HHS Actions to Protect Conscience Rights of Americans Following comments submitted by NACN-USA and many other organizations in November and December (see below), in January 2018 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced: Two major actions to protect life and conscience rights of Americans: New guidance to state Medicaid directors restoring state flexibility to decide program standards. The letter issued rescinds 2016 guidance that specifically restricted states' ability to take certain actions against family-planning provider that offer abortion services. HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a new [...]

HHS Removing Barriers to Participate in HHS Programs Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RNChair, Ethics & Spirituality Committee NACN-USA in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop and other organizations provided comments on Removing Barriers for Religious and Faith-Based Organizations to Participate in HHS Programs and Receive Public Funding. The HHS sought comments from faith-based organizations and other interested parties to inform HHS on how it may best identify and remove regulatory or other barriers in order for these institutions to participate in HHS-funded or regulated programs, [...]

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Participants in the 32nd International Conference on the "Addressing Global Health Inequalities. In attendance at the Dicastery meeting were NACN-USA members: Marylee Meehan, RN, MA, NACN President (1996-1998), CICIAMS President Emeritus and Member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers (2011-2017); Dr. Patricia Sayers, DNP, RN, CICIAMS United Nations Representative; Maria Arvonio, BSN, MA(HCE), RN, Northeast Regional Director and Ellen Gianoli, BSN, PHN, RN, Pacific Regional Director. Read the full message here. XXXII International Conference, 16-18 November [...]

HHS DRAFT Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) solicited input to the HHS DRAFT Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 with this message.  Comments are due by October 27, 2017. Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RNChair, Ethics & Spirituality Committee Thank you Dr. Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RN, Chair, Ethics and Spirituality Committee for your excellent work drafting the NACN-USA comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) draft Strategic Plan. 10/23/2017