Texas prioritizes Women’s Health Week
Texas Health and Human Services Commission encourage women of all ages to care for their health as part of National Women’s Health Week.
National Women’s Health Week is observed nationwide from May 1420 to remind women to make their health a priority, along with raising awareness about women’s health issues. It also serves to educate and highlight ways women can make their health a priority and maintain healthy habits.
The state website, healthytexaswomen. org/, offers free women’s health and family planning services for free to eligible, low-income women, according to HHSC. This includes services such as breast and cervical cancer screenings, as well as contraception and pregnancy testing.
HTW Plus offers benefits focused on treating health conditions that contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality–such as postpartum depression, heart conditions, and substance abuse.
“National Women’s Health Week gives us the opportunity to remind women about the importance of taking care of their health,” said Faith Sandberg-Rodriguez, associate commissioner of Family Clinical Services for HHSC.
Sandberg-Rodriguez said HHSC provides a variety of preventive and treatment options and services to help women stay healthy.
“We are committed to meeting the needs of women and connecting Texans with vital health programs,” she said.
HHSC’s Healthy Texas Women Program, found at healthytexaswomen. org, offers several programs and services that support women and women’s health, which include: The Family Planning Program offers health and family planning services, like cancer screenings, contraception, and pregnancy testing at low or no cost.
The Title V Maternal and Child Health Fee-for-Services (TVFFS) Program and the Primary Health Care Program, which provide an array of primary health care services for low-income adults and children, including services before, during and after pregnancy.
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services for eligible uninsured and underinsured Texas women. This program helps women learn early of breast and cervical cancers in the early stages when treatment is most likely to be effective.
The Medicaid for Breast and Cervical Cancer (MBCC) program offers full Medicaid benefits–including cancer treatments and reconstruction.
Texas WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, works to improve the health of women, infants, and children up to age 5 by providing supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care. Both live and self-paced health, nutrition, and breastfeeding classes are free to the public on the Texas WIC website, https://texaswic.org/online-classes Medicaid for Pregnant Women and CHIP Perinatal offer pregnant women who are eligible free health coverage during their pregnancy, with both programs covering prenatal doctor visits, prenatal vitamins, labor and delivery, checkups and other benefits for the baby after leaving the hospital.
Substance Use Disorder Programs for Pregnant and Parenting Women offer a variety of intervention and treatment options designed to promote stability and help people start their recovery journey through prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support.
Intervention and treatment programs include the Maternal Opioid Misuse model, Pregnant and Parenting Intervention, and Parenting Awareness and Drug Risk Education Services.
Alternatives to Abortion Program provides services and support to prenatal and postnatal women, children, and families by promoting healthy birth outcomes, offering parent education on raising healthy children, child development, and addressing educational and employment readiness barriers.
Alternatives to Abortion providers offer private, confidential counseling and mentoring to women on pregnancy and parenting.
National Women’s Health Week is a weeklong health observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. May 14-20 serves as a reminder for women and girls to make their health a priority.
For more information, check out hhs.texas.gov. Texas residents may dial 211 to learn more about programs and services in general.