Are YOU an Activist? Healthy People 2020 Public Meeting Announcements

 

ARE you an activist?

Do you want to have input or learn more??

What do you know about the Healthy People 2010 National Objectives ……. and how the breastfeeding goals haven’t been met?

 

The PLAN ~ The GOAL:

(From the Healthy People website:)

Healthy People 2010 challenges individuals, communities, and professionals, indeed all of us to take specific steps to ensure that good health, as well as long life, are enjoyed by all.

 Healthy People 2010 objectives for breastfeeding in early postpartum period, at 6 months, and 12 months are 75%, 50%, and 25%, respectively. Healthy People 2010 objectives for exclusive breastfeeding through 3 and 6 months of age are 40% and 17%, respectively

 

  So how are we doing???

From the CDC website regarding Breastfeeding Data:

Breastfeeding rates have improved since 1999, but fall short of Healthy People 2010 objectives regarding duration and exclusivity. Among children born in 2006, 74% initiated breastfeeding, whereas 43% were breastfeeding at 6 months and 23% at 12 months of age. Approximately 33% of infants born in 2006 were exclusively breastfed through 3 months of age, and 14% were exclusively breastfed for 6 months.

 

Check the CDC website above for a complete evaluation of how we measure up. I am so happy for thoses states who actually accomplished these objectives! There are some that exceed these goals and others who are really behind. I think because of this, the national picture as a whole is misleading, reflecting an average of a lot of highs and lows. It doesn’t show a true picture for those areas struggling.  I want to learn more to help my area move up towards the goals.

What can we do to improve and work towards accomplishing these goals ????

 I got this important email letter today and promptly registered to go the meeting in Philadelphia on November 7th.  I want to learn all that I can about what goes into the planning and possibly what more I can do at my local level to help meet the breastfeeding objectives. From the US Lactation Consultant Association:

 

During October and November the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will conduct public meetings in Kansas City (Kansas), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), and Seattle (Washington) on draft objectives for Healthy People 2020. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the draft objectives at the public meetings, and on the public comment Web site. The comments received will then be used to revise the objectives appropriately. We hope that you will consider attending if you live near one of these sites. We will coordinate work on this with the US Breastfeeding Committee. This presents a wonderful opportunity to have our voices heard on national policy-making relative to breastfeeding.

I’m not public speaker, I am interested in policy making for the HP2020.

I want to go and learn from my well respected colleagues.

Check it out! Click on the HP 2020 icon at the top of the post!