On-Demand: New and Innovative Pathways to Train a Diverse Future Lactation Workforce

Tracks: Diversity and Equity, Clinical Skills (Education and Communication)

Communities learn most easily from people from their own culture or from a provider aware of that community’s cultural norms regarding food. Yet, several barriers exist for students and community members to become IBCLCs. In Colorado and many other States, these barriers include both financial cost of coursework and the lack of supervised practice sites. This session will discuss the current lactation workforce and identify the need for training opportunities to prepare the next generation of lactation professionals.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the current lactation workforce and identify the need for training opportunities to prepare the next generation of lactation professionals
• Identify the differences between the demographics of birthing people and the demographics of the IBCLC workforce in Colorado, New Mexico and the U.S. in general
• Evaluate the current availability of culturally appropriate lactation specific education and directly supervised lactation specific clinical practice in Colorado, New Mexico and the U.S. in general
• Formulate a plan for increasing culturally sensitive and equitable lactation education and clinical practice in the geographical area in which they practice

Speakers: 
Jennifer Bolton, PhD, RDN, IBCLC – Professor of Nutrition, MSU Denver Lactation Program
Amanda Ogden – Owner, Adjunct Professor, Expert Lactation and Education, Metro State University
Gina Penka-Corriveau, CPM IBCLC – Faculty, Director, Owner, Lactation Consultant, Midwife, MSU Denver, Community Lactation Access Project, Moonbabies Birth Services

This session qualifies for one (1) hour of R-CERP credit.