Connecticut Women’s Health Advisory Council

 

The Connecticut Women’s Health Advisory Council (formerly the Connecticut Women’s Health Campaign) is a broad coalition of groups who have been committed to and working for the health and well-being of Connecticut women and girls over their life span. Our mission is:

  • to achieve access to health care for all women and girls in Connecticut;
  • to advance the representation of women at all levels of decision-making, research and service delivery;
  • to promote awareness of women and girls’ health care needs; and
  • to educate the public, especially state policymakers, about these needs.

Guiding Principles

Health care for women should be:

  • Gender appropriate
  • Culturally competent
  • Comprehensive and preventive
  • Universal
  • Confidential

GENDER APPROPRIATE care addresses gender inequities in health care including oppression. It acknowledges differences in clinically effective interventions for women. It should also allow consumers to access an array of practitioners, including midwives and nurse-practitioners. Settings should include those which are community-based and provide safety net services to underserved populations, including women and girls.

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY COMPETENT health care should be responsive and inclusive of diverse populations and differences among clients.

COMPREHENSIVE and PREVENTIVE care must include but not be limited to the full range of reproductive health care, specialty care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, preventive health care, acute and long-term care, and rehabilitative care.

UNIVERSAL coverage should be affordable and accessible for all people.

CONFIDENTIAL care is essential to protect access for all people including, but not limited to minors, people with HIV infection, people seeking reproductive health care, behavioral health services, and survivors of domestic or sexual violence.

Achievements

Some highlights of our accomplishments include:

  • Securing state funding for breast and cervical cancer screening for low-income uninsured or under-insured women
  • Obtaining insurance coverage of at least 48-hour hospital stays for childbirth and certain breast cancer surgeries
  • Expanding access to gynecological services to women with disabilities
  • Expanding family planning services to low-income women through a Medicaid waiver
  • Mandating pharmacies to fill contraception prescriptions