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August 8, 2025

In The Know


Summit Poster Presentation Deadline Approaching

MNPQC is excited to invite perinatal professionals to share their research, insights, and best practices through poster presentations at our 2025 Perinatal Improvement Summit: Connecting Communities, Enhancing Outcomes on October 28, 2025, at the Minneapolis Marriott West.

Please submit your abstract by September 8th.

Outstanding Community Organization Award Recipient: Star Legacy

Congratulations to the Star Legacy Foundation for being selected as the recipient of MNPQC’s first-ever Outstanding Community Organization Award. We commend Star Legacy’s unwavering dedication to supporting, educating, and advocating for families not only in Minnesota but across the country.

Emily’s Story: Navigating Mental Health After Pregnancy

MNPQC is proud to share Emily’s Story, the second in a series of Minnesota family perspective stories inspired by the CDC’s Hear Her campaign. After the birth of her son, Emily opens up about her struggles with mental health. The video highlights the importance of recognizing mental health as a vital part of perinatal care—right from the start.


MDH’s Health Care Workers’ Perceptions Survey

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is surveying health care workers to understand their perspectives on breastfeeding/chestfeeding, pasteurized donor human milk, and the donor milk fatwa (a formal ruling or interpretation of Islamic law supporting the use of pasteurized donor human milk for Muslim babies).

The survey takes approximately 5–7 minutes to complete and is open to all individuals who work with newborns and their families, including physicians, nurses, lactation consultants, doulas, and other team members.

LINK ECHO Series Session 8 – September 22nd

Join us for our final LINK ECHO Series Session on September 22nd as experts from Prairie Care dive deeper into community practices on perinatal mood & anxiety disorders.

Did you miss our previous sessions? Check out our LINK ECHO Series Session one-pagers to find current challenges, key recommendations, and resources on perinatal mental health and substance use.

Resources

Assembled by the Birth Justice Collaborative, the Birthing Bill of Rights is the result of collective wisdom, built through the voices of our coalition and shaped by deep collaboration. Developed over the course of fully participatory, anti-bias workshops, this guide reflects the lived experiences, knowledge, and advocacy of those most impacted by birth injustices. It is both a resource and a testament to the power of community-led creation.
The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, is the largest long-term study of early brain and child development in the US. The University of Minnesota is participating in this study by enrolling pregnant individuals in Minnesota to better understand how child development is affected by exposure to social and environmental factors from before birth to 10 years of age. During in-person visits, participants are provided with meals, childcare, and transportation when needed. Participants are also compensated ~$40/hour and receive access to additional resources such as diapers, wipes, and baby clothes. Do you know families who may be interested? Reach out to hbcd@umn.edu.