The recent Lamaze International conference held this past October in West Palm Beach, Florida served many purposes including learning opportunities, networking, socializing and promoting safe and healthy birth. During this year's annual meeting, held during the conference, Lamaze International leadership recognized both individuals and organizations for their contributions to improving maternal infant health. At the conference, the Lamaze International President's Award was awarded to the California Maternity Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC). This award is given annually at the discretion of the President to an individual or organization that embodies the spirit of the Lamaze mission and vision, and has made significant contributions to advancing safe and healthy pregnancy, birth and early parenting through evidence-based education and advocacy. (View past winners of this award.) Science & Sensibility introduced blog readers to the CMQCC organization here.

Pictured in WPB, FL, l-r, Christine Morton (CMQCC and Lamaze BoD), Linda Harmon, (Lamaze Executive Director), Jeanne Mendelson, (Lamaze Associate Ex. Director) Elliott Main (CMQCC Medical Director) and Jill Arnold (Lamaze BoD)

CMQCC is a multi-stakeholder organization that drives improvement in maternal and infant outcomes through rapid-cycle data analytics and collaborative action. Founded in 2006, their mission is to end preventable morbidity, mortality and racial disparities in California maternity care. CMQCC is composed of a partnership of more than 40 public and private agencies, programs, professional groups, health systems, and universities.

The CMQCC program is well recognized for their education materials that have been widely shared and accessed by organizations world-wide. These resources include:

• Toolkit to Support Vaginal Birth and Reduce Primary Cesareans
• Preeclampsia Toolkit
• OB Hemorrhage Toolkit V2.0
• Early Elective Delivery Toolkit
• White Paper: Cesarean Deliveries

The measurable outcomes at hospitals that have implemented the obsetric bundles and toolkits that have been developed by the CMQCC team have been remarkable. Cesareans have been reduced, significant obstetrical events have gone down, and newborns have been healthier. The toolkits provided by CMQCC are thorough, evidence based and supportive of practice and institutional change to improve maternal and neonatal outomes. They are free and downloadable to any interested party. The programs are able to be replicated at insitutions outside of the collaborative.

CMQCC also produces infographics that childbirth educators may find useful in their classrooms. You can find them here. Science & Sensibility covered one of the infographics - "A Tale of Two Births in CA" here. I also find many of their webinars very useful in understanding best practice and current research. You can view previous webinars here. On January 24th, the next CMQCC webinar will be on the topic of "Incorporating Doulas into Your Hospital Practice." You can register for this webinar and learn more about upcoming webinars here. If you are interested in being kept informed about events, new toolkits, research and educational opportunities from CMQCC, you can sign up on their contact page.

Lamaze International has been lucky to have one of the CMQCC staff members, Christine Morton, PhD serving on our Board of Directors. Both educators and consumers have greatly benefited from Christine's wisdom, perspective and experience during her term on the board.

Christine Morton and Dr. Elliott Main were in West Palm Beach to accept the President's Award in person. It was great to have them represent the organization to our membership. Past President Maria Brooks presents them with the award in the photo to the left.

Lamaze International presented several other awards to recipients at the conference as well. Congratulations to this year's winners:

• Research Award: Wendy Budin, Rn-BC, Phd, FAAN, LCCE
• Media Award: Christy Turlington Burns with Every Mother Counts
• Elisabeth Bing Award: Sharon Dalrymple, Rn, BN, Med, LCCE, FACCE

Dr. Morton stated on behalf of the CMQCC organization that they feel it is an honor to work with each other and with the amazing volunteer clinicians and their funders who contribute to CMQCC's many projects to reduce preventable maternal mortality and morbidity. They are very gratified by the results we have seen but we know we still have room for improvement!

CMQCC wants you to know that The CMQCC Maternal Data Center is a valuable resource for California hospitals to track their progress on quality improvement projects around topics such as obstetric hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and supporting vaginal birth. Our work with the California Department of Public Health to address maternal mortality also shows that the combined efforts of many organizations and individuals can produce positive results.

When I asked what is the secret of the success of this organization and their results, Dr, Morton shared Dr. Main's words - "Collaborate. Collaborate. Collaborate. With as many stakeholders as possible. It is only through working together that we can make, and sustain, meaningful improvements to maternal and infant health."

If you are aware of deserving individuals or organizations that would fit into orne of the award categories, look for information closer to next year's conference on how you can make a nomination to be considered for the 2017 awards.

Once again, much congratulations to the team at the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative on producing such effective work with outstanding results that is improving the lives of families and babies every day.

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