IBLCE at the Congreso Nacional ACCLAM 2024
(Asociación de Consultores Certificados en Lactancia de México A.C.) | |
Alejandra Gutiérrez, MD, IBCLC, sharing information about the recertification process | |
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In February, IBLCE Coordinator for Mexico, Alejandra Gutiérrez, MD, IBCLC, represented IBLCE at the 9th Congreso Nacional ACCLAM 2024 (Asociación de Consultores Certificados en Lactancia de México A.C.) – National Congress ACCLAM 2024 (Association of IBCLCs of Mexico A.C.) in León, Guanajuato, México.
The annual event brings together IBCLCs and healthcare professionals across Mexico and surrounding areas. With approximately 200 attendees in person this year, the event was a dynamic platform for professionals to deepen their understanding of lactation and breastfeeding practices.
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2024 Care Award Recipients to Be Announced in May 2024 | |
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Thank you to all the applicants of the 2024 IBCLC Care Award: 64 hospital-based and 37 community-based applications have been received from around the globe this year!
Recipients of the 2024 IBCLC Care Award will be announced in May 2024. IBCLC Care Award Facilities/Agencies are recognised by IBLCE and ILCA for two years.
Among the benefits to recipients of the IBCLC Care Award are:
- Enhanced attractiveness to potential patients or clients
- Competitive edge in recruiting lactation consultants, nurses, midwives, mother support counsellors, and other staff
- Good will in the community by providing excellent care in helping new families reach their breastfeeding goals
The IBCLC Care Award may be just what you’re looking for—learn more at the Care Award website and begin planning to apply in 2025.
Visit the IBCLC Care Directory for more information on how your Hospital-Based Facility or Community-Based Agency can be added to the ever-growing list of IBCLC Care Award recipients!
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Brief Survey Coming Soon!
IBLCE Seeks to Hear from You! | |
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IBLCE has taken a number of steps over the past several years to strengthen its commitment to the World Health Organization International Code on the Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (WHO Code). However, it has learned as a result of conversations with IBCLCs and those in lactation support from all over the world that there are, at times, somewhat different understandings regarding the subject, particularly with respect to its implementation.
In an effort to gain further insight from stakeholders about this important subject, IBLCE will be disseminating a five-minute survey in the near future to gauge IBCLCs and other lactation support providers’ current understanding of, and interpretation regarding, the WHO Code.
IBLCE highly encourages its stakeholders to participate in this survey and looks forward to hearing from the global IBCLC and lactation support community. This brief survey will be translated into all IBLCE working languages and will be disseminated to those in IBLCE’s database.
Thank you for just five minutes of your time and look for this survey coming soon!
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Commission and IBCLC News | |
Exciting Enhancements to the IBCLC, a Truly Global Credential | |
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As an IBCLC, you are part of an important profession advancing global public health! There are currently over 37,000 IBCLCs in over 134 countries around the world. The IBCLC examination is offered annually in ten (10) languages, with recertification by CERPs supported in an additional seven languages. The IBCLC is nothing short of a truly global credential.
We are always looking for ways to better serve our diverse stakeholders! To that end, there are several exciting enhancements coming soon to improve the customer experience of IBCLCs worldwide:
All Ten Examination Languages Available Now in the Online Credential Management System!
All ten IBCLC examination languages are now available in IBLCE’s online credential management system—including seven newly added languages: Chinese Traditional, Danish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese!
This recent enhancement will streamline the application process and make it easier for candidates in the ten IBCLC examination languages to apply and view their application status right away—without additional processing time!
With the upgrades to the online system complete, applications for the September IBCLC examination and recertification by CERPs in all ten languages are available now in our online credential management system! (We will continue to support recertification by CERPs in an additional seven languages via online form.)
We are thrilled to streamline and improve the application experience for our candidates around the globe!
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Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) Examinations to be Offered in Spanish in September 2024
We are pleased to introduce LRP examinations in Spanish in September 2024! LRP examinations were previously only provided in English by our third-party testing vendor.
LRP allows candidates to take a professional, computer-based test on their own computer equipment in your home, with security and testing practices in place that are similar to that of a testing centre.
Details about taking an LRP examination are currently available in English and Spanish. Candidates planning to take an LRP examination should review this information thoroughly.
Digital Certificates Coming Soon
Based on your feedback from the 2023 IBLCE customer experience survey, IBCLCs overwhelmingly preferred digital certificates to paper certificates that took longer to arrive—and we are excited to be able to offer this new format. Particularly useful for signature lines, LinkedIn and other platforms, this is how you can demonstrate that you hold the prestigious IBCLC!
IBCLC programme staff plans to first issue digital certificates for candidates who pass the April 2024 IBCLC examination. After evaluating and adjusting our process based on this initial group, we will begin to release digital credentials to existing IBCLCs based on their recertification year, including those recertifying in 2024.
Watch for more news regarding digital certificates on our website in the coming months!
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IBCLC Commission Chair Presents at LEAARC Annual Educators Forum | |
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Deborah Schoch, Ph.D., RNC, IBCLC, CCE, CPST, the inaugural chair of the IBCLC Commission, gave a presentation at the annual forum of the Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC).
LEAARC, in partnership with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), accredits academic lactation programmes. Currently, there are ten (10) institutions of higher learning which include CAAHEP-accredited academic lactation programmes.
Dr. Schoch provided a high-level overview of the IBCLC certification programme for online attendees. She outlined how IBCLC subject matter experts (SMEs) together with public stakeholder representatives are involved in all aspects of the IBCLC programme: item and examination development, determination of eligibility and recertification requirements, as well as decision-making with respect to appeals and ethics & disciplinary matters.
The Commission looks forward to offering more presentations moving forward to spotlight its important ongoing work with respect to the IBCLC certification programme.
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IBCLC WHO Code Requirements Coming in 2025 | |
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As shared in previous IBLCE Briefings, beginning in 2025, all candidates certifying, recertifying, or reinstating will be required to take two (2) hours of education specific to the WHO Code.
Both IBLCE as well as the IBCLC Commission continue to work to update their respective policies and procedures to strengthen commitment to the aims of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (WHO Code). At its most recent IBCLC Commission meeting, the Commissioners approved the two hours of WHO Code training for candidates:
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For Initial certification: Candidates are required to earn 95 hours of lactation specific education, including 5 hours of education focused on communication skills. Two (2) of the lactation specific hours should be focused on the WHO Code to meet this new requirement.
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For Recertification by CERPs: IBCLCs choosing to recertify by CERPs are required to submit 75 CERPs, 5 of which are required to be E-CERPs. Two (2) of these five (5) E-CERPs hours should be focused on the WHO Code to meet this requirement.
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For Recertification by examination: Two (2) hours of education focused on the WHO Code must be submitted, along with all other existing recertification by examination requirements.
The Commission is continuing to review IBCLC programme requirements so that the importance of the WHO Code is emphasised for all IBCLC candidates.
Please check the website for more information as it becomes available.
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Monetary Investment for Lactation Consultant Certification® (MILCC®) News | |
Save the Date: MILCC Scholarships Open June 1, 2024 | |
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MILCC provides a variety of scholarships to aspiring or current IBCLCs in support of IBLCE’s Vision and Mission.
Applications for MILCC Scholarships for candidates planning to sit the examination or recertify in 2025 will be open on June 1, 2024. In a change of past procedures, please carefully note that, with the exception of the Dr. Clifton J. Kenon, Jr. Health Equity Scholarships, the MILCC application window will close after 100 applications have been received or by June 30, 2024, whichever occurs first. The CJK Health Equity Scholarships will remain open through June 30, 2024. It is anticipated that five (5) of these health equity scholarships will be awarded.
So, you’ll want to save the date and be among the first to apply!
Applications for the following scholarships will open on June 1:
- The MILCC general scholarship for aspiring and recertifying IBCLCs;
- The JoAnne W. Scott Scholarship, named in honour of IBLCE’s primary founder and for those from peer-to-peer support group backgrounds;
- The Dr. Clifton J. Kenon, Jr. Health Equity Scholarship, established by IBLCE and named in honour of a lactation luminary and former IBLCE Board member, with the goal of promoting health equity;
- The Global Humanitarian Scholarship, the newest scholarship established by IBLCE, designed to provide financial support to those affected by humanitarian crises occasioned by climate change, geopolitical issues, or natural disasters.
Learn more at www.milcc.org!
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MILCC Is Making a Difference! | |
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“First of all, thank you for the opportunity you gave me! Your support is very important to health professionals in Latin America to help them access the IBCLC examination. The MILCC scholarship, by allowing me to take the examination to become an IBCLC, allowed me to access another professional level. My opinions are taken into greater account, and I can propose actions and policies on breastfeeding in my workplace and city.”
—Dr. Claudia Alejandra Fernández, IBCLC, 2023 MILCC Scholarship Recipient, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT) TM News | |
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Looking for Quick Access to Quality Education & Training?
Access the Centre’s Offerings!
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Find these cost-effective educational offerings – with more in store for 2024 – at www.gclt.org: | |
New Offering from the Centre!
Integrating Colostrum Harvesting into Prenatal Support | |
Join us for an in-depth exploration of prenatal colostrum harvesting, a practice that is gaining interest worldwide! With presenter Annabelle Mackenzie, M.A. (Cantab.), IBCLC, we’ll analyse current evidence, identify effective expression and collection methods, and equip you with tools for formulating evidence-based prenatal support protocols for optimal colostrum harvesting.
Including bonus content: Find transcripts, information sheets, and samples you can review as you start your own programme!
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Past Webinars Now Available at the Centre
If you missed the Centre’s limited release webinars from 2023, you have another chance to view these exciting dialogues about important topics in lactation and earn CERPs, including E-CERPs!
| | 1.5 E-CERPs
(Domain VII. Clinical Skills—Ethical and Legal Skills) | | |
1 L-CERP
(Domain V. Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology)
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Educational and training offerings by the Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT)™ are optional and are not the sole way to pursue IBCLC (re)certification.
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This briefing is being translated and will be disseminated in all IBLCE languages in the immediate future. | |
Follow IBLCE on Social Media | | | | |
