NCJ Number
229852
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 71 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 120,121,123
Date Published
October 2009
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the organizational structure, programs, and services through which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women's Health (OWH) meets the health needs of incarcerated women.
Abstract
OWH has established 10 national regions with coordinators. Coordinators are charged with "coordinating and implementing national public health initiatives focusing on women's health issues at regional, State, and local levels." This article identifies the regions that have targeted women's correctional health issues as a focus area, and it summarizes the health services each region provides to incarcerated women. The regions identified are Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont); Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin); Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas); and Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska). A separate section of the article describes OWH's funding and technical assistance for a program called The Incarcerated and Newly Released Women With HIV/AIDS/STDs. This program promotes model public/private partnerships that address the health issues of minority incarcerated and newly released women living with HIV/AIDS and/or at increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Each of the OWH-funded demonstration projects is well under way. Community-based providers of comprehensive systems of HIV health support and postrelease support (mentoring, group counseling, and individual encouragement) are in place to offer services. The article's concluding section summarizes the regional cooperative efforts of OWH's National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health and National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health in addressing the health needs of incarcerated and previously incarcerated women. The health services described are offered in Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont); Region II (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands); Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin); and Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). 5 notes