Reproductive Health in Crisis? What Workforce Strategies are Needed?
June 18, 2019 | Washington, DC
This Health Equity Summit examined the landscape of reproductive health services and policies that threaten access to appropriate and comprehensive care in the United States. Representatives of various reproductive health institutions focused on pipeline and distribution issues, as well as, the challenges of recruitment and retention of providers. Frontline workforce perspectives included an overview of residency programs focused on integrating and enhancing family planning into training; legislative barriers and the importance of advocacy for reproductive rights in the workplace; and the consequences of restrictive policies on population outcomes.
This Health Equity Summit as a dialogue between reproductive health leaders and the Institute’s leading workforce experts. Dr. Patricia Pittman, Director of the Mullan Institute, and Dr. Candice Chen, Principle Investigator Mullan Institute moderated the panels.
Panelists included:
- Jessica Marcella, VP of Advocacy & Communications, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA)
- Allison Whitney, MPH Director of Strategic Initiatives with the Consortium of Abortion Providers Services, Planned Parenthood
- Amna Dermish, MD, MSc, Medical Director, Planned Parenthood Greater Texas
- Nomsa Khalfani, PhD, Senior VP of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Essential Access Health
- Uta Landy, PhD, National Director, Kenneth J. Ryan Residency Training Program and the Fellowship in Family Planning, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health
- Katherine Simmonds, PhD, MPH, RN, WHNP-BC, Assistant Professor, Track Coordinator of the Women’s Health and Adult Gerontology/Women’s Health NP Specialties MGH Institute of Health Professions
The keynote speaker was Leana Wen, MD, MSc, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which is the nation’s leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care and education.