May 2026 - 2nd Edition |
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Inside this edition:
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MNPQC Team Sharing Insights and Learning From Other PQCs
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Last Chance to Apply: Program Coordinator
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Calling MN Artists for Waypoint Award Artwork Submission
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One More Day Until the Kick-Off of Our Perinatal Education Echo Series | May 21, 2026
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Join Our Final Plans of Safe Care Sprint Session | May 28, 2026
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Rate and Review Your Birth Experience with the IRTH App
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Created by Mothers, for Mothers: The 40-Day Project
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MNPQC Team Sharing Insights and Learning From Other PQCs |
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Last week, three MNPQC team members, Susan Thompson, Cassie Mielke, and Lauren Witty, along with MNPQC Board Chair-Elect, Tolu Odebunmi, attended the National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives’ (NNPQC) Annual Meeting to represent our work here in Minnesota and learn alongside other Perinatal Quality Collaboratives from across the country. We are excited to bring back new insights, ideas, and connections that will help strengthen support for birthing facilities, families, community organizations, and the broader perinatal community throughout Minnesota.
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Last Chance to Apply: Program Coordinator |
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MNPQC is expanding our team by hiring a Program Coordinator to help lead and support our quality improvement programs. In this role, the Program Coordinator will ensure programs run smoothly from recruitment through sustainability by coordinating planning activities, managing logistics, tracking deliverables, and overseeing survey development and program evaluation, with the overall goal of improving outcomes for Minnesota families.
Application Deadline: May 29, 2026
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| Join Our Team |
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Calling MN Artists for Waypoint Award Artwork Submission |
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We have renamed and re-envisioned our prestigious individual award, formerly known as the Kunsche Award, to broaden its purpose and ensure more individuals across Minnesota’s perinatal care community have the opportunity to be recognized for their meaningful contributions.
Introducing the Waypoint Award, presented annually to an individual who has advanced MNPQC’s mission of improving maternal and infant health outcomes across Minnesota. A waypoint is a stopping point along a journey—reflecting the many stages of the perinatal experience and the important roles individuals play along the way.
As part of this evolution, MNPQC is seeking an original piece of artwork that represents safe, respectful, and high-quality care for Minnesota families. We are looking for Minnesota-based artists who can use their creativity to bring this idea to life and visually honor those at the heart of perinatal care.
Application Deadline: May 29, 2026
Final Decision Notification: June 5, 2026
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| Submit Your Artwork |
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One More Day Until the Kick-Off of Our Perinatal Education Echo Series | May 21, 2026 |
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There is still time to register for the first session of MNPQC’s free Perinatal Education ECHO Series! Join us on Thursday, May 21, 2026, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM CDT for a presentation from Dr. Jennifer Almanza on the latest Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) findings.
This session will provide valuable insight into the current landscape of maternal health in Minnesota, key findings from the report, and what they mean for clinical care and system-level improvement, along with actionable recommendations for change.
Upcoming Perinatal Education ECHO Series Sessions:
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June 4, 2026 - Alcohol Use in Pregnancy
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June 25, 2026 - Rare, But Severe: The Critical Realities of Postpartum Psychosis
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July 16, 2026 - Long-Acting Reversible Contraception
More sessions and details can be found on our ECHO page!
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| Register for the Series |
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Join Our Final Plans of Safe Care Sprint Session | May 28, 2026 |
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As we wrap up our Plans of Safe Care (POSC) Sprint, join us to hear directly from those currently implementing Plans of Safe Care and gain a real-world perspective on POSC in practice, from formal partnerships to everyday coordination across teams. During Session 3, Dissolving Silos: Cross-System Collaboration in POSC Implementation, speakers will share both the strengths of their workflows and the barriers they’ve encountered along the way.
Date & Time: May 28, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM CDT
Missed the first two sessions? No worries, you can explore key highlights, resources, and more through our Session Snapshots! The Session 1 Snapshot is now available, and the Session 2 Snapshot is coming soon.
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| Register for Session 3 |
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Rate and Review Your Birth Experience with the IRTH App |
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During any stage of the perinatal journey, individuals can often reflect on their care experience based on factors such as hospital food, availability of private rooms, visitor policies, and other amenities. However, these factors do not capture the deeper factors affecting care experiences. Maternal health disparities affecting women of color are well-documented across the United States. In 2023, the maternal mortality rate for Black, non-Hispanic women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 births, approximately 3.5 times higher than the rate for white women.
IRTH allows black and brown women to share and explore reviews of hospitals, clinics, and providers based on their real experiences during prenatal care, labor and birth, and pediatric visits through their child’s first year. By using the app, individuals can leave feedback, learn from others' experiences, and keep their community informed. IRTH App is available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store. |
| Get the App Today |
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Created by Mothers, for Mothers: The 40-Day Project |
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The 40-Day Project was developed to provide Somali parents and caregivers with support, resources, and education during the first 40 days of the postpartum period. It focuses on topics such as mental well-being, building social connections, learning self-care strategies, and normalizing the postpartum experience. This resource was designed to be culturally centered, with the intention of helping women to feel seen, understood, and supported.
Created by mothers, for mothers, the project was developed with support from the University of Minnesota Extension Department of Family, Health, and Wellbeing, the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, and the University of Minnesota Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health. In addition to family-facing materials, the 40-Day project also offers resources for providers, including screening tools, trauma-informed resources, handouts, and other educational materials. The project is available in Somali, Spanish, and English.
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| Learn More |
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