The Office on Women’s Health at HHS and Women’s Policy, Inc. to Hold Congressional Briefing on Women’s Health Issues on Monday, April 27

Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, nation’s leading health experts and advocates to celebrate 10 years of advances in women’s health and prevention

WASHINGTON, April 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Join the Office on Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Women’s Policy, Inc. (WPI) to celebrate 10 years of advances in women’s health and prevention with a lunch and wide-ranging discussion among some of the nation’s leading experts and advocates.

The lunch briefing is sponsored in cooperation with Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Mary Fallin (R-OK), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, Reps. Gwen Moore and Kay Granger, Vice-Chairs, and Reps. Lois Capps and Kay Granger, co-chairs of the Women’s Health Task Force.

The event marks the 10-year anniversary of the Office on Women’s Health award-winning Web site and call center, www.womenshealth.gov, a one-stop resource and referral service that has grown from approximately 1 million visitors in 1999 to more than 22 million last year. Mother’s Day on May 10, 2009, kicks-off the 10th annual National Women’s Health Week, a multi-faceted initiative that empowers women to make their health a top priority.

The briefing also will commemorate the recent publication of the Office on Women’s Health comprehensive health reference book, The Healthy Woman: A Complete Guide for All the Ages (November, 2008.) CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent and breast cancer survivor Jill Dougherty wrote the forward and fitness expert Denise Austin contributed a testimonial.

    What:  Congressional lunch briefing and 10th anniversary event to
           celebrate advances in women's health and prevention from the Office
           on Women's Health, including:
           -- The launch in 1999 of the www.womenshealth.gov Web site and
              call center;
           -- The 10th annual National Women's Health Week, which starts
              Mother's Day, May 10, 2009;
           -- The publication of The Healthy Woman: A Complete Guide for
              All the Ages (November, 2008).

    Who:    Featured speakers include:

            U.S.  Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
            Wanda K. Jones, Dr.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for
             Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services(HHS)
            Denise Austin, "America's favorite fitness expert" and
             women's health advocate
            Elena Rios, M.D., M.S.P.H., CEO and President of the
             National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)

    When:    Monday, April 27
             Noon to 1:30 p.m. EDT

    Where:   Rayburn House Office Building, B-338

    Contact: Jennifer Moire, press representative, WPI, at 202.306.1713 or
             jmoire@lyonparkpr.com.

Speaker Bios:

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: A member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005, Rep. Wasserman Schultz serves on the Appropriations Committee, where she chairs the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, and the Judiciary Committee. She recently disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Wanda K. Jones: As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women’s Health) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), Dr. Jones focuses her efforts on eliminating health disparities for women through a variety of programs and initiatives.

Denise Austin: “America’s Favorite Fitness Expert” and women’s health advocate, Denise Austin is a pioneer in the exercise and sports industry.

Dr. Elena Rios: As the president and CEO of the NHMA, Dr. Rios represents Hispanic physicians in the U.S. The mission of the organization is to improve the health of Hispanics.

Moderated by Cindy Hall, President, Women’s Policy, Inc.

SOURCE Women’s Policy, Inc.