Dear Lactnet Friends: The director of the Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, with input from the lactation team (me, another IBCLC, a CLC, and a CBC), Healthy Start, and Title V have launched a free app to provide breastfeeding support to anyone in the City. Some of the bigger news services are picking it up: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/city-philadelphia-secures-emergency-covid-132500838.html The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has been in the forefront of lactation support since 1992, when a pilot project for a lactation consultant was funded for 3 months. I got that job. The outcomes of that project were a Resource Guide, a workplan, the first City-wide taskforce meeting, and a Breastfeeding Promotion Policy. The job was made a permanent part-time one. Kay Hoover filled that job excellently for 16 years. When she left in 2006, I came back and have been loving it every since. The cool thing about the MCFH LC job is that I am involved with education, outreach and pollcy. All Philadelphia Health Centers have regular breastfeeding support; in addition, Healthy Start lactation staff can make home visits. In 1997, the first ordinance to protect a baby's right to breastfeed anywhere was passed. In 2014, another ordinance was passed, where businesses have to provide reasonable accommodation for lactating employees. Our website has a breastfeeding page: https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-public-health/breastfeeding-guides-policies-and-fact-sheets/ In 2018, the Coalition for Lactation Friendly Schools was formed: a collaborative effort between the Women's Law Project, Nurse-Family Partnership, WIC, Maternity Care Coalition, the ELECT program (working with parenting teens in the school system), and the Health Department. We are working on the passage of a bill in the state legislature to afford the same rights to lactating students as lactating employees have. We have also CHOP's Homeless Health Initiative; currently we are working implementation of the 10-Steps to a Breastfeeding Friendly Shelter policy by training breastfeeding champions who already work in some family shelters. History is important, as we honor those who have gone before. Here's some, in a nutshell: CEA of Philadelphia was a dynamic and expanding group that gave birth to the Nursing Mothers' Advisory Council in 1982; once upon a time, in the last century, there were over 40 volunteer nursing mothers groups in the Philadelphia Region. The Philadelphia 5-county region has been, and is still a hotbed of dedicated and inspiring lactation leaders: Liz Brooks, Debi Ferrarello, Kay Hoover, Chris Mulford, Judith Lauwers and Candy Woessner Karin Cadwell, Ruth Wilf, Rachelle Lessen, Georgette Bartell, Andrea Judge, Diane Spatz, Andrea Crivelli Kovach, Holly Lucard and more, all live(d )and worke(d) in the 5-county area. Colette Acker is currently directing a successful Breastfeeding Resource Center in 2 sites, providing consultations, support (including a community counselor support network), with a sliding scale, and education (including mentorship). That paragraph didn't mention everyone, nor all the organizations where breastfeeding is a major part of care that is provided. . .that wouldn't be possible. Suffice to say that breastfeeding is ingrained in the Philadelphia Region! Philadelphia is a Baby-Friendly City, as all birthing facilities (Albert Einstein Medical Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Hospital, Temple University Hospital, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital) are designated, some in process of applying for re-designation. Drexel University offers courses and clinical hours towards the IBLCE examination. Hurrah for what determined and organized women can do...what happens as a result is good for the world. xoxoxoxo -- Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC, RYT Reviews Editor,* Clinical Lactation* www.nikkileehealth.com Pronouns: she/her/hers *Communications are confidential and meant only for whom they are addressed.* *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome