Community Partnerships & Engagement

The HMI Community Partnerships and Engagement program in collaboration with the UC San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute's (ACTRI) Center for Community Health (CCH) aims to cultivate collaborative efforts among community leaders, community-based organizations, healthcare professionals, and researchers to champion equitable human milk access for all.

San Diego Human Milk Access Network

Formerly the Community Collaborative 

We are proud to introduce our new name: the San Diego Human Milk Access Network (SDHuMAN). This new identity reflects our commitment to fostering a thriving community where every child and family has equitable access to the benefits of human milk. Guided by an inclusive approach, we aim to raise awareness and promote breastfeeding acceptance through collective action. 

SDHuMAN is supported by an Advisory Group made up of community leaders, healthcare professionals, and researchers who guide the collaborative.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Working Groups Now Forming 

Become part of the change by joining one of our working groups: 

• Breastfeeding-Friendly Environments 
  • Meets every other month on the second Tuesday from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Supports breastfeeding-friendly environments for childcare, worksites, and healthcare.
• Access to Lactation Support 
  • Meets monthly on the third Wednesday from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
  • Building strong community-based referral pathways, assessing lactation needs, and mapping available resources.

Click HERE to join a working group.

Empowered by New Funding 

Thanks to a $150,000 grant from Kaiser Hospital Foundation, we’re advancing key initiatives: 

• Establishing a Community Advisory Board (CAB) 
• Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment 
• Exploring the development of an online lactation support resource directory 
• Providing $30,000 in mini-grants to support local organizations 

The Community Connections project is a collaborative effort between the UC San Diego, ACTRI, Center for Community Health and the UC San Diego Human Milk Institute, working together to advance equitable access to lactation support and human milk. 

Let's work towards a healthier, more inclusive tomorrow!

Workshop 3

Charting the Course: Advancing Infant Feeding Data Measures

This in-person gathering on April 23, 2024 brought together healthcare professionals, community leaders, community-based organizations, and researchers to collaborate and share insights on infant feeding data collection and standardized terms, opportunities for data collection, and how we can use data to increase equity.