March 2026 |
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Inside this edition:
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Deadline Extended: Call for Summit Breakout Proposals
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Jasmine's Story: Why Clear Communication Matters
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LINK Initiative Progress Report is Now Available
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National ACOG’s LARC Program
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MDH’s Perinatal Care Provider Needs Assessment: CMV Screening and Education
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MNPQC’s Upcoming Quality Improvement Programs
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Community Events
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Discover MNPQC’s Perinatal Resource Map
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Celebrate National Women’s History Month: Leaders in Maternal and Infant Health
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Deadline Extended: Call for Summit Breakout Proposals
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MNPQC is accepting speaker proposals for breakout sessions at the 2026 Perinatal Improvement Summit. Do you have insights or experience that could inspire and inform others interested in perinatal healthcare? Contribute to a diverse, multidisciplinary audience dedicated to advancing perinatal health and improving outcomes for families across Minnesota. We are seeking presentations on a wide range of topics that strengthen perinatal care. This is an excellent opportunity to present your insights and innovations. The proposal deadline is now March 13, 2026.
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| Submit Proposals |
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Jasmine's Story: Why Clear Communication Matters |
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MNPQC is concluding our Family Story Series with Jasmine’s Story. Jasmine, a Minnesota mother, shares the confusion and fear she experienced when her newborn son wasn’t breathing and she did not receive clear answers as to why. Inspired by the CDC’s Hear Her campaign, Jasmine's story highlights the critical importance of clear, compassionate communication during every step of care and the power of self-advocacy. This video was created in partnership with the Birth Equity Community Council (BECC).
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| Listen to Jasmine's Story |
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LINK Initiative Progress Report is Now Available |
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In October 2024, MNPQC launched the Linking Identification and Navigation for Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Care (LINK) Initiative in response to ongoing hospital challenges in consistent screening, timely referral, and coordinated navigation to supportive services for pregnant and postpartum people.
Throughout the one-year program, six Minnesota hospital teams participated in monthly collaborative learning sessions, submitted monthly data through the SimpleQI platform, and engaged in multiple PDSA cycles to test changes on a small scale, learn from data and peer feedback, and refine interventions to support sustainability. The LINK Progress Report outlines the project background, changes tested, measures used, results, and key recommendations for success.
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| Read Link Report |
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MDH’s Perinatal Care Provider Needs Assessment: CMV Screening and Education |
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The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is conducting a brief survey of prenatal care providers to better understand current practices, knowledge, and perspectives regarding cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy. Your responses will be used to inform educational initiatives and improve clinical guidance related to CMV in pregnancy.
The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete, and all responses will remain confidential. If you are a perinatal care provider in Minnesota, MDH would greatly appreciate your participation. Thank you for your time and for the important work you do to support maternal and fetal health.
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| Complete Survey |
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National ACOG’s LARC Program
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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is offering hands-on clinical training and operational support for immediate postpartum LARC implementation at no cost. For more information, visit pcainitiative.acog.org or email pcai@acog.org
Interested in unbundling and how Medicaid covers immediate postpartum LARC? Please refer to ACOG's resource on Medicaid Reimbursement for Postpartum LARC and the resources cited under the Minnesota section.
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MNPQC’s Upcoming Quality Improvement Programs |
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MNPQC is excited to announce our tentative quality improvement program schedule:
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Spring 2026: MNPQC Perinatal Education ECHO Series
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Late Spring 2026: Plans of Safe Care Sprint
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Summer 2026: Rural Health Obstetrical Emergency Toolkit Sprint
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Fall 2026: Risk Assessment Community of Learning
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Early 2027: Obstetric Hypertension Community of Learning
Keep an eye out for more details soon!
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| Quality Improvement Programs |
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Discover MNPQC’s Perinatal Resource Map |
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MNPQC’s Perinatal Resource Map is designed to help individuals identify and connect with essential perinatal health resources across Minnesota. Featuring both provider-specific and family-centered supports, the interactive map strengthens care coordination among healthcare professionals, community organizations, and birthing families, helping ensure that individuals and families can easily locate services that are most accessible to them.
Are we missing something? Help us continually improve our resource map by sharing additional resources through this form.
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| Resource Map |
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Celebrate National Women’s History Month: Leaders in Maternal and Infant Health |
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March is National Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the many women whose work has strengthened families and communities across the nation. From improving access to care to advocating for healthier pregnancies and births, their contributions continue to shape perinatal health today.
For real-life stories of women who have made an impact in perinatal health, explore the March of Dimes collection of profiles, which highlights how their leadership and dedication have advanced maternal and infant health.
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| Women's History Month |
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