Advisory Committee for Women’s Services (ACWS)
The Advisory Committee for Women's Services (ACWS) advises the Associate Administrator for Women’s Services and the SAMHSA Administrator on appropriate activities to be undertaken by the SAMHSA Centers with respect to women’s substance abuse and mental health services.
About ACWS
Under the authority of Section 501 of the PHS Act, the ACWS is a legislatively mandated committee, whose charge is to:
- Advise the Associate Administrator for Women’s Services and the SAMHSA Administrator on appropriate activities to be undertaken by the SAMHSA Centers with respect to women’s substance abuse and mental health services, including services which require a multi disciplinary approach;
- Collect and review data;
- Report biannually to the Administrator regarding the extent to which women are represented among senior SAMHSA personnel;
- Make recommendations for improvement in the participation of women in the SAMHSA workforce; and
- Prepare for inclusion in the SAMHSA biannual report a description of activities of the ACWS, including findings made by the Committee regarding the extent of expenditures made for women’s substance abuse and mental health services by SAMHSA and the estimated level of funding needed for such services to meet the needs of women.
Committee Charter
The Committee is chaired by the Associate Administrator for Women’s Services. Management and support services for ACWS are provided by the Office of Policy, Planning, and Innovation (OPPI).
Committee’s Official Designation
Advisory Committee for Women’s Services (ACWS)
Authority
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Advisory Committee for Women’s Services (ACWS) is required by 42 U.S.C. 290aa(f)(2)(C), section 501(f)(2)(C) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The ACWS is governed by the provision of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 10).
Objectives and Scope of Activities
To advise the Associate Administrator for Women’s Services (AAWS) on appropriate activities to be undertaken by the agencies of the Administration with respect to women’s substance abuse and mental health services, including services which require a multidisciplinary approach. These may include discussion on the development of policies and programs regarding women’s issues; plans to standardize and enhance the collection of data on women’s health, and other emerging issues concerning women’s substance abuse and mental health services.
Description of Duties
The ACWS will collect and review data, including information provided by the Secretary, and report biannually to the Assistant Secretary regarding the extent to which women are represented among senior personnel, and make recommendations regarding improvement in the participation of women in the workforce of the SAMHSA; and prepare, for inclusion in the biennial report, a description of activities of the Committee, including findings regarding: 1) the extent of expenditures made for women's substance abuse and mental health services by the agencies of SAMHSA; and 2) the estimated level of funding needed for substance abuse and mental health services to meet the needs of women.
Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports
The ACWS shall advise and make recommendations to the AAWS, concerning activities carried out by the Agency with respect to women’s substance abuse and mental health services.
Support
Management and support services shall be provided by the Office of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs (OIPA), SAMHSA.
Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years
The estimated annual operating costs for the ACWS, to include travel, meetings, federal staff support, and contracting support, is approximately $217,760.00 and 0.75 fulltime equivalents.
Designated Federal Official
The Assistant Secretary, SAMHSA, shall designate an Agency staff member to serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the ACWS. The DFO will approve or call all ACWS meetings and subcommittee meetings, prepare and approve meeting agendas, attend all ACWS meetings and subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the committee reports.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings
The ACWS shall meet no less than two times during each fiscal year. The location of the meetings of the committee shall be subject to the approval of the AAWS.
ACWS meetings shall be open to the public, except as determined otherwise by the Secretary of HHS (or the designee), in accordance with the Government in Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Notice of all meetings shall be given to the public. In the event a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a report will be prepared which shall contain, at a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses, the ACWS’s functions, dates and places of meetings, and a summary of committee activities and recommendations made during the fiscal year.
Duration
Continuing.
Termination
Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the charter for the ACWS will expire two years from the date the charter is filed.
Membership and Designation
The ACWS shall consist of not more than ten (10) individuals to be assigned or appointed by the Assistant Secretary, SAMHSA, a majority of whom shall be women, who are not officers or employees of the Federal Government. Members shall be from among physicians, practitioners, treatment providers, and other health professionals, whose clinical practice, specialization, or professional expertise includes a significant focus on women's substance use and mental health conditions. Members who are not officers or employees of the United States Government shall serve as Special Government Employees (SGE). The Assistant Secretary shall select the chairperson
A quorum for the conduct of business by the full Committee will consist of a majority (one more than one half) of currently appointed voting members.
The term of a member of the ACWS shall be up to four (4) years. If a vacancy occurs in the advisory committee among the members, the Assistant Secretary shall make the appointment to fill such vacancy within ninety (90) days from the date the vacancy occurs. Initial appointments shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that the terms of the members do not all expire in the same year. A member who has been appointed to serve for a term of four (4) years may not be reappointed to an advisory committee before two (2) years from the date of expiration of such term
Subcommittee
Subcommittees may be established by (with the approval of the DFO) the AAWS. The advice/recommendations of a subcommittee must be deliberated by the parent committee. A subcommittee may not provide advice or work products directly to the agency or any federal official. The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified upon the establishment of each subcommittee and will be provided information on its name, membership, function, and estimated frequency of meetings.
Recordkeeping
Meetings of the ACWS and its subcommittees will be conducted according to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, other applicable laws and Departmental policies. The ACWS and subcommittee records will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records will be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
Filing Date
June 15, 2024
Approved
June 14, 2024
________________________________________________
Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use
Committee Roster
Nima Sheth, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Administrator for Women’s Services (AAWS)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rockville, MD
Valerie Kolick, M.A.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rockville, MD
Kelly Andrzejczyk-Beatty, D.O.
Psychiatrist
Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority
McAlester, OK
Tanisha L. Frederick
Founder
Beautiful As You Are
New Albany, IN
Octavia Harris
Veteran
San Antonio, TX
Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies
Sacramento, CA
Kathryn Icenhower, Ph.D., CEO
SHIELDS for Families
Joanne Nicholson
Professor of the Practice
The Heller School of Social Policy and Management
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
Lavita Nadkarni, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Director of Forensic Studies
University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology
Denver, CO
Jill D. Mays, M.S, LPC
Director
Office of Federal Grant Program and Cultural and Linguistic Competency
Atlanta, GA
Judge Duane Slone
Fourth Judicial District
State of Tennessee
Dandridge, TN
Nomination for Membership
The ACWS membership includes individuals who represent legislatively mandated categories and serve 4-year terms. The membership criteria is described under the ‘Membership and Designation’ section in the ACWS Charter. ACWS accepts nominations on a rolling basis and keeps nomination information on file for up to three years for consideration to fill any vacancies that may occur. Interested persons, who meet the membership criteria, can send their resume with a brief statement of intent to SAMHSA NationalAdvisoryCouncils@samhsa.hhs.gov with subject line “ACWS Nomination."