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Expanding Folic Acid Councils to Include Broader Preconception Health Initiatives: The North Carolina Experience

Expanding Folic Acid Councils to Include Broader Preconception Health Initiatives: The North Carolina Experience . Amy Mullenix, MSW, MSPH State Coordinator North Carolina Preconception Health Campaign. Who has capacity to expand?. Folic acid councils Healthy Start programs

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Expanding Folic Acid Councils to Include Broader Preconception Health Initiatives: The North Carolina Experience

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  1. Expanding Folic Acid Councils to Include Broader Preconception Health Initiatives: The North Carolina Experience Amy Mullenix, MSW, MSPH State Coordinator North Carolina Preconception Health Campaign

  2. Who has capacity to expand? • Folic acid councils • Healthy Start programs • State women’s health/interconception programs or agencies • Adolescent health programs or agencies • Infant mortality coalitions • March of Dimes state chapters • State Office of Women’s Health • State Office of Minority Health

  3. Keys to successful expansion • High-functioning board/advisory group • Commitment to thorough process • Patience • Leadership • Institutional support

  4. Continuous folic acid leadership and committee in NC since 1994 • Infusion of funding in 2004 from Vitagrant; housed at March of Dimes; additional funding from several sources • Large, comprehensive statewide campaign since 2005

  5. Expansion process Folic Acid Multivitamins Providing leadership / applying our expertise statewide in preconception health Adding some preconception health messages Full preconception health campaign

  6. 2006 • CDC releases preconception health recommendations • Folic Acid Campaign begins to plan for end of Vitagrant funding • Board discusses potential role of Folic Acid Campaign in preconception health efforts • Campaign commissions inventory of past & current preconception health activities

  7. Looking Back Moving Forward North Carolina’s Path to Healthier Women and Babies

  8. Considerations + • Compelling need for a preconception health campaign in NC • Documented success in addressing one preconception health risk • Infrastructure in place • Impending loss of folic acid funding ? • Narrow program focus had achieved results (39% drop in NTDs) • All programs evaluated for promotion of folic acid vs other preconception health risks/issues • Loss of brand identity

  9. 2007 • State begins preconception health planning process • Folic acid campaign pauses its transition • Folic acid team provides leadership for state process • 1 year process: 30+ organizations, needs assessment, multiple workgroups, identification of priorities • Release of State Plan in 2008

  10. North Carolina Preconception Health Strategic Plan

  11. 2008 • Campaign develops strong relationships with potential collaborators in the NC preconception health “world” during state planning process • Campaign identifies portions of state plan relevant to its work • Campaign considers the plan in light of its own strengths: health care provider education, lay health education, media & printed materials

  12. 2009 • Campaign reaffirms desire to expand & examines potential messages • Board approves the addition of healthy weight to folic acid campaign, with reproductive life planning as third message. • Reaffirms emphasis on folic acid promotion for Hispanic women

  13. Why healthy weight? • Natural link between nutrition, folic acid & weight • Health care providers consistently express desire for training on this topic; health care provider education is our specialty • Potential for funding

  14. 2010 • Campaign remains active in the NC preconception health coalition • Review of evidence-based healthy weight programs for women of childbearing age • Development of new logo & healthy weight materials • Development of new preconception health & healthy weight curricula • Launch of healthy weight health care provider trainings in November

  15. Lessons learned • Current initiatives can be expanded within the broad framework of preconception health • Collaborative, inclusive process can be time-consuming but reduces “ownership issues” and results in broad support and partnerships • Strategic planning improves focus

  16. Questions to consider • How do our strengths and programs align with identified preconception health needs in our state? • Who are the partners that need to be at the table for effective transition to preconception health? • Which organization(s) in our state can provide: a high-functioning board, commitment, patience, leadership, & institutional support?

  17. Thanks! Questions… Thoughts… Ideas… Amy Mullenix amullenix@marchofdimes.com 919.424.2158

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