January 9, 2009

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope that this communiqué finds you well and happy. If you feel as I do, you might be anticipating 2009 as a year of hope, a time for much-needed change, and also an opportunity to advocate for what is nearest and dearest to our hearts - namely, maternal and child health care and well-being.

There are many avenues to make our voices heard as the Obama-Biden Transition Team accumulates input from professionals as well as people on the street about health care reform. It is also an excellent time to let your Congress People know your concerns about women and children's health issues.

So far, in several of the new reform documents, maternal and child health care is not mentioned very strongly if at all. Now is the time for you to point out the truth of the adage: "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy," and get maternal and child health care (MCH) reform, and the Midwives Model of Care as a solution, on the radar in a bigger and more visible way.

In order to assist you with this task, the Board of the Midwives Alliance has created a new document called, "Reforming Maternity Care in American." This issue brief is designed for the following target audiences: Obama-Biden Transition Team, U.S. Health and Human Services and Maternal and Child Health Bureau personnel, MCH policy makers, legislators, public health officials, insurers and payers of MCH services, and all who work in the MCH milieu. This document may be accessed through the MANA website here.

There is a short window of opportunity to get our voices heard. Now-this week-is the critical time to get our information to the proper people. Please send this document far and wide and ask your colleagues and clients to do the same. Remember, a participatory democracy requires that the people participate. Seize the moment! Do it now!

Much love,

Gera Simkins, President
MANA Board of Directors

Resources:

OBAMA-BIDEN TRANSITION TEAM: Office of the President Elect, http://change.gov/

HOUSE: www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html

SENATE: www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm

CONGRESS: www.visi.com/juan/congress/

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