SF 2230 (LSB 6254XS (5) 88)

SENATE FILE 2230

BY  CARLIN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the development of an actionable strategic plan to promote and support breastfeeding in the state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH —— BREASTFEEDING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
   1.  The department of public health shall convene a group of stakeholders from various sectors to develop an actionable breastfeeding quality improvement strategic plan to determine the framework necessary to maximize breastfeeding support and improve the breastfeeding rate among all mothers in the state. The strategic plan shall include goals and strategies to promote breastfeeding at the state, community, facility, and individual levels by identifying potential system interventions and establishing a consistent approach relative to maternity care and hospital practices; workplace, peer, mother and family, and health care professional supports and education; and media and social marketing messaging. The strategic plan shall include steps to build collaborative partnerships and local coalitions among health care providers and health care facilities to follow updated evidence-based best practices, policies, and procedures in supporting breastfeeding as the preferred long-term infant feeding method.
   2.  In developing the strategic plan, the stakeholder group shall review the state’s existing policies, practices, and initiatives to maximize resources and to refocus and coordinate efforts at the state, local, and organizational levels. The stakeholder group shall analyze existing data and make recommendations for strengthening the state’s data collection and evaluation capabilities to support the strategic plan, bridge gaps in disparities, build and sustain capacity, promote professional and consumer education efforts, and support continuous program improvement. The stakeholder group shall also analyze other state and national laws, strategic plans, initiatives, and programs to determine those which may be replicated or modified to meet the goals and strategies identified by the stakeholder group including but not limited to all of the following:
   a.  The baby-friendly hospital initiative launched by the world health organization and the united nations children’s fund to provide evidence-based maternity care that supports optimal infant feeding outcomes and the mother-baby bond utilizing the ten steps to successful breastfeeding to improve breastfeeding awareness, education, and support within health care settings.
   b.  The American academy of pediatrics guidelines which promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months followed by breastfeeding in combination with the introduction of complementary foods for one year or longer as mutually desired by the mother and infant.
   c.  The 2011 surgeon general’s call to action to support breastfeeding specifying twenty action steps for mothers and their families, communities, the health care sector, employers, research and surveillance, and the public health infrastructure to undertake in removing obstacles to and in supporting breastfeeding.
   d.  The business case for breastfeeding initiative and toolkit developed by the United States department of health and human services maternal and child health bureau and the national business group on health to implement policies that promote breastfeeding.
   e.  The mothers’ milk bank of Iowa and other milk-sharing platform initiatives.
   f.  The United States department of agriculture’s special supplementary nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) program and the Medicaid program, to act as a foundation in promoting breastfeeding awareness and to provide skilled support not only for WIC and Medicaid participants but for the general public to help women initiate and sustain appropriate feeding practices, prevent difficulties, and overcome barriers.
   3.  The department of public health shall submit the strategic plan, which shall include goals, specific strategies, action steps, policy changes, and key partnerships necessary to execute the strategic plan, to the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2020.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the department of public health (DPH) to convene stakeholders from various sectors to develop an actionable breastfeeding quality improvement strategic plan to determine the framework necessary to maximize breastfeeding support and improve the breastfeeding rate among all mothers in the state. The bill specifies that the strategic plan shall include goals and strategies by identifying potential system interventions and establishing a consistent approach relative to maternity care and hospital practices; workplace, peer, mother and family, and health care professional supports and education; and media and social marketing messaging. The strategic plan shall include steps to build collaborative partnerships and local coalitions to follow updated evidence-based best practices, policies, and procedures in supporting breastfeeding as the preferred long-term infant feeding method. The stakeholder group shall review the state’s existing policies, practices, and initiatives; analyze existing data and make recommendations for strengthening the state’s data collection and evaluation capabilities; and analyze other state and national laws, strategic plans, initiatives, and programs to determine those which may be replicated or modified to meet the goals and strategies identified by the stakeholder group, including those specified in the bill.
   DPH shall submit the strategic plan to the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2020.