About the Office on Women’s Health 

The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is 

the government’s champion and focal point for women’s health issues. OWH works to redress inequities 

in research, health care services, and education that have historically placed the health of women at risk. 

The Office on Women’s Health specifically works to promote women’s health through: 

1. Coordinating DHHS Women’s Health Activities: OWH serves as the coordinating office for 

women’s health initiatives across the agencies of DHHS, including the National Institutes of 

Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC), and other agencies and offices. 

2. Public/Private Partnerships: OWH brings together federal departments, the scientific 

community, professional organizations, and consumer groups to support and advance women’s 

health issues. 

3. Health Promotion and Outreach: OWH develops, coordinates, and monitors communication 

efforts to bring women in every region of America reliable information on a myriad of health 

topics. It also develops mechanisms to give consumers and the private sector a voice in women’s 

health policy. 

4. Health Care Innovation: OWH promotes the development and implementation of model 

initiatives in communities all over the United States to address the health needs of women across 

different ages, cultures, and races/ethnicities, including issues such as how women receive care 

and how health care practitioners are educated on women’s health. 

5. Health Disparities: OWH promotes comprehensive and culturally appropriate prevention, 

diagnostic, and treatment services for women across the lifespan, as well as the integration of 

culturally appropriate practices in medical education and research. 

6. Regional Support: OWH supports Regional Women’s Health Coordinators (RWHCs) and 

provides staff support in each of the 10 regions of DHHS. The RWHCs coordinate activities to 

promote a greater focus on women’s health issues at the regional, state, and local levels, including 

programs in preventive service delivery, research, and the education of the public and health 

professionals. RWHCs identify regional needs in high-priority health areas, establish networking 

relationships, and implement initiatives that address regional women’s health concerns. 
1. COORDINATING DHHS WOMEN’S HEALTH ACTIVITIES 

HHS COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH 

The HHS Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health was established in 1983 to advise the Assistant 

Secretary for Health (and in 1993, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women’s Health)) on 

current and planned activities across DHHS that would safeguard and improve the physical and mental 

health of all women in the United States. The Coordinating Committee is chaired by Dr. Wanda K. Jones, 

the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women’s Health). The Committee’s members include seniorlevel representatives from each of the federal agencies and offices within the Department of Health and 

Human Services. 

DIABETES TOWN HALL 

A Diabetes Town Hall is being sponsored by the HHS Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health, with 

major financial support from OWH. The event will take place on May 20, 2003, in Washington, DC. The 

objectives are many: 

to raise awareness and focus attention on diabetes and women; 

to review current scientific knowledge about approaches to prevent, reduce, or delay onset, 

morbidity, and mortality of diabetes and its complications; 

to describe HHS’ commitment to the prevention, treatment, control, and cure of diabetes through 

the discussion of programs, partnerships, and plans; and 

to serve as a forum to strengthen partnerships and identify collaborative opportunities. 

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 

OWH is the chair for the DHHS Steering Committee on Violence Against Women. OWH is responsible 

for coordinating DHHS’ response to issues related to family and intimate partner violence. The Steering 

Committee meets every other month. Other members of the Committee represent leaders within DHHS 

who have expertise in a multitude of issues, including domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, child 

abuse and neglect, elder abuse, substance abuse, mental health, minority health, and women’s health. 

BREASTFEEDING 

The effort to develop DHHS’ first-ever policy on breastfeeding was coordinated by OWH, and several 

organizations in the medical, business, women’s health, advocacy, and academic communities provided 

input. The HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding (Blueprint) was released in October 2000, with a 

special endorsement by the U.S. Surgeon General. The Blueprint recommends that women breastfeed 

exclusively for the first 46 months of a baby’s life, preferably 6 months. The full text of the Blueprint, 

breastfeeding publications, and resources are available online on the National Women’s Health 

Information Center (NWHIC) website at http://www.4woman.gov/Breastfeeding/. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 2 of 15 
OWH will incorporate the recommendations of the HHS Blueprint for Action into a National 

Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign. OWH was chosen by the Ad Council for a comprehensive 3-year, 

public service campaign, which will result in $40 million of free advertising on television, radio, 

newspapers, and magazines to promote breastfeeding among first-time parents (mothers and fathers) 

who would not normally breastfeed their baby. The media campaign will be launched in the winter of 

2003. 

The campaign’s primary goal is to increase awareness among these parents that breast milk is the best 

nutrition for babies during the first 6 months of life. Its secondary goal is to assure the public that 

breastfeeding is normal, desirable, and achievable. The campaign has two objectives, both of which are 

based on Healthy People 2010 objectives: 1) to increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their 

babies in the early postpartum period to 75 percent; and 2) to increase the proportion of mothers who 

breastfeed their babies in the 6 months following birth to 50 percent by the year 2010. 

WOMEN’S HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT 

OWH established the Federal Interagency Working Group on Women’s Health and the Environment in 

1994, with representatives from all agencies of the federal government. In June 1999, the Working 

Group decided to focus for the next three years on six issues regarding the role of environmental factors 

on women’s health. These high-priority areas include asthma, autoimmune diseases, reproductive 

health, pesticides, dietary supplements, and breastfeeding. The Working Group continues to update its 

Inventory of Activities, which can be found on NWHIC’s website at 

http://www.4woman.gov/nwhic/env/. 

A Task Force subcommittee has developed and implemented the Complementary and Alternative 

Menopausal Study (CAMPS). CAMPS has two objectives: (1) to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, 

beliefs, and practices of women, ages 45 and older, with regard to menopause and conditions related to 

menopause; and (2) to include in its research efforts an assessment of environmental influences, such as 

pharmacological, behavioral, and alternative therapies and practices. This study was conducted in 

Florida, Minnesota, and Tennessee through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Results of the study will be published in the peerreviewed journal Menopause in the fall of 2003. 

HHS WOMEN’S HEALTH TIME CAPSULE INITIATIVE 

In FY2002, OWH served as the coordinating agency for the HHS Women’s Health Time Capsule 

Initiative. Working with other Departmental agencies to ensure HHS spoke with one voice, a document 

was created to highlight the “significant accomplishments in women’s health during the past century.” 

The full text of A Century of Women’s Health: 1900—2000 can be found on OWH’s web site at 

http://www.4woman.gov/TimeCapsule/index.htm. 

In addition, a time capsule was created, which contained more than 70 items documenting how 

preventive health efforts and health communications evolved and improved over the last century, as well 

as items that have improved women’s quality of life, information on state-of-the-art diagnosis and 

treatment of the diseases that most affect women today, and personal articles that demonstrate women’s 

continued interest in beauty and body image. The time capsule was placed on the campus of the National 

Institutes of Health (NIH). It was registered with the International Time Capsule Society and archived at 

NIH. It is scheduled to be opened in the year 2100. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 3 of 15 
In March 2003, OWH received a tentative inquiry from the Maryland Women’s History Project to 

include the site of the time capsule in its Guidebook. This book currently notes more than 150 historic 

sites throughout the state that reflect the contributions of Maryland women of diverse backgrounds. The 

Guidebook, developed by the Maryland State Department of Education, also includes a list of suggested 

activities for classrooms and communities and a Resource Directory. 

2. PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS 

HIV/AIDS 

OWH receives funding from the Minority AIDS Initiative Program at DHHS to develop the following two 

demonstration projects to address persistent gaps in the HIV/AIDS health care needs and services for 

women. 

The Incarcerated and Newly Released Women with HIV/AIDS/STDs Program funds 

demonstration projects to build a continuum of health care and support services for incarcerated and 

newly released minority women living with HIV/AIDS/STDs. Three contracts were awarded in FY2002 

to the following organizations: Action for Boston Community Development Corporation (Boston, MA); 

Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS (St. Louis, MO); and The Empowerment Program (Denver, CO). In 

FY2003, this program expects to offer three new awards. 

The Model Mentorship Program for Strengthening Organizational Capacity Program funds 

demonstration projects for mentorship between minority health organizations and women-based 

organizations or AIDS service organizations (ASOs) or both. Both mentoring partners receive funding. 

Programmatic, administrative, fiscal, and technical assistance is provided to expand organizational 

capacity to provide HIV/AIDS services. 

Through mentoring, small organizations become better prepared to operate their agencies and 

implement successful HIV/AIDS programs independently. 

Three contracts were awarded in FY2002 to the following organizations serving as mentors: Center for 

Health Policy Development (San Antonio, TX); Los Angeles Shanti Foundation (Los Angeles, CA); and 

Institute for Successful Leadership (Orlando, FL). Five contracts were awarded in FY2002 to the 

following organizations: Pathway Behavioral Health Services (Miami, FL); HEROES (Columbia, LA); 

New Vision Community Development Corporation (Darlington, SC); Women’s Resource Center 

(Columbus, SC); and Hope Action Care/Mujeras Unidas Contra el SIDA (San Antonio, TX). In FY2003, 

this program expects to offer nine new awards. 

OWH also funds the HIV/AIDS and Women in the Rural South Program. This program funds 

demonstration projects for women-based and community-based organizations in the rural South to 

provide HIV/AIDS prevention education to women living in the rural South. Three contracts were 

awarded in FY2002 to the following organizations: HEROES (Columbia, LA); Columbus Wellness 

Center (Columbus, GA); and South Carolina African-American HIV/AIDS Council (Columbus, SC). In 

FY2003, this program expects to offer three new awards. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 4 of 15 
The HIV/AIDS and Young Women Pilot Program is a national HIV/AIDS/STDs and violence prevention 

education program targeted at minority women ages 1825 years. It was developed to increase their 

knowledge of HIV and violence prevention and to reduce their risk of contracting HIV. To initiate this 

program in FY2003, OWH has collaborated with the National Black Women’s Health Project, Inc., in 

Washington, D.C., a national organization devoted to improving the health of the nation's African 

American women and girls. 

LUPUS 

The Office on Women's Health has re-energized its efforts to reach as many people affected by lupus as 

possible through its Lupus Awareness Project. Research statistics have shown that people living in lower 

income households, women of color, and those living in rural areas without access to medical specialists 

are more likely to go undiagnosed, incur more damage due to the disease, and have less access to 

appropriate medications and treatments. 

OWH has developed new program initiatives to 

provide educational sessions for the general public in cities that have a high minority population 

that is affected by this disease; 

provide strategies for the management of this disease by afflicted individuals and their families; 

and 

present critical scientific sessions for health care providers who treat individuals with lupus. 

In FY2002 and FY2003, OWH provided funding support for the Health Resources and Services 

Administration-Bureau of Primary Health Care, Office of Minority and Women’s Health’s (HRSABPHC/OMWH) Collaborative on Lupus Program. The program has been designed according to the 

successful format developed by HRSA for other chronic diseases in collaboration with community health 

centers throughout the country. This program encompasses the “train the trainer” method of educating 

health care providers in community health centers. Contracts have been awarded to the Arizona 

Association of Community Health Centers, New Jersey Primary Care Association, Mississippi Primary 

Care Association, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Ohio Primary Care Association, 

and Tennessee Primary Care Association. 

In FY2003, OWH provided funds to NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) for a lupus 

awareness conference. A “State of the Science” Seminar on Lupus will be convened at NIH in 

collaboration with ORWH in Fall 2003. The latest information on lupus research, diagnosis, care, 

treatment options, and prognosis will be presented at this scientific session. 

OWH provided funds to the Lupus Foundation of America in FY2002 to develop a Regional Scientific 

Educational Session for health care providers. It will present disease diagnosis, care, and treatment 

information to health care providers in three regional sessions. The Lupus Foundation will partner with 

their Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter to implement the program. The presentations will be 

reproduced on a CD-ROM, so it can be distributed to other health care providers who were unable to 

attend the sessions. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 5 of 15 
SMOKING 

Following its role in coordinating media for outreach for the Surgeon General’s Report on Women and 

Smoking (http://www.4woman.gov/quitsmoking), OWH established a partnership with the National 

Cancer Institute (NCI) for a "women's cancers initiative." This partnership developed as a result of 

previous activities in which OWH worked with NCI and others on the National Action Plan on Breast 

Cancer: creating patient and provider materials on communicating surgical options to women with 

breast cancer; updating brochures on cervical cancer, reflecting new screening guidelines; and planning 

and co-funding meetings. 

Among other activities in 2003, the OWH/NCI partnership plans to implement recommendations from 

the Women, Tobacco, and Cancer: An Agenda for the 21st Century conference. Attendees considered

translation, health disparities, and global tobacco control as they addressed topics in biology and cancer; 

addiction; epidemiology and national surveillance; interventions for prevention and treatment; 

awareness, risk perception, and communications; community and policy interventions; and global 

issues. 

SPELMAN COLLEGE 

In FY2001, and in response to Congressional direction, OWH awarded funds to Spelman College, a 

historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia. As partners, they developed the Spelman College Health 

and Wellness Initiative. Program goals: To increase the student body’s awareness of African American 

women’s health issues and to improve their physical fitness, nutrition, and spiritual health. 

Comparisons of enrolled participants with non-participants will provide recommendations for further 

use and study. Results of the first full academic year of intervention will be available in the late 

Spring/early Summer 2003. OWH anticipates continuing its support of the program through the 

graduation of this cohort of women in 2006. 

3. HEALTH PROMOTION AND OUTREACH 

NATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER (NWHIC) 

OWH maintains the National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC), which provides health 

information and referrals to consumers of health care services, health professionals, researchers, 

educators, and students. NWHIC, launched in the fall of 1998, offers a single point-of-entry to over 

4,000 publications and 2,000 organizations on more than 800 health topics; over 200 frequently asked 

questions (FAQs); national health education campaigns; a calendar of events; daily women’s health 

news; and online journals and dictionaries. 

In addition, NWHIC features specialty sections by topic area, including healthy pregnancy, violence 

against women, breastfeeding, smoking cessation, and body image. It also features sections for special 

populations such as Spanish-speakers, women with disabilities, minority women, young women, the 

media, and health professionals. In 2002, NWHIC had 4.75 million visitors to the web site, almost 

44,000 calls to the Call Center, and 4,500 e-mails. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 6 of 15 
NWHIC is accessible by toll-free telephone call to 1-800-994-9662 (TDD: 1-888-220-5446) or through 

the Internet at http://www.4woman.gov. Information Specialists are available to answer questions in 

English and Spanish from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. They can provide publications and 

referrals to appropriate organizations. 

In August 2002, NWHIC partnered with La Leche League International to train our Information 

Specialists to help callers with common breastfeeding issues, such as questions about nursing and the 

storage of breast milk. NWHIC can also order free breastfeeding publications and direct users to 

organizations that can provide additional assistance. 

NATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH WEEK and NATIONAL WOMEN’S CHECK-UP DAY 

In 2004, OWH will celebrate the 5th annual National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) from May 9 to

May 15. Created by OWH, National Women’s Health Week is a national effort by an alliance of 

organizations to raise awareness about manageable steps women can take to improve their health. The 

week focuses on the importance of incorporating simple preventive and positive health behaviors into 

everyday life. The week will start on Mother’s Day (May 9) and end on the following Saturday, a time 

when much attention is already focused on women. 

OWH will launch the 2cd National Women’s Check-Up Day on May 9, 2004. Health providers across the 

nation are being encouraged to provide free preventive health services to women on this day and have 

been invited to sign-up as a provider on the NWHIC web site at www.4woman.gov. Women who call 

NWHIC’s toll-free number will be offered a prevention package and assisted in identifying a healthcare 

provider for check-ups, if they do not already have one. This day complements and supports OWH’s 

efforts to promote preventive services for women and furthers President Bush’s long-range initiative to 

expand local health centers serving people without health insurance. 

In 2003, there were over 1,000 events, proclamations and screenings in locations across the country. 

NWHIC’S DAYBOOK 

Produced since 1999, NWHIC’s Daybook is an annual calendar book filled with up-to-date information 

and resources on women’s health. It has become one of OWH’s most popular products, with 320,000 

copies distributed in 2003. Users report keeping their Daybook as a reference even after the calendar 

year has ended because the health information is so useful. 

Each Daybook produced by OWH to date has highlighted prevention, culminating in the 2002 volume. It 

focused on age-appropriate screening exams and preventive services as well as risk factors that should 

prompt the reader to visit a health provider. The “General Screenings and Immunizations Guidelines for 

Women” and the “Recommended Screenings and Immunizations for Women with High Risk Factors” 

are tables developed by OWH. The high demand for them has prompted development of a separate 

publication containing them, A Lifetime of Good Health: Your Guide to Staying Healthy. This document 

has been translated into Spanish and Chinese. 

The 2003 Daybook focuses on the symptoms of common health conditions in women. The book 

encourages the early detection and treatment of disease or illness in order to improve the health 

outcomes of its readers. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 7 of 15 
PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH 

In FY2001, OWH developed a national education campaign to promote healthy behaviors among women 

of color called the Pick Your Path to Health (PYPTH) Campaign. PYPTH offers practical, culturally 

appropriate action steps that women can take to improve their health. 

These steps are organized around 12 monthly themes: spirituality, physical activity, weight management, 

alcohol use, mental health, health care access, drug abuse, family, disease prevention, violence 

prevention, tobacco use, and responsible sexual behavior. 

Through public/private partnerships, the campaign’s materials are distributed to local neighborhood 

groups and local media that are trusted by minority women. The information can then be transformed 

into formats and messages most appropriate for those individual communities. 

Educational materials and additional information on this campaign are available on NWHIC’s website at 

http://www.4woman.gov/pypth/index.htm. 

To help remind women of these simple steps to better health, OWH first created four pocket calendars 

targeted to African American, Latina/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska 

Native women. In response to feedback from state and regional women’s health coordinators, OWH then 

developed new pocket planners for 2003 that are specific to rural women and disabled women. 

In January 2003, OWH launched 13 pilot, community-based, Pick Your Path to Health programs. These 

programs are located in every region of the country. Each program uses the PYPTH campaign model to 

educate, empower, and motivate women to take simple and practical action steps to increase the quality 

and years of healthy life. They include the Boston Black Women’s Health Institute; Delaware Valley 

Community Health, Inc.; North Carolina Primary Health Care Association in partnership with the 

Lincoln Community Health Center; and Santa Fe Women’s Community Health Center, among others. 

NATIONAL BONE HEALTH CAMPAIGN 

The National Bone Health Campaign (NBHC), entitled “Powerful Bones. Powerful Girls,” was launched 

September 2001 in Washington, DC. The NBHC is a multi-year national campaign to promote optimal 

bone health in girls 9 to 12 years old, and thus reduce their risk of osteoporosis later in life. The goal is to 

educate and encourage girls to establish lifelong healthy habits, especially increased calcium 

consumption and physical activity to build and maintain strong bones. In addition to girls 9 to 12 years 

old, the campaign will target adults who influence them, including parents, teachers, coaches, youth 

group leaders, and health care professionals through websites and materials. Visit the campaign’s 

website at http://www.cdc.gov/powerfulbones. 

The NBHC has used the media extensively, including television, radio and print ads, as well as Internet 

sites. As of March 2002, there have been 14,767,293 references in the media to the NBHC and over 

500,000 items have been distributed to the public. This campaign is a unique public/nonprofit 

partnership among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DHHS OWH, and the 

National Osteoporosis Foundation. As a result, many organizations and agencies have partnered with 

the NBHC. For example, the Girl Scouts of America have developed materials and a video for the target 

population. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 8 of 15 
WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH CAMPAIGNS 

Recognizing the devastating impact of heart disease on women, OWH continues to partner with 

organizations to develop programs to stem the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Additional 

information on the Heart Health programs listed below is available through the National Women’s 

Health Information Center (NWHIC) at its web site, www.4woman.gov, or its Call Center at 1-800-944-

WOMAN or TDD, 1-888-220-5446. 

For Your Heart, located at www.4woman.gov, is an interactive web site that uses questions to help a user 

analyze her current cardiovascular health behavior. Then it provides personalized stories about 

improving one’s cardiovascular health, messages that are tailored for women of color. The messages are 

based on a proven theoretical model called the 5 Stages of Change (pre-contemplation, contemplation, 

preparation, action, and maintenance). 

To complement the For Your Heart web site, a notebook and home video has been developed for 

African-American women in collaboration with the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA). The 

notebook and video are entitled For Your Heart: A Guide to Healthier Living for African-American 

Women. In addition, a video with the NBNA has been developed to promote the For your Heart website. 

This video features public service announcements from Miss Virginia, who had a heart attack at the age 

of 17. All these tools serve as teaching aids. Nurses are provided with user-friendly health education 

materials about cardiovascular disease, so they can distribute them to their patients while discussing risk 

factors for cardiovascular disease. 

OWH is in its third year of partnering with the Sister to Sister Foundation to sponsor their annual 

Women’s Heart Day. The Foundation expanded its reach to include the American Heart Association as a 

national partner. Events in 2003 took place on February 21 in four cities: Washington, DC, New York, 

Philadelphia, and Chicago. Women’s Heart Day is a high-energy, interactive health fair-style event with 

more than 40 exhibitors; free screening; healthy cooking and fitness demonstrations; children’s 

activities; giveaways such as airline tickets and cruises; and four panel discussions on stress, heart 

disease, fitness and nutrition. 

For the Generations project, OWH is partnering with the Association of Black Cardiologists’ (ABC)

Center for Women’s Health to adopt a popular church-based approach to heart education that will 

reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity among women. Historically, in African-American 

churches, pastors’ wives have played a pivotal role in the growth and nurturing of the congregation. By 

partnering with pastors’ wives, known as the “first ladies” of the church, OWH will gain access to, and 

the support of, a new audience. Leaders in cardiovascular medicine and women’s health, as well as ABC 

and OWH, will actively serve on planning committees and speakers’ bureaus hosted by the “first ladies.” 

The program is being pilot-tested in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Mississippi, and Chicago, with 

the intention of expanding into five additional cities in 2003. Although Generations is a church-based 

program, it is highly adaptable to other arenas, such as African-American sororities, professional 

organizations, and other community-based organizations. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 9 of 15 
The Women’s Health Institute of Howard University, in conjunction with OWH as a participating 

sponsor, recently presented a conference entitled “Health Issues and Concerns of Women of Color: A 

Call to Action III.” This conference provided a forum for health professionals and community 

representatives to present relevant research, service, and prevention models on cardiovascular disease 

for ethnically and culturally diverse women. Conference topics included alternative therapies, culturally 

sensitive information on behavior/lifestyle modification, pharmacologic interventions, and strategies to 

reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. 

OWH funded two projects of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses 

(AWHONN): 

the revisions of their cardiovascular guidelines, which focus on the prevention and diagnosis of 

heart disease in women; and 

the conducting of two train-the-trainer sessions for nurses in the application of these guidelines. 

OWH supports Women Heart, an organization focused solely on women’s heart health, in their efforts to 

develop a web-based resource for the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women. The program 

will be modeled after the National Cancer Institute’s Physician Data Query system for people diagnosed 

with cancer. To date, no such system exists that is specifically tailored to diagnosing heart disease in 

women. 

OWH developed a Working Group on Women’s Cardiovascular Health in May 2001. The Working Group 

created a partnership with the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) called “Take Charge of Your 

Heart Health.” It seeks to educate women about heart disease, its risk factors, and the importance of 

early detection and proper treatment through national television and radio public service campaigns. 

OWH’s Working Group has also developed a partnership with the National Heart Lung and Blood 

Institute (NHLBI) on its women’s “Heart Truth” Campaign, taking an active role in supporting this 

effort. Training and education materials for both healthcare providers and members of the community 

will be disseminated. Public-service billboards and exhibits are also an integral part of the education 

campaign. In addition, OWH will promote the campaign through its National Centers of Excellence in 

Women’s Health (CoEs). 

OWH is also assisting NHLBI by disseminating educational materials on their Heart Attack Alert 

Campaign, entitled “Act in Time,” through OWH’s National Centers of Excellence. 

EATING DISORDERS EDUCATION CAMPAIGN 

OWH sponsors the BodyWise Eating Disorders Educational Campaign, which focuses on middle-school 

educators and health care providers. The goal of the program is to increase awareness and knowledge of 

eating disorders, including their signs and symptoms, steps to take when concerned about students, and 

ways to promote healthy eating and reduce preoccupation with weight and size. An information packet is 

available that includes materials emphasizing the links among healthy eating, positive body image, and 

favorable learning outcomes. Some materials are targeted to specific racial and ethnic groups. 

Information is available on the NWHIC web site (http://www.4woman.gov). 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 10 of 15 
WWW.4GIRLS.GOV WEB SITE 

OWH developed and launched a new web site, www.4girls.gov, in June 2002. Its mission is to promote 

healthy, positive behaviors in girls between the ages of 10 and 16. The site motivates girls to choose 

healthy behaviors by providing information on fitness, nutrition, stress management, relationships with 

friends and family, peer pressure, suicide, drugs, self-esteem, and other topics in an interactive, userfriendly format. 

The web site contains the following six modules: Becoming a Woman, Fit for Life, You Are What You 

Eat, Mind Over Matters, Choosing Not to Use, and Putting It All Together. 

The 4girls.gov web site also features a Parent/Caregiver section that provides lists of publications, 

organizations, and web sites that influential adults can use to help address the issues that face adolescent 

girls. Furthermore, the site’s Disability and Chronic Illness section provides tips to help girls with 

disabilities cope with maturing into women while being chronically ill. 

OWH plans to expand the 4girls.gov web site. New sections will be developed on negotiation skills, 

violence against girls, leadership skill development, depression, and obesity. These sections will target 

young women between the ages of 15 and 18 with health messages that are critical to nurturing healthy 

behaviors. 

MENOPAUSE RESOURCE GUIDE 

OWH has compiled and annually updates a Menopause Resource Guide that highlights federal agencies, 

organizations, newsletters, and books dedicated to the improvement of the health of menopausal 

women. It is available both from OWH and through NWHIC’s website at 

http://www.4woman.gov/owh/pub/factsheets/menoguide.htm. 

4. HEALTH CARE INNOVATION 

NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 

OWH has designated 19 National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (CoEs) in academic health 

centers across the United States and Puerto Rico to establish and evaluate a new integrated health care 

system for women. The CoE model unites women’s health research, medical training, clinical and 

preventive care, public health education, community outreach, and the promotion of women in academic 

medicine around a common mission: to improve the health status of women across diverse ages, 

races/ethnicities, and backgrounds. 

OWH held its first National Forum in November 1999 to highlight the accomplishments of the CoEs, an 

event that was attended by representatives of nearly one-half of the nation's academic health centers. 

The National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health Second National Forum was held on May 13-14, 

2003. Findings from a comprehensive two-year qualitative and quantitative evaluation study were 

recently released. They indicated that, compared with women seen in other settings, women seen in CoE 

facilities are more likely to have age-appropriate preventive screenings and counseling. In FY2003, these 

data will be compared to similar surveys already conducted by the Veterans’ Administration Women’s 

Health Centers. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 11 of 15 
NATIONAL COMMUNITY CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 

In September 2000, OWH established the National Community Centers of Excellence (CCOEs), a 

program designed to integrate health services at the local clinic-level and community hospital-level with 

research and public outreach. The CCOE model will coordinate all aspects of a woman’s health 

throughout her lifespan, including actively managing the socioeconomic and cultural barriers that too 

often prevent underserved women from accessing and receiving high-quality health care. 

The CCOE program provides recognition and funding for community-based programs that unite 

promising approaches to women’s health across six components: health services delivery, particularly 

preventive services; training for lay workers and professional health providers; community-based 

research; public education and/or outreach; leadership development for women; and technical 

assistance to other communities that want to replicate the program. OWH has awarded 12 five-year 

grants to establish the National Community Centers of Excellence. Evaluation of the models established 

at these 12 diverse sites is underway. 

CENTERS OF LEADERSHIP IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE 

In response to the need for a more comprehensive national mentoring program to encourage 

institutional efforts in this area and to develop strategies to overcome the institutional, economic, and 

organizational barriers to mentoring programs, OWH established four Centers of Leadership in 

Academic Medicine (CoLs) in September 1998: MPC Hahnemann University School of Medicine, East 

Carolina University School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, and the University 

of California at San Diego School of Medicine. The four CoLs are demonstration projects to promote 

gender equity in medicine and leadership advancement of junior faculty. 

The CoL Program is a direct response to recommendations made by the National Task Force on 

Mentoring for Female Health Care Professionals, which was convened by OWH to lower career barriers 

traditionally faced by women in academic medicine. The Task Force was composed of representatives 

from health professional organizations and federal agencies, which requested the creation of a 

comprehensive national program. Concrete recommendations were developed to promote a national 

commitment to the importance of mentoring for both men and women in academic medicine. A 

manuscript highlighting the elements of the CoL program was published in Academic Medicine in 2001. 

Furthermore, the CoLs have had over 120 publications and presentations since their inception. The CoLs 

now serve as experts on leadership, academic promotion, and mentoring. They also provide suggestions 

and comments to the National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (CoEs) and other interested 

academic medical centers in the United States. Lessons learned have been incorporated into the 2003 

performance-based contract solicitation for new Centers of Excellence. 

DIRECTORY OF RESIDENCY AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS 

DHHS OWH is deeply committed to improving medical education and training for health care 

professionals on women’s health issues. To that end, the Directory of Residency and Fellowship 

Programs in Women’s Health was developed to foster increased awareness among the general public and 

health care professionals about established programs in the expanding field of post-graduate training in 

women’s health. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 12 of 15 
For over 7 years, the Directory has been provided to medical schools and the general public upon 

request. Thousands of copies have been distributed nationally and internationally. To date, there are 

over 9 residencies and 14 fellowships in women’s health. A manuscript examining the role of the federal 

government in these training programs has been published in the Journal of the American Medical 

Women’s Association. Copies of the Directory are disseminated through OWH’s website at 

http://www.4woman.gov/owh/resfel. 

5. HEALTH DISPARITIES 

MINORITY WOMEN’S HEALTH PANEL OF EXPERTS 

OWH has created a Minority Women’s Health Panel of Experts comprised of expert health professionals 

representing the African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American and Pacific 

Islander, and Hispanic/Latina communities. This panel serves as a resource for OWH on two fronts: (1) 

on developing strategies that address diversity in health needs and inconsistencies in health care 

delivery for women across our country; and (2) for ensuring that the concerns of minority and 

underserved women are addressed in OWH programs and initiatives. The panel was created after a 

series of national conferences on the health issues of minority women, including OWH’s conference,

“Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Partnerships to Improve Minority Women’s Health.” 

WOMEN’S HEALTH WORKING GROUP OF THE UNITED STATES/MEXICO BINATIONAL 

COMMISSION 

OWH plays a pivotal role in the Women’s Health Working Group of the United States/Mexico Binational 

Commission. The Binational Commission was established in 1981 as a forum for meetings of Cabinetlevel officials from the United States and Mexico. The Women’s Health Working Group first met in 1996, 

defining six priority areas: migrant health, tobacco/smoking prevention with an emphasis on 

adolescents, women’s health, aging issues, substance abuse, and immunization. Staff members in OWH 

also maintain contact with women’s health representatives in the Mexican Ministry of Health and in 

states bordering the United States and Mexico. 

MOBILE BREAST CARE FACILITY 

OWH was integral to the transfer of the mobile breast care facility from the Department of Defense to 

the Indian Health Service (IHS). The facility has been installed at the Tuba City, Arizona, IHS campus, 

where it is serving the women of the Navajo Nation. It provides comprehensive women-focused services, 

including digital mammography. The results of the mammographies are read in real-time by health 

professionals at the University of Arizona in Tucson. OWH is currently working with the Indian Health 

Service and outside partners on a similar model for the Aberdeen service area. 

6. REGIONAL SUPPORT 

OWH supports Regional Women’s Health Coordinators (RWHCs) in each of the 10 regions of DHHS 

across the United States and its territories. The RWHCs chair regional advisory committees on women’s 

health; advise Regional Health Administrators on women’s health priorities; provide information and 

technical assistance; share information and resources with federal and state agencies, local 

communities, and the public; convene conferences and workshops; support the capacity building of 

minority women’s organizations; and participate in local, state, regional, federal, and international 

activities to advance the mission of the Office on Women’s Health. 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 13 of 15 
More information on the Regional Women’s Health Coordinators can be found on the NWHIC website 

at http://www.4woman.gov/owh/reg/. 

DHHS/OWH REGIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH COORDINATORS 

Region I 

(CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) 

Laurie Robinson, M.T.S. 

Women’s Health Coordinator 

John F. Kennedy Federal Bldg. Room 2126 

Boston, MA 02203 

Phone: (617) 565-1071 Fax: (617) 565-4265 

E-mail: Lrobinson@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region II 

(NJ, NY, PR, Virgin Islands) 

Sandra Estepa, M.S. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

26 Federal Plaza, Room 3835 

New York, NY 10278 

Phone: (212) 264-4628 Fax: (212) 264-1324 

E-mail: sestepa@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region III 

(DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV) 

Rosa F. Myers, A.R.N.P., M.S.N. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

150 S. Independence Mall West, Ste. 436 

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499 

Phone: (215) 861-4637 Fax: (215) 861-4623 

E-mail: rmyers@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region IV 

(AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN) 

Annie Brayboy Fair, M.P.H., M.S.W.

Women’s Health Coordinator 

61 Forsyth St., S.W., 5B95

Atlanta, GA 30303-8909 

Phone: (404) 562-7904 Fax: (404) 562-7899

E-mail: afair@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region V 

(IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) 

Michelle Hoersch, M.S. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300 

Chicago, IL 60601 

Phone: (312) 353-8122 Fax: (312) 353-7800

E-mail: mhoersch@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region VI 

(AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) 

Charlotte Gish, C.N.M., M.S.N. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

1301 Young Street, Suite 1124 

Dallas, TX 75202 

Phone: (214) 767-3523 Fax: (214) 767-3209

E-mail: cgish@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region VII 

(IA, KS, MO, NE) 

Joyce Townser, R.N., B.S.N.

Women's Health Coordinator 

601 East 12th Street, Room 210 

Kansas City, MO 64106 

Phone: (816) 426-2926 Fax: (816) 426-2178 

E-mail: jtownser@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region VIII 

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) 

Laurie Konsella, M.P.A. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

1961 Stout Street, Room 498 

Denver, CO 80294-3538 

Phone: (303) 844-7854 Fax: (303) 844-2019 

E-mail: lkonsella@opophs.dhhs.gov

Region IX 

(AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam, 

Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana 

Islands, Palau)

Kay A. Strawder, J.D., M.S.W. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

50 United Nations Plaza, Room 327 

San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone: (415) 437-8119 Fax: (415) 437-8004

E-mail: kstrawder@osophs.dhhs.gov

Region X 

(AK, ID, OR, W) 

Marian Mehegan, D.D.S., M.P.H. 

Women's Health Coordinator 

2201 Sixth Avenue, M/S RX-29 

Seattle, WA 98121 

Phone: (206) 615-2024 Fax: (206) 615-2481 

E-mail: mmehegan@osophs.dhhs.gov 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 14 of 15 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... 

Office on Women’s Health 

Wanda K. Jones, Dr.P.H., Director 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women’s Health) 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

200 Independence Ave, SW, Room 712E 

Washington, DC 20201 

Tel: (202) 690-7650 

Fax: (202) 401-4005 

National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC)

1-800-994-WOMAN (1-800-994-9662) 

TDD: 1-888-220-5446 

http://www.4woman.gov/

Last updated: October 2003 

About the Office on Women’s Health – Page 15 of 15