Understanding the Basics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Women's Health Line?
The Women's Healthline is a citywide telephone service that provides information and referrals in English, Spanish, French and Haitian Creole on all aspects of reproductive health. The unique feature of the Women's Healthline is that women who want prenatal care can call and obtain specific appointments. The Women's Healthline was established by the New York City Department of Health as part of a Mayoral initiative to reduce infant mortality and to promote access to care in the city. Towards this end, the Women's Healthline informs women of their options and enables them to gain access to appropriate care. The Women's Healthline has access to the AT&T Language Bank for translation services. In addition, the Women's Healthline is accessible to the hearing-impaired.
What happens when someone calls the Women's Healthline?
Once Women's Healthline staff members determine the reason for the call, they provide information and/or refer the caller to the appropriate agency for more assistance. Over 160 agencies are included in the Women's Healthline resource manual for services such as family planning, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, childbirth preparation, delivery, post partum care, breast-feeding, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, counseling, abortion, and consumer information. All calls are confidential. The Women's Healthline also makes appointments for prenatal care.
How does the appointment system work?
When a woman calls requesting prenatal care services, an appointment is made for her based on her residence, her financial situation, her age, the immediacy of her needs, or her own self determination. After the appointment is arranged, if the woman desires a written confirmation of the date, time, and place, it is mailed to her, along with further information that may assist her in getting to the appointment. Over 60 prenatal care clinics throughout the city are registered with the Women's Healthline appointment system.
Does the Women's Healthline follow up on women?
Yes! Once each week Women's Healthline staff members call facilities to learn whether or not women have kept their appointments. For those women who did not, attempts are made to assist them in overcoming obstacles to receiving care as well as rescheduling appointments, if requested. In addition, the staff follows a sample of the women who did keep their appointments to obtain feedback on various facilities and to determine pregnancy outcome.
What are the Women's Health Line hours?
The Women's Healthline's hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday. After 6:00 pm, and on weekends, a caller will hear a recorded message and is also given an opportunity to leave a personal message.
December 1999
The Healthline number is 311 from any borough--no area code is needed. Please call us!
