CityMatCH Urban Practice Collaborative on Preconception Health
Background: Since the CDC release (MMWR, April 21, 2006) of "Recommendations to Improve Preconception Health and Health Care – United States," several CDC-convened work groups have been working in concert to address implementation through public health practice, clinical care, consumer awareness, and policy/financing, to foster the translation of the recommendations into strategic actions at the national, state and local levels. In June 2006, the Public Health Practice (PHP) Work Group developed a three-part strategy to foster the integration of preconception health in public health practice. One key strategy is to encourage more integrated preconception health practices and policies in public health programs (CDC Recommendations, Action Steps 8a and 8b). The PHP Work Group specifically recommended using a "practice collaborative" model to promote adoption and integration of PCC/PCH in sentinel communities and states. Accordingly, CDC funded CityMatCH to adapt this model in selected cities.

Pilot Urban Practice Collaborative on Preconception Health: From October 2006 through June 2008, CityMatCH convened the Urban Practice Collaborative on Preconception Health (pUPC/PCH) in three cities (Hartford, CT, Los Angeles, CA, and Nashville, TN). Each city fielded teams of up to five members who collectively covered expertise in community assessment and engagement, prevention programming, clinical practice, policy development and systems integration related to reproductive and women's health.

For more information please contact the following:
Katie Brandert (402-561-7500, kbrandert@unmc.edu) or Dr. Magda Peck (402-561-7500, mpeck@unmc.edu)

AMCHP/CityMatCH Women's Health Partnership
With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AMCHP and CityMatCH have formed a Women's Health Partnership (WHP) to identify and promote unique state and local MCH roles and opportunities to ensure and improve women's health before and between pregnancies. Initial efforts (2005-2008) focused on the importance of healthy weight among women of reproductive age to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. Future efforts of the WHP will include developing Women's Health Issue Briefs for the priority areas identified in the AMCHP/CityMatCH Women's Preventive Health Framework reproductive and maternal health, injury and chronic conditions, healthy lifestyles, health disparities and access and financing.
Healthy Weight in Women of Reproductive Age Action Learning
Collaborative (ALC)
From October 2006 through February 2008, AMCHP and CityMatCH convened an Action Learning Collaborative (ALC) focused on promoting a healthy weight in of reproductive age. The overarching goal of the ALC was to assist local and state MCH professionals and their partners in helping women achieve and maintain a healthy weight to optimize well-being in women and children. To learn more about the connection between weight and reproductive health, please download the document Promoting Healthy Weight Among Women of Reproductive Age.

Purposes of the ALC:

  • Strengthen multi-disciplinary partnerships within each ALC team to achieve effective and sustainable relationships
  • In each participating city, county and state, implement evidence-based strategies for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight as part of community-based efforts to improve the health of mothers and infants
  • Increase capacity at the local, state and national level to promote healthy weight as a component of women's reproductive health

The teams:
Teams selected to participate in the ALC were: Los Angeles County, CA; Sonoma County, CA; Duval/Leon/Orange Counties, FL; Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Douglas County, NE; Maricopa County, AZ; and Salt Lake Valley, UT.

Team composition included a variety of individuals from the community and the state levels, and various disciplines in order to successfully address factors that would promote healthy weight in women. A travel team was selected from the overall team to participate in national workshops to receive training, share experiences and complete assignments. The traveling members included professionals such as the State Title V/MCH director, MCH leadership from local health department, a data analytic specialist, a professional from an existing community-based health initiative, and nutrition and/or physical activity professionals. To learn more about the ALC and the experiences of the eight participating teams, please download the document Promoting Healthy Weight Among Women of Reproductive Age: Experiences & Lessons Learned from Eight State/Local Health Department Teams.