Cooperative Agreement NU58DP006932

STRENGTHENING BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT BY COORDINATION NATIONAL EFFORTS AND BUILDING CAPACITY OF BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS - HUMAN MILK FEEDING (INCLUSIVE OF BREAST, CHEST, AND BODY FEEDING) IS A PROVEN PRIMARY PREVENTION STRATEGY THAT BUILDS A FOUNDATION FOR LIFE-LONG HEALTH AND WELLNESS. AS STATED IN THE SURGEON GENERAL?S CALL TO ACTION TO SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING, THE U.S. BREASTFEEDING COMMITTEE (USBC) AND ITS AFFILIATED BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE IN SUPPORT OF NATIONWIDE BREASTFEEDING GOALS. THE CALL TO ACTION EXPLICITLY STATES THAT ?THE CAPACITY OF STATE BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS SHOULD BE ENHANCED TO ENABLE THEM TO BE AN EFFECTIVE FORCE IN PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING.? FOR OVER 20 YEARS, USBC HAS SERVED AS A DRIVING FORCE TO ADVANCE BOTH POLICY AND PRACTICE THAT PROMOTES, PROTECTS, AND SUPPORTS BREASTFEEDING. USBC IS OPTIMALLY POSITIONED TO COORDINATE A NATIONAL APPROACH TO STRENGTHEN THE LANDSCAPE OF LACTATION SUPPORT, CENTERED ON RACIAL EQUITY, FOR THE FIRST FOOD FIELD. IT HAS SERVED FOR DECADES AS THE CENTRAL HUB AND BACKBONE ORGANIZATION PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT TO CONNECT NON-PROFIT, FOR-PROFIT, AND GOVERNMENTAL BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT PARTNERS TO FACILITATE MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.USBC HAS ALSO MAINTAINED A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD OF PROVIDING CAPACITY-BUILDING SUPPORT TO STATE/TERRITORIAL BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS THROUGH ITS VIRTUAL, YEAR-ROUND LEARNING COLLABORATIVES, NATIONAL BREASTFEEDING CONFERENCE AND CONVENING, LEARNING AND ACTION COMMUNITIES, AND PEER NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO THESE EFFORTS, USBC?S STRATEGIC FOCUS SINCE 2012 HAS BEEN TO EMBED DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) PRINCIPLES INTO THE STRUCTURE AND CULTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION. AS SUCH, USBC IS UNIQUELY POISED TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND FURTHER BUILD THE CAPACITY OF TRIBAL, LOCAL, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURAL BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS ACROSS THE NATION.THROUGH THIS PROJECT, USBC WILL COORDINATE STAKEHOLDERS IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A 5-YEAR PLAN FOR POLICY, SYSTEMS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES TO ADDRESS BREASTFEEDING INEQUITIES; INCREASE ACCESS TO BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT; AND ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING TARGETED AT STATE, TERRITORIAL, LOCAL, TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY (STLTC) BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS AND KEY MULTI-SECTORAL STAKEHOLDERS. USBC WILL ALSO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO INCREASE LACTATION SUPPORT PROVIDERS? ADOPTION AND UTILIZATION OF CULTURALLY GROUNDED MATERNITY PRACTICES SUPPORTIVE OF BREASTFEEDING AND CDC GUIDANCE RELATED TO BREASTFEEDING CONTINUITY OF CARE. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON 2 SPECIFIC STRATEGIES: (1) PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF A COORDINATED AND SUSTAINED MULTI-SECTORAL PARTNERSHIP THAT ENGAGES EXISTING STATE BREASTFEEDING COALITIONS AND INCLUDES NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING AND (2) FACILITATE THE USE OF EVIDENCED BREASTFEEDING STRATEGIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STATES AND COMMUNITIES. IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE 2 STRATEGIES WILL LEAD TO THE SUCCESSFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROJECT?S LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF ?INCREASING AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS TO BREASTFEEDING RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND BREASTFEEDING-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN FAMILIES.?