AUGUST - National Immunization Awareness Month

August 9, 2016 Dear MARY,     National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is recognized every August to promote the importance of vaccination at all ages. Each week during the month focuses on a different point in the lifespan, with a focus on pregnant women August 8-14 and babies and young children August 15-21. NIAM is sponsored by the National Public Health Information Coalition, and they have created resources that you can use to promote vaccination among the moms and families you work with. Text4baby promotes the importance of vaccination during both pregnancy and infancy. Last summer, we released the results of a randomized evaluation of Text4baby flu messaging that found Text4baby mothers who received a reminder text were twice as likely to report they were vaccinated and the odds of vaccination were increased among all participants who reported their status. You can read the abstract publication here. ZERO TO THREE has just released two new resources about how the effectiveness of Text4baby flu messaging. You can read the Parent Resource here and the Professional Resource here. Additionally, a vaccination tracker is one of the key features of the updated Text4baby app. This month and year round, encourage the new and expectant moms you work with to use Text4baby as a resource to learn more information about how vaccines can help keep themselves and their babies healthy! Sincerely,     The Text4baby Team

Take Action      Active Zika transmission in the U.S. is now a reality. Text4baby-the largest mobile health initiative in the nation-can help reach women in your state or locality with important information on Zika. Text4baby uses the power of cell phone technology, through text messages and an app timed to user's due date or baby's birth date, to share essential information, tips, and reminders with expectant women and new mothers, and their partners or loved ones. Text4baby can help with your local preparedness and response plans. We can offer the following to support the implementation of your local Zika plans: customized text messages by state/locality, local outreach via Text4baby tailored to your city/state/locality's needs, targeted social media posts, email blasts about your Zika efforts, a dedicated staff member to support your local enrollment efforts, co-branded materials, and more. For pricing or more information, please contact Jodie Fishman at jfishman@zerotothree.org.      CMS Needs Your Help!       Our partners at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are looking for people who are currently covered through a plan on HealthCare.gov and willing to share their story to help others get covered.  Those interested could appear in television, radio, print and/or digital ads and on social media.    They are specifically looking for people ages 18 to 34 but would like to talk to anyone who wants to share their story. They are interested in learning more about the following items from the participants:   How insurance changed their lives How they have used their coverage How financial help made their premiums affordable They are looking for both English and Spanish speakers. The deadline is August 15.   This is an excellent opportunity for you to talk to the moms (and any other adult patients) you work with about health care coverage, and how they can help others. Please also share with your colleagues and forward the contact information for anyone interested in participating to Laura Salerno at laura.salerno@cms.hhs.gov.   Thank you for your help!

Quote of the Week "Text4baby has helped me so much! As a first time mother, you hear so many different opinions, advice, and experiences with other parents and I didn't know what to believe or do with my baby. Text4baby sends me advice backed up with information, telephone numbers, and websites that helped me and my baby. From flu shots to breast feeding advice, Text4baby is a MUST. THANK YOU TEXT4BABY WE LOVE YOU!"   - Jacklyn G. from Pomona, CA (AT&T user)          New Partners   Best Start Birth Center (San Diego, CA) Delta Dental of SD Foundation (Pierre, SD) AV Pediatrics Medical Association (Lancaster, CA) Next Door (Milwaukee, WI) Virginia Department of Health-Western Tidewater Division (Suffolk, VA) El Nido NYC (New York, NY) Text4help.org (Accokeek, MD)