News
How Pharmacists Can Better Serve Older Female Veterans
Thursday, February 25, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
One of the results of the Women's Health Initiative indicated women veterans have a 25% greater chance of hip fracture and higher 10-year probabilities for any major fracture compared to civilian women. Dr. Joanne LaFleur and fellow researchers examined data on patients aged 50 to 79 years, 3,719 self-reported as veterans and 141,802 self-reported as non-veterans. She noted that it is important to manage smoking and weight loss, pharmacists can help with focusing on osteoporosis risk,
Hawaii Bill Pushes for Help for Female Veterans
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 | Category: Health Care - Hawaii
Hawaii Office of Veterans Services Director Ronald Han is asking lawmakers to pass a bill to help provide more services to female veterans. In particular, the law would establish and fund a full-time counselor position in the Hawaii Office of Veterans Services focused on female veterans.
From Battle Scars to Badges of Honor: 13 Questions with Paratrooper Bobette Brown
Monday, February 22, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
Military veteran Bobette Brown, a U.S. Army airborne paratrooper, now travels as a motivational speaker, consultant, and transformation consultant. At a "Got Your 6 Storytellers" event in New York, she shared: "You don’t have to look like what you’ve been through. See today, you can choose take your experiences and go from scars to beauty marks. And those battle wounds can become badges of honor. It’s all your decision.” Over time and living life's experiences, she decided not to be "afraid to speak about her wounds...recounting a knee replacement surgery, sexual assault and harassment she experienced in the military or a five-day stretch of sleeplessness from her trauma. Bobette came to the conclusion "that keeping secrets doesn’t do anyone good."
Senator: Fire VA’s Mental Health Director After Suicide Hotline Failures
Sunday, February 21, 2016 | Category: Suicide - National
Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill), Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, wrote a letter to VA Secretary McDonald calling for the firing of the VA's director of mental health after the release of the VA OIG investigative report that substantiated veterans complaints about the VA's Suicide Hotline call center.
Belleville Military Wife to Climb Kilimanjaro to Help Women
Sunday, February 21, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
On March 2, 2016, Leia Johnson will set out March 2 with 14 other women and one man in hopes of reaching the 19,000-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania by March 8, International Women’s Day. The team of climbers wish to highlight the trouble women face in areas of conflict in Syria, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. Leia is also the founder of "Somebody’s Mama," an nonprofit that sponsors women’s empowerment projects around the globe. "Somebody's Mama" collaborates with a sister group "One Million Thumbprints," which also helps women become independent.
Female Veterans to Receive Free Gynecological Care from Board-certified Ob-Gyn
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Category: Health Care - New Jersey
Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Board-certified Ob-Gyn, author and TV medical correspondent, will be providing free gynecological care to female veterans. Dr. Ashton stated: "I read the "Mother Jones" piece and was outraged by the fact that so many of our female veterans do not have access to basic healthcare services. The fact that one-third of VA Medical Centers do not have a gynecologist on staff is appalling. I know that my actions are not a cure to this problem, but I wanted to take some action and I wanted to do something now." Women veterans wishing to make an appointment, please call Dr. Ashton's practice, Hygeia Gynecology at 201-399-2812. Her office, "Hygeia Gynecology," is located in Englewood, New Jersey.
For Fertility Treatment, Wounded Veterans Have To Pay The Bill
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
Matt Keil came home with a "Christopher Reeve'-type injury." The Keils wanted to have children, but they'd need in vitro fertilization. It's a very expensive procedure costing on average at least $12,000 per cycle of treatment, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The Department of Defense health care system covers IVF for wounded service members, but the Department of Veterans Affairs does not due to "Veterans Health Care Act of 1992," Public Law 102-585. Recently, Senator Murray's (WA) "S.469 - Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act of 2015" was blocked as other attempts have been in the past. Fertility clinics around the nation offer discounted IVF rates for veterans self-funding the procedure. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology provides a "Service to Veterans" list of participating clinics at: https://www.sartcorsonline.com/ServiceToVeterans.aspx.
Pa. Senate Approves Task Force to Study Health Care for Female Veterans
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Category: Health Care - Pennsylvania
A Pennsylvania Senate resolution was recently approved to stand up a task force of cabinet-level secretaries, health care experts, and four female military veterans who would focus on the health care needs of their state's 72,000 women veterans. The panel will review how female veterans receive health care, especially for post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or sexual assault or abuse. The impetus for the review was the expected rise in number of women serving in the military, opening up combat positions, and a need to pay more attention to women's health issues. The task force is expected to meet five times and prepare recommendations by the close of 2016.
New affordable Tempe housing complex approved for veterans and families
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - Arizona
The Tempe city council approved the "Valor on Eighth" affordable housing community designed for veterans and their families with a specific focus on serving women veterans. There will be 50 rental units above a 44-space parking area. Much of the project's funding is from $10.6 million in federal low income housing tax credits.
Investigators Say a Suicide Hotline Operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Allowed Crisis Calls to Go into Voicemail and That Callers Did Not Always Receive Immediate Assistance
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Category: Suicide - National
In 2014, the VA suicide crisis hotline received more than 450,000 calls, 40 percent more than 2013. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General report stated that when the Canandaigua, New York, call center is overloaded, calls are redirected to backup centers. About 1 in 6 calls were rerouted and in some cases, the calls went to voicemail. One of the backup center's staff was "apparently were unaware there was a voicemail system." What may have been perceived as anecdotal veteran complaints, were later validated. The Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson stated the VA "agrees with the report's recommendations and is working to modernize the crisis hotline."