Health care for women and girls remains unequal, says SAMSHA administrator

Today's health-care system doesn't make sense to Nelba Chavez, PhD, administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

It doesn't make sense, for example, that one out of every four women has been raped or physically assaulted by her partner.

It doesn't make sense that, by age 13, more than half of American girls are unhappy with their bodies.

Nor does it make sense that the incidence of AIDS has tripled for women, while it's decreased for men.

And it doesn't make sense that drug use is down among adolescent boys, but it's swelling among girls.

Speaking at APA's 1999 Annual Convention as part of the miniconvention "Critical Issues for Women in the Next Millennium," Chavez underscored the need for psychologists to break through the barriers that impede equal health care for women and girls.

"We need a system that focuses on women," she said. "Every girl needs to get the message that she is unique, she is valuable and she can succeed."

Overcoming barriers is nothing new to Chavez, who was appointed by President Clinton in 1994 and is the first Hispanic to head a U.S. health-care agency. In her short tenure so far, she has fostered several far-reaching programs for women and girls, including Girl Power, which educates girls about health issues and encourages them to take charge of their own health. She was also the mastermind behind the June Women's Health Conference, in Washington, D.C., which brought together policy-makers from 14 federal agencies to discuss critical health issues for women.

But those efforts are just a start, particularly when it comes to substance abuse prevention and treatment, she said.

"In this country, there are programs for a 28-year-old man to get treatment for marijuana abuse, but there aren't any for 12-year-old girls," she said. "We're looking at this."

Psychologists can play a fundamental role in addressing such concerns by working with their communities to apply for SAMHSA funds, Chavez said. The agency has a $2.5 billion budget, most of which is given to the states through bloc grants to fight substance abuse. A smaller proportion of grant money is earmarked for mental health programs.

"We know that many problems are regional," said Chavez, "so we're asking communities to come together with their councils and mayors to propose programs that focus on the key issues in their communities. All of us can make a contribution to this [to improve health care for girls]."

After her presentation, APA's Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, recognized Chavez as "one of the true champions of women" and presented her an award on behalf of the APA Women's Program Office and Committee on Women in Psychology. The award honors Chavez for her "steadfast commitment to addressing women's unique mental health and substance abuse needs."

--S. Martin

A PA Women's Programs Office and the Committee on Women in Psychology gave awards to several outstanding leaders in women's health during its miniconvention, "Critical Issues For Women in the New Millennia." Awards went to: