Things to Do: State of Women's Health

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On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Union League of Philadelphia, Lifecycle WomanCare (LWC) will host their second annual health forum on the State of Women’s Health.  The forum will feature keynote speaker Pennsylvania State Senator Judy Schwank and two panel sessions with policymakers, leaders, and experts in women’s health issues.  

At the event health expert panelists and Senator Schwank will discuss important health issues facing women today.  Because 2016 is such a significant election year, participants will focus on the critical impact that public policy has on women and families’ health and well-being.  Topics at the event will include:  integrative care; accessibility and other disability challenges; environmental and occupational health; maternity, lactation and reproductive rights; health disparities; employment accommodations and family and medical leave; violence; midwifery and collaborative partnership models of care; and economic family issues.  

"In an election year such as this, it is critically important to have open dialogue about major issues of health and welfare being faced by women and families today, and bring to light innovative policy approaches that can play a significant role in helping our families," said Kathryn Boockvar, Executive Director of Lifecycle WomanCare.  "This important event brings together some of the nation’s and region’s most innovative thought leaders on these issues, and our unique audience-interactive program allows the audience, as well as the experts, consumers, and practitioners, to interact and participate, in order to identify and deliver the most effective solutions out there."  

LWC, founded in 1978 as a 501c3 non-profit organization, delivers high-quality and empowering women’s healthcare in the greater Philadelphia region.  LWC has served tens of thousands of families and has become a leading hub and a voice for a lifelong and partnership-based approach to healthcare.

The 2016 Keynote Speaker is Pennsylvania State Senator Judith L. Schwank of District 11.  Sen. Schwank is CoChair of the Bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislature's Women's Health Caucus, as well as a member of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee.    

Last year, she spearheaded legislation in key areas impacting women and family health and wellbeing.  These have included addressing the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic; increasing the effectiveness of funding of services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; including postpartum depression as an "at risk" category allowing for early intervention tracking and services; prohibiting surprise balance-billing of unaware patients; and criminalizing former intimate partner internet harassment (“revenge porn”). She also led the PA Agenda for Women’s Health, to promote family-friendly working conditions, economic fairness, healthy lives, and support for victims of domestic violence

In addition, she is a member of Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness,

where she works to ensure the unbiased and fair delivery of justice and application of laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  

The 2016 panelists include:

Breakfast Panel  (8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)

• Marla J. Gold MD, FACP, Dean Emerita and Professor, Drexel University School of Public Health
• Honorable Art Haywood, Pennsylvania State Senator, Fourth District
• M. Christiana Johnson, CNM, MS, FACNM, Director, Professional Practice & Health Policy, American College of Nurse-Midwives
• Vicki Shabo, Vice President, National Partnership for Women& Families
• Nancy C. Sharts-Hopko, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Director, PhD Program, Villanova University College of Nursing

Workshop Panel (10:30 a.m. – noon)

• Peri Jude Radecic, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Rights Network PA
• Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, President, Board of Directors, Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Carol E. Tracy, Executive Law Director, Women’s Law Project

Panel Moderator

• Kathryn Boockvar, JD, Executive Director, Lifecycle WomanCare  

Tickets to the event are $60 for the Breakfast Panel program, and $85 for the full Breakfast Panel, Workshop Panel, and networking sessions, and are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.  Tickets can be purchased at www.lifecylewomancare.org.  Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses and individuals.