News and Events from the Department of Health and Human Services http://www.hhs.gov/news/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:05:39 EST HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of up to $10 million in grants to help reach American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children who qualify for, but are not yet enrolled, in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091119a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091119a.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST “Breaking a cigarette addiction may be one of the toughest commitments anyone can make. It takes a lot of support. But if you’re a smoker, today you’ll have the support of millions of other soon-to-be ex-smokers, if you join them in the Great American Smokeout. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091119b.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091119b.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued the following statement today on new breast cancer screening recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091118a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091118a.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the appointment of new Regional Directors of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091117a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091117a.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST Amid growing concerns about racial, ethnic and language disparities in health care, The Joint Commission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights have released a video, entitled “Improving Patient-Provider Communication,” which supports language access in health care organizations. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091111a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091111a.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST As the nation marks American Diabetes Month, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new report today, Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091111d.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091111d.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST To reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers, the HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of up to $9 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to state survey agencies in 43 states. HAIs are infections some patients acquire when they are in a health care setting such as a hospital or outpatient clinic. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091110a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091110a.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous (IV) antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091105a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091105a.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today called on states and communities to join with HHS to redouble efforts to find and enroll the 5 million children who are currently eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but are not yet covered. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091104a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091104a.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response following just one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, according to initial results from an ongoing clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091102a.html http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091102a.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST