Raquel D. Arias, Keck School of Medicine of USC associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and associate dean for women, has been honored by the U.S. House of Representatives, the California State Assembly and the County of Los Angeles for her promotion of women’s health.

All three governmental bodies issued commendations to Arias for her work on the Women’s Health Policy Council, a volunteer group that provides guidance to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Service’s Office of Women’s Health.

The council comprises 18 civic and community leaders who evaluate programs and policies affecting women’s health. It also prioritizes scientific, medical, ethical and policy issues related to improving the health status of women and develops a strategic plan for women’s health policies, services and programs.

The County Office of Women’s Health has launched numerous initiatives to help women in the area, among them an effort to prevent cervical cancer and educate women about the disease, which disproportionately affects Latinas, African Americans and Koreans.

Poverty and lack of access to care may prevent women from receiving routine screening, which can save lives.

In other initiatives, the office provides care to uninsured or underinsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer and also has established a mobile program that provides comprehensive health assessments to poor women throughout the county.