Congratulations to CHAMPS hospital South Sunflower County Hospital in Indianola, Mississippi, for becoming Baby-Friendly designated on March 8, 2018! South Sunflower is a smaller hospital with around 250-300 births per year. They have been part of CHAMPS since fall 2014, and began their Baby-Friendl

This week’s CHEER Champion of the Week is Merit Health hospital system (MHHS), for their outstanding progress towards seeking Baby-Friendly designation for their 8 birthing facilities in Mississippi! Each of these CHAMPS facilities is doing excellent work incorporating Baby-Friendly changes and su

This week’s CHEER Champion of the Week is the Silent Warriors Coalition, a group of community members dedicated to fighting drug and alcohol abuse in Blackfeet Nation and creating resources for these addictions and their ensuing problems of suicide, abuse (domestic, elder, sexual, child), and neon

Congratulations to The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, for achieving Baby-Friendly designation on February 6, 2018! The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio was part of the first wave of the CHAMPS South program during 2015-2017, along with 2 other CHRISTUS Health hospita

Congratulations to Maudicella Rodriguez, the 1st place winner of CHEER's "Benefits of Breastfeeding for Child, Mother, Community and Future of Chippewa Cree People" Essay Contest! The essay contest was open to Box Elder High School and Rocky Boy High School students from grades 6-12. Maudicella i

​Congratulations to Beneta Burt, MPPA, Executive Director of Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity, Inc., for her inspiring leadership in making Jackson, Mississippi a healthier place! A one-stop facility for wellness, Mis

​Congratulations to the Blackfeet Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), for launching the first Diabetes Prevention Program in Blackfeet Nation! The Blackfeet DPP, housed at the Southern Peigan Health Center in Browning, Montana, is an evidenced-based program to help people with prediabetes prevent o

Dr. Alfio Rausa, M.D., a public health hero who worked valiantly for half a century to improve the health of Mississippians, passed away at home after several months of illness on January 3, 2018. Dr. Rausa leaves a legacy of dedication to countless public health and community efforts, including his

This week’s Champion is particularly special to us at CHEER. Dr. Suzanne Haynes, PhD, who retired from her position as Senior Science Advisor to the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) at the end of December 2017, is a stalwart pioneer an

Emily Dotson, B.A., Administrative Assistant with Executive Staff Support for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi (BCBSMS), provides assistance to the Medical Director and the Director of Prescription Drug Management. She recently did an excellent job planning and coordinating the Mississipp