Mary Amelia Women's Center (MAC)

In honor of National Bereaved Parents Month, we would like to honor Saul’s Light, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting NICU and bereaved families. Thank you for you commitment to our community, 💜

This national bereaved parents month, we are honoring those who have lost a child. Always remember, you are not alone. 💜

On Friday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order in response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, which eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion. This executive order is a small but powerful step in the right direction towards protecting women’s rights despite new changes in abortion legislation. Thank you, Joe! 🤜🤛

An executive order is a document signed by a sitting American President which has the force of law, much like regulations issued by federal agencies. Executive orders fall under the formal collection of all rules and regulations issued by the executive branch and federal agencies (American Bar Association).

Executive orders are often issued as a response to congressional laws, as executive orders require no approval from Congress, and Congress cannot simply overturn them. However, Congress may pass legislation that might make it difficult, or even impossible, to carry out the order, such as removing funding. Only a sitting American President can overturn an existing executive order (American Bar Association).

For more information on what this particular executive order entails, visit:
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/07/08/politics/what-is-in-biden-abortion-executive-order/index.html

The Mary Amelia Center for Women's Health Equity Research, Newcomb Institute, and the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies are excited to share the 2021 Health of Women and Girls in Louisiana: Sexual Health Report.

It is the latest in our series on the health of women and girls in Louisiana. The report explores why high rates of STIs exist and racial disparities persist despite successful efforts to expand Medicaid health insurance coverage and more spending on healthcare than any other country in the world.

Our report equips policymakers, academicians, healthcare providers, social workers, and other health equity advocates with the latest research to improve the lives of women, children, and families.

READ HERE: rb.gy/5gmd4b

Hey! It's been a while since we've posted. Here's a glimpse into what our team's doing:

"Not only do we know that most homicides of pregnant and postpartum women are by firearm, but they’re also most committed by an intimate partner." - Maeve Wallace, Ph.D. on her maternal mortality research via Nature

Scotland Becomes 1st Country To Make Period Products Free "A proud day for Scotland and a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved," said Monica Lennon, who championed the bill in the Scottish Parliament.

Virtual briefing on racial disparities in maternal health 👇

The Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) is a document that addresses the parameters of the collaborative practice which are mutually agreed upon by the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and one or more licensed physicians. The CPA requirement hinders APRNs’, which includes Certified Nurse-Midwives, from practicing and deprives Louisiana mother’s and babies from quality care.

We are so proud of our director, Kat Theall, Ph.D., and our associate director, Maeve Wallace, Ph.D. who teamed with research assistant professor Danielle Broussard, Ph.D., MPH, and Lisa Richardson, Ph.D. of Iwes Nola to author “Building Governmental Public Health Capacity to Advance Health Equity: Conclusions Based on an Environmental Scan of a Local Public Health System.”

The paper summarizes recommendations from local leaders within and outside of public health on how governmental public health agencies can make racial equity a priority in their work.

Findings specific to the New Orleans context were previously highlighted in an essay entitled “Advancing Health Equity in New Orleans: Building on Positive Change in Health” for The Data Center’s New Orleans Prosperity Index Tricentennial Celebration: bit.ly/3iYMYAe

Read the full paper here: bit.ly/3cohC3z