Program areas at NWHN
Sponsored Projects - NWHN sponsors projects on issues in keeping with our mission. Sponsored project, Plan C, provides on-line information about the safety and accessibility of medical abortions and how to access abortion pills through the mail. The Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline answers thousands of hotline callers' questions about miscarriage and abortion. The Appalachian Abortion Support Collective provides unbiased information for people who are seeking abortions or abortion information.
Member Services - NWHN members receive quarterly online newsletters, fact sheets, electronic updates, invitations to participate in advocacy campaigns to improve health policy and and periodic mailings with information about important issues in women's health. Member advocacy campaigns have successfully influenced federal and state regulatory and funding decisions. Members also receive renewal notices through the mail.
Policy, Advocacy and Lobbying - The Network provides education to the general public and legislators on women's health issues and concerns. The Network works with organizations to shape legislative outcomes through education, outreach, policy recommendations and mobilizing grassroots engagement. While the Network does some lobbying the main focus of the Network is on education and policy work.
Communication and Outreach - The Network uses various channels of communication, including email, social media, and press releases, to communicate to their members and the general public on topics affecting women's health, including reproductive health, drugs, medical devices, and access to care that meets the needs of women in all their diversities. The Network launched a podcast in 2022, in an effort to reach more people and cover a range of experiences, including infertility, breast cancer, and trans health, focusing not just on medical facts, but also giving voice to the lived experiences of the people participating in the podcast episodes.
Health Program - In 2022, the Network relaunched our Raising Women's Voices project, as the HEALTH Program. The aim of the HEALTH Program is Shifting Paradigms & Shaping Policies from grassroots-to- grass tops to ultimately build up the capacity of organizations to engage in high impact legislative advocacy to influence policy makers. The Network will provide mini grants, as well as organizational training, and host lobbying days for grassroots organizations who work directly with the community on reproductive health and access to healthcare, in an effort to affect change.