Dept of Health Services BF Promotion Efforts

Karen Farley is presenting to us about what has happened in CA since 1994! She gave a great presentation that was wrote by Laurie Pennings, MS, RD, IBCLC
Wow so many acronyms! We even have a handout today to go through that.
BPAC was the original idea in 1993; Breastfeeding Promotion Advisory Committee and had a goal to make recommendations and strategies to form a blue print for breastfeeding. Much like today had a diverse group and looked at 6 areas; professional education, health care system, public education, mother to mother support, workplace, adn research.
3 years later the first report published and was award winning because it was so well done! Looked at rates, recommendation, and all based on scientific literature.
1997 CA put into the civil code that it was allowed wherever you were allowed to be. At this same time many divisions came together and met to discuss breastfeeding. Medi-cal plans were urged to support pumps and services.
1999 letter went to hospitals to attempt to adopt Model Policies and ask schools to adopt this into their curriculum. CMS developed protocols too! Wow 1999 was big! To top it off hospitals responded to surveys at 100% and UC Davis began to looks at policies and practices.
2000 Best start social marketing campaign began and another law for jury duty to postpone for one year!
2001 Lac Law passed that allows moms to pump (time) and place (not a bathroom). WIC sent letter to businesses referring to resources that was co-wrote from Labor Commissioner.
2004 WIC starts peer counseling funds and trained 50 IBCLC's
2005 40 local coalitions formed to make the CBC! Also another bill passed that said that the state recommend training for hospitals that are within the lowest quartiles and funds peer counselors if there are finds, and stream lined medi-cal
2006 law passed to exempt hospitals to have a tissue bank license for mothers who are pumping milk for their babies
On-going...well we will hear a lot about this throughout the day! Business Case for BF, Hospital Policy training, Employer Awards and Walks, WIC food package changes (less formula to all mothers)
Now....BPAC has always met and got a great relationship and audience present. So much has been done from breast pumps to barriers...more reports and the last in 2007 "BF: Investing in CA's Future"
All thigns change and the DHS splits! so BPAC lost home : (
With all good time comes great things...now with the Dept of public Health we got a HUGE Obesity grant that looks at evidence based policy change....and BF must be included in those target strategies!!!! HOORAY!!!
So...in April formed the committee that we built from to meet here today. This is where the panel help, consultants, and audience...
STAY TUNED...