Please join us for this session to introduce NCCHC's incoming officers, celebrate our 2023 award winners, and learn from our keynote speaker on The Future of Women’s Health in Corrections: Challenges and Opportunities to Make an Impact.

Research indicates that incarcerated women often experience health inequities, especially in reproductive and mental health, with higher burden of adverse outcomes compared to incarcerated men and to the general female population. Factors such as histories of trauma, substance use disorders, mental health conditions, structural racism, and inadequate access to health care exacerbate the challenges faced by this marginalized and often overlooked population.

In this keynote, Dr. Sufrin will explore the challenges facing correctional health professionals in addressing women’s health issues, including legal, social, and medical factors that are distinct to this patient population. She will discuss
potential strategies and recommendations for improving the health outcomes of incarcerated women, especially pregnant and postpartum individuals, including advocating for gender-specific health care policies, implementing  innovative programs to support pregnant and postpartum individuals, integrating trauma-informed care, increasing access to mental health services, and promoting partnerships with community reproductive health providers to enhance care in custody and postrelease. She will also share opportunities for overcoming obstacles, the importance of data collection, and why correctional health is uniquely poised to make a lasting, positive impact on women’s health disparities for today’s patients and the next generation.

Educational Objectives

• Discuss the most common women’s health issues in corrections
• Identify legal, ethical, and clinical challenges to women’s health care in corrections
• Describe the positive impact that correctional health professionals can play in addressing women’s health disparities.