forward to going to work in WIC: we truly are the Happy, Healthy Baby People!
WIC is a supplemental food program that serves pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children to age 5. Nearly half of all babies born in the United States are eligible for the WIC program. In Kansas, 40% of babies participate in WIC. This program has evolved over the past two decades from a formula handout to a reliable source of breastfeeding support. WIC promotes breastfeeding as the optimal way to nourish a newborn. All WIC staff encourage a pregnant woman’s decision to breastfeed.
A vast majority of women express a high desire to breastfeed their babies. Unfortunately, many of the women WIC serves return to work within two weeks of delivery. This can sabotage a woman’s desire to breastfeed. WIC offers several sources of support for breastfeeding moms.
The WIC food package for an exclusively breastfeeding woman is larger than any other food package and contains additional protein foods, including canned salmon or tuna. These fishes are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids that are important for infant brain development and overall health for the mom. Exclusively breastfeeding women enjoy a $47 per month fruit and vegetable benefit that allows them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Women who are exclusively breastfeeding qualify for WIC foods until they are one year postpartum. Exclusively breastfed infants receive a large food package starting at 6 months of age to support their continued growth and development.
One major benefit of the program is that many local WIC agencies participate in the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) program. BFPCs are exactly what their name implies, women that have recently participated in the WIC program and breastfed their children. The BFPC usually communicates with women via text message, phone calls, and social media, and are even available to support breastfeeding parents outside of regular office hours.
Peer counselors will reach out to women during their pregnancy and offer reliable information about preparing to breastfeed, surrounding themselves with breastfeeding advocates, how to obtain a breast pump from their insurance, and what to expect the first days after delivery. Peer counselors can be a “social event director,” connecting pregnant and breastfeeding women in their community. Peer counselors will seek activities that are free of charge, such as playing at the splash pad, attending library time, gift-wrapping parties, and moms’ movie night out. One of our most popular events was a cooking class hosted by a local church. The foods were donated and each family took home a chicken noodle casserole they learned to prepare. This social time allows pregnant women to see how normal breastfeeding happens out and about whether the breastfeeding mom chooses to be discreet or open.
Photos from Breastfeeding Peer Counselorevents.
In the near future, families will have another trusted breastfeeding resource. Soon, each WIC agency will be required to have a Designated Breastfeeding Expert. This person handles more challenging breastfeeding issues. Breastfeeding is a learned skill. For some families, this comes easily and for others, there are more bumps in the road. Many physician’s offices will refer patients to WIC because they know there is reliable breastfeeding help available.
Sharing information about supports like WIC is something we can all do to support parents. It’s easy to determine WIC eligibility. Potential participants can find their local WIC office by visiting signupWIC.com and entering their ZIP code. To participate in the Kansas WIC program, families must reside in Kansas and meet income guidelines, which can be found at kdhe.ks.gov.
As a community, we can help families to meet their breastfeeding goals. Supporting paid maternity leave legislation, creating breastfeeding-friendly work environments, designating a private space for a woman to breastfeed if that is her preference, and learning about the amazing benefits of breastfeeding are all things we can do to create an environment that encourages breastfeeding success.
About the series
This is the fourth post in a series on breastfeeding in Kansas. Other posts include:
“I think it’s time for mommy milk!” said my 5-year-old to my 2-year-old as their 1-month-old baby brother began to fuss. “Mommy milk” has always been the term for breast milk in our house, coined by our eldest when her sister was born.
While celebrating National Breastfeeding Month, I remember my own breastfeeding experience. I was fortunate to successfully breastfeed all three of my children. I even had enough stored milk with my oldest two children that I was able to donate to a human milk bank.
My breastfeeding journey was relatively “painless” compared to others – if you don’t count the predicted engorgement, leaking, sore nipples, thrush for both me and my infant, and associated frustrations with finding appropriate times to pump while at work. (Thankfully, I had a very understanding employer.)
As a pediatrician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, I also have the privilege of being part of the breastfeeding/chestfeeding journey with many of my patients and their caregivers as they work to provide nutrition for their infants. Not all of their journeys were as “painless” as mine. One case in particular stands out – a mother who came to me with her 2-month-old infant. The case was referred to me due to the infant’s poor weight gain. I worked with the mother and child over the course of about 2 years. We tried different techniques to support weight gain including different ways to give expressed breast milk, different feeding routines, elimination diets for mom, creative ways to introduce solid foods, and so many other things. We involved specialists in different fields to help support the child and mother. Ultimately, the baby did well and was growing and thriving the last time that I saw her. Her mother worked tirelessly to provide the nutrition that she needed to ensure adequate growth, even though it was not the breastfeeding journey the mother would have imagined for herself.
Why breastfeed? The importance of human milk (in brief)
Physiological Benefits to the Infant
Human milk has been proven to be the optimal source of nutrition for infants.
There are multiple aspects in the dynamic properties of breast milk including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory agents which contribute to the developing immune system of the infant and help prevent infection.
Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), certain types of autoimmune disease (inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, asthma, atopic dermatitis), leukemia, and obesity.
Physiological Benefits to the Mother
The act of breastfeeding can be beneficial to maternal health in helping mothers recover more quickly from childbirth, assisting with postpartum weight loss, reducing the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, reducing the risk of hypertension, and reducing risk of type 2 diabetes.
Intangible Benefits
Breastfeeding or chestfeeding facilitates maternal and infant bonding.
Breastfeeding can ultimately lead to a closer and more responsive infant/mother dyad.
It’s shown to reduce maternal stress and decrease cognitive and behavioral problems later in childhood.
What does the American Academy of Pediatrics say about breastfeeding and how do we promote and support breastfeeding mothers and their babies?
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life (consistent with guidelines provided by World Health Organization, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Family Physicians, and Canadian Pediatric Society)
Continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at 6 months for as long as desired, 2+ years
Recognize that medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare
Birth hospitals and centers should implement maternity care practices shown to improve breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity
National tracking of breastfeeding rates through age 2 years
Policies should be in place to protect breastfeeding
Universal paid maternity leave
Right to breastfeed in public
Insurance coverage for necessary items and care in breastfeeding
On-site child care in the workplace
Universal break time and adequate accommodations for human milk expression at work
Recognize that pediatricians (and all those caring for infants) play a critical role in breastfeeding success
Providing evidence-based information on feeding choices
Supporting early skin-to-skin contact and skilled lactation support while in the hospital
Using current resources to give guidance and minimize disruptions in breastfeeding when questions arise due to maternal medications, medical conditions, or vaccinations
Acquiring up-to-date information on the benefits of breastfeeding and how to provide breastfeeding care in the office and the community
Advocating for culturally sensitive and appropriate policies to promote breastfeeding
Assisting parents with preterm infants on establishing milk supply when infant is unable to feed at the breast and the use of pasteurized donor human milk
The graph above shows 2018 national breastfeeding rates for the infants in the breastfeeding dyad exclusively at 3 and 6 months of life, 6 and 12 months of life, and any breastfeeding at all throughout 0-12 months of life. Each age range is broken down into race and ethnicity at that stage. As evidenced above, we are making progress in supporting our lactating mothers and breastfeeding infants but there is always room for improvement. The education is ongoing as we strive to advocate for the breastfeeding dyad.
There are two excellent local upcoming opportunities for education as we welcome Dr. Joan Younger Meek to Grand Rounds at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS, on September 15, and at the Kansas Chapter of the AAP Fall CME Meeting at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita, KS, on September 16. Dr. Meek is the lead author of the new policy statement published July 2022 on “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk” in the Journal of Pediatrics and a leading expert on breastfeeding and lactation. Please attend her presentations if you have the chance. In the meantime, Happy National Breastfeeding Month!
About the series
This is the third post in a series on breastfeeding in Kansas. Other posts include:
This guest blog post was authored by Brenda Bandy, IBCLC, and Jennie Toland, BSN, RN, CLC, Co-Executive Directors of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition.
“[…] exclusive breastfeeding goes a long way toward canceling out the health difference between being born into poverty and being born into affluence…It is almost as if breastfeeding takes the infant out of poverty for those first few months in order to give the child a fairer start in life […]”
– James P. Grant, former UNICEF executive director
We are thrilled to report the state of breastfeeding in Kansas is strong! According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on August 1, Kansas exceeds the national rates of breastfeeding in all measures. Kansas ranks 14th in the nation in the percent of infants exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months of age for babies born in 2019. This is up from 27th place only five years ago.
The data show nearly 90% of families in Kansas choose to breastfeed. However, the choice to breastfeed is negatively influenced by lack of support in the workplace, lack of access to clinical and peer lactation support, and often lack of family support. Without the right support, the choice to breastfeed isn’t a choice at all.
Consider this map above of breastfeeding initiation rates by county. The counties in pink exceed the state average in breastfeeding initiation rates. The counties in white have the lowest rates of breastfeeding initiation. Social determinants of health can greatly impact breastfeeding rates. We must carefully consider what factors are making it difficult for families to be able to choose to breastfeed.
The graph above illustrates the gaps in breastfeeding rates. These disparities result from structural barriers and historical trauma that make it more difficult for Black, Indigenous and Latina mothers to engage in a traditional practice that has sustained their cultures over generations. While Black and Indigenous families do breastfeed, they do so despite bias and inequities.
The KBC has taken the following action to address racial disparities in breastfeeding rates with support from our partners at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund (Health Fund):
Compiled research and resources on our Equity pages for racial & ethnic, geographical and LGTBQIA+ equity
How can we make impactful and sustainable improvements to breastfeeding? The answer lies within the community. It is our responsibility to support communities and ensure they have needed resources. While we celebrate increased breastfeeding rates in Kansas, a “rising tide” of breastfeeding support is not enough when some families in Kansas are not even in a boat.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) new Position Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk highlights the importance of supportive policies and systems. The AAP statement recommends “Policies that protect breastfeeding, including universal paid maternity leave, the right of a woman to breastfeed in public, insurance coverage for lactation support and breast pumps, on-site child care; universal workplace break time with a clean, private location for expressing milk, the right to feed expressed milk, and the right to breastfeed in child care centers and lactation rooms in schools are all essential to supporting families in sustaining breastfeeding.”
The KBC and our partners, including the Health Fund and KDHE, are working on improving policies, systems and environments to be more supportive of breastfeeding families.
A recent policy “win” for families in Kansas was the extension of Medicaid postpartum coverage for mothers from a mere 60 days to a full year. This extension of access to coverage will increase access to breastfeeding support in addition to essential physical and mental health services during the first year after giving birth.
If you are curious what breastfeeding support looks like in your county, visit the KBC’s Breastfeeding Support by Kansas County. This document allows you to easily see not only breastfeeding rates but also peer, clinical, and systems-level support for breastfeeding.
We invite you to join the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition to build on this momentum and continue to improve policies, systems and environments to support Kansas families to breastfeed.
Please consider taking the following actions to support breastfeeding in your community.
