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The Office on Women's Health (OWH) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and functions to improve the health and well-being of U.S. women and girls. The main headquarters, from which the OWH operate, is located in Washington, DC with ten other regional women's health coordinators positioned across the country to implement local health initiatives.
The OWH was introduced in 1991 within the DHHS and is directed by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for [Women's] Health (DASWH.) [1] The OWH typically work alongside federal government agencies; associations of health care professionals; tribal organizations; non-profit charities; consumer groups and state, county and local governments. Through funding and contracts with these organisations, the OWH is able to administer various strategies and programmes to improve women's health in America and increase awareness. The Affordable Care Act codified the establishment of an Office on Women’s Health within the Office of the Secretary of HHS, as well as Offices of Women’s Health within four of its agencies: the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). [2]
A number of campaigns employed by the OWH have gained recognition for their work:
The role of local coordinators is to comply with national strategy established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to represent the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health by initiating campaigns in their communities. Other responsibilities include identifying regional needs in women's health and implementing activities in health care service delivery, research, and education. The regions are split up in the following way: [4]