http://www.davmembersportal.org/chapters/id/17/default.aspx
~ Veteran News ~
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(
The event will feature the showing of the
documentary movie “Private Combat – Police Intervention for Veterans in
Crisis”. Following the movie will be a short presentation from VA staff on the
science behind PTSD and what PTSD is. Concluding the evening will be a question
and answer period with two local veterans from the War on Terror.
The intention of the event is to educate and
help community members understand veterans so they can welcome veterans back
into society more effectively upon returning home from deployment.
The event is free and open to the public.
Parking will be provided in the
For more information about the event contact
Josh Callihan, Public Affairs Officer at (208)
422-1054 or by email at Joshua.callihan@va.gov .
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DAV Chapter 17 Presents
Check to Idaho Veterans Home
Chapter Commander Rich Appleton and Jim Breslin, Chapter Service Officer & Treasurer presented
a check from DAV Jim McNamar Chapter 17 of Mountain
Home for the TV's for Vets Program to Phil Hawkins, volunteer activities
coordinator for the Idaho State Veterans Home in
TVs for Vets goal is to provide a new, flat
screen, 32" TV set for each resident, along with headphones and wall
mounts. The Veterans Home provides care
and residence for veterans and spouses of eligible veterans who can no longer
live independently as a result of age, illness, or disability. Many of them have hearing loss, poor
eyesight, and limited ability to move around outside their rooms, and the TVs and
headphones will allow them to enjoy their own entertainment preferences without
inconveniencing other residents.
DAV Chapter 17 presents check to Idaho Veterans Home
“The DAV motto is Building Better Lives for
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DAV added two brand new vans to the nationwide
fleet with the donation this summer to the Boise VA Medical Center. Every day, on highways all across
_______________________________________________________________________
Call for Volunteer Drivers
The DAV van program serves communities all
across southern
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DAV Auxiliary Expands
Eligibility
The Auxiliary (DAVA) partners with the DAV
in their mission of service to disabled veterans and their families with the
goal of assuring benefit entitlement and compassion for disabled veterans. Nearly all patriotic American citizens can
now join the DAVA. All extended family of
an active duty service member or any relative of a member of the DAV or any
veteran who served honorably or their extended family are eligible for
membership. With nearly a
quarter-million members, the DAVA has programs in Americanism, Community
Service, Junior Activities, Legislative, and VA Voluntary Services as well as
local area partnership efforts with DAV chapters. To get an application, call 1-877-426-2838,
ext. 2068 or sign up on-line at:
http://www.davmembersportal.org/chapters/id/17/default.aspx
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VA to
"This new
In 2005, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System
was designated a
The $98.8 million contract was awarded to
Walsh/DeMaria Joint Venture V of Chicago, Ill., on
Sept. 30. Construction is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014. The
three-story facility will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) silver equivalency.
This will be VA's first and only
The center will also have an outpatient
physical therapy/occupational therapy clinic, an outpatient physical medicine
and rehabilitation clinic, and clinical programs for Operation Enduring
Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans. In addition to the new
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New Veteran’s Primary Care
Clinic in Salmon Idaho
The Boise VA Medical Center is currently constructing
a new veteran’s primary care clinic in Salmon,
The new clinic will be located at
Construction of the new clinic is estimated
to be completed by October of 2011. The clinic plans to begin seeing primary
care patients as early as January 2012.
Currently, the Boise VA Medical Centers’
Gary Moore, LCSW operates a small behavioral health clinic in Salmon,
Staffing challenges remain the most
difficult issue preventing the clinic from opening prior to January 2012. Efforts are being made to hire staff to serve
in the Salmon VA Clinic; and other efforts are also being made to rotate staff
from
The Salmon VA Clinic will also utilize tele-health resources to treat veteran patients.
Tele-health resources allow the veteran to access VA care in the Salmon VA
Clinic while talking to a provider in
It is expected that the Boise VA Medical
Center will use tele-health tools as an interim
solution to staffing challenges. As the
need for VA services increases over time in Salmon, the Boise VA Medical Center
will match those needs with the appropriate resources needed for treating
veteran patients.
In order to access the Salmon VA Clinic,
veterans must first enroll and become eligible for VA health services. Veterans
who wish to enroll may walk-in or contact the Boise VA Medical Center Office of
Enrollment and Eligibility via telephone at 208-422-1096, 1220, or 1224.
More information about an opening ceremony
for the Salmon VA Clinic will be sent out and shared with the Salmon community
in the near future.
# # #
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VA Launches Open Source
Custodian
"We developed our open source strategy
to engage the public and private sectors in the rapid advancement of our EHR
software, which is central to the care we deliver to Veterans and servicemembers and to our joint EHR collaboration with the
Department of Defense," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki. "With the launch of OSEHRA, we begin the implementation of our
strategy and we look forward to the creation of a vibrant open source EHR
community."
As part of the initiation of OSEHRA
operations, VA has contributed its current EHR, known as
Individuals and organizations interested in
participating in OSEHRA (www.osehra.org) are invited to join through the
community website. Established as an independent non-profit corporation during
its initial phase of operation, OSEHRA is putting in place the framework and
the tools that will enable the public sector, private industry, and academia to
collaborate to advance EHR technology.
Draft documents describing key framework
components, such as the design of its code repository and the definition of its
software quality certification process, are available on the OSEHRA community
website. Community feedback is welcome as the OSEHRA team finalizes these
designs in preparation for launch of full technical operations this fall.
The design of OSEHRA is being led by The
Informatics Application Group (tiag) under a contract
awarded by VA in June 2011.
Moving to an open source model invites
innovation from the public and private sectors. It is an important element of
VA's strategy to ensure that VA clinicians have the best tools possible, and
that Veterans receive the best health care possible.
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Over $2.2 Billion in
Retroactive Agent Orange Benefits Paid to 89,000
On August 31, 2010, the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) amended its regulations to add ischemic heart disease,
hairy cell leukemia and other chronic B-cell leukemias,
and Parkinson's disease to the list of diseases presumed to be related to
exposure to Agent Orange.
"As the President said to the
American Legion yesterday, VA is committed to ensuring Veterans and their
families receive the care and benefits they have earned," said Secretary
of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "I encourage all potentially
eligible Veterans to apply as soon as possible to preserve the most favorable
effective date for payments."
For new claims, VA may authorize up to one
year of retroactive benefits if a Veteran can show that he or she has
experienced one of those conditions since the date of the regulatory change.
VA has reviewed, and continues to review,
thousands of previously filed claims that may qualify for retroactive benefits
under a long-standing court order of the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of California in Nehmer vs. U.S. Veterans
Administration.
"VA encourages survivors of Veterans
whose death may be due to one of the three diseases to file a claim for
dependency and indemnity compensation," added Under Secretary for Benefits
Allison A. Hickey.
Secretary Shinseki's decision to add these
conditions to the list of Agent Orange presumptive conditions was based on a
study by the
Potentially eligible Veterans include those
who were exposed based on duty or visitation in
States.
The Agent Orange Claims Processing System
website located at https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/ may be used to
submit claims related to the three new presumptive conditions.
The website makes it easy to electronically
file a claim and allows Veterans and their physicians to upload evidence
supporting the claim. It also permits online viewing of claim status.
Beyond the three new presumptive
disabilities, Veterans may file online at VA's My-eBenefits
web site at: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal.
They can check the status of their claim with a premium account (confirming
their identity), and use a growing number of online services.
Servicemembers may
enroll in My-eBenefits by using their Common Access
Card at anytime during their military service, or before they leave during
their Transition Assistance Program briefings.
Veterans may also enroll through their myPay or MyHealtheVet accounts by
visiting their local VA regional office or Veteran Service Organization, or by
calling 1-800-827-1000.
For more information about Agent Orange presumptives and disability compensation, go to
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/.
For questions about Agent Orange, Veterans may call VA's Special Issues
Helpline at 1-800-749-8387 and press 3.
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VA Posts Online List of
Ships Associated with Presumptive Agent Orange Exposure
An updated list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard
ships confirmed to have operated on
"Posting of the ships list is an
important recognition of the sacrifices U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Veterans made
for this Nation," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
"It provides an easier path for Veterans who served in
VA presumes herbicide exposure for any
Veteran with duty or visitation within the country of
In practical terms, Veterans with qualifying
For questions about Agent Orange and the
online list of ships, Veterans may call VA's Special Issues Helpline at
1-800-749-8387 and press 3.
When a claim is filed by a Veteran,
surviving spouse or child, VA will determine whether the Veteran qualifies for
the presumption of exposure based on official records of the ship's
operations. Ships will be regularly added to the list based on
information confirmed in these official records.
Even if a Veteran is not filing a claim, a
Veteran may conduct his or her own research and submit scanned documentary
evidence such as deck logs, ship histories, and cruise book entries via email
to 211_AOSHIPS.VBACO@va.gov.
Service on board ships anchored in an open
water harbor, such as
The Agent Orange Claims Processing System
website located at https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/ may be used to
submit claims related to the three conditions added to the list of Agent Orange
presumptives last year (Parkinson's disease, hairy
cell and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and ischemic
heart disease).
This website makes it easy to electronically
file a claim and allows Veterans and their physicians to upload evidence
supporting the claim. It also permits online viewing of claim status.
Veterans claiming other conditions may file
online at VA's My-eBenefits web site at: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal.
They can check the status of their claim with a premium account (confirming
their identity), and use a growing number of online services.
Servicemembers may
enroll in My-eBenefits using their Common Access Card
at any time during their military service, or before they leave during their
Transition Assistance Program briefings.
Veterans may also enroll through their myPay or MyHealtheVet accounts,
by visiting their local VA regional office or Veteran Service Organization, or
by calling 1-800-827-1000.
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VA Reaches Out to Veterans
to Explain Upcoming Changes to GI Bill
Encourages Veterans to Visit VA Website to Learn More
General Allison Hickey, Under Secretary for
Benefits, said "The Post 9/11 GI Bill is incredibly important because it
reduces the financial burdens of higher education so that Veterans have an
opportunity to achieve their education goals. VA believes it is important
for Veterans to be aware of changes to the GI Bill this year and learn more about
how these changes may affect them."
"It's hard to believe how far we have
all come with the Post-9/11 GI Bill the past two years," stated General
Hickey. "Today, more than 537,000 students have received over $11.5
billion in GI Bill benefits to help them take charge of their future."
Upcoming changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill
effective August 1, 2011 include paying the actual net cost of all public
in-state tuition and fees, rather than basing payments upon the highest
in-state tuition and fee rates for every state; capping private and foreign
tuition at $17,500 per academic year; and ending payments during certain school
breaks, to preserve Veterans' entitlement for future academic
semesters. Also, certain students attending private schools in select
states can now continue to receive benefits at the same rate payable during the
previous academic year.
Beginning October 1, 2011, eligible
individuals will be able to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill for programs such as
non-college degrees, on-the-job training, and correspondence courses, and they
will be eligible to receive a portion of the national monthly housing allowance
rate when enrolled only in distance learning courses.
VA is implementing the latest round of
changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill and has already begun processing fall 2011
enrollment certifications. Outreach by VA has helped to increase
participation by colleges and universities in the Yellow Ribbon program, which
helps students avoid out-of-pocket costs that may
exceed the benefit. Today, more than 2,600 schools are participating in
the Yellow Ribbon program.
"VA is committed to ensuring Veterans
have the information and tools they need to succeed," General Hickey
concluded.
Complete information on the Post-9/11 GI
Bill is available at: www.gibill.va.gov. VA's education information phone
number is: 1-888-GIBILL-1. For ongoing benefit information, Veterans and Servicemembers can log into the VA eBenefits
website: www.eBenefits.va.gov. To ask a question in a secure e-mail, use the
"Ask a Question" tab at: https://www.gibill2.va.gov/cgi-bin/vba.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php.
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VA Launches New Prevention
Initiative to Serve 22,000 Veteran Families at Risk of Homelessness
"This new homeless prevention program
will provide additional comprehensive support to Veterans who have served
honorably, and now find themselves in a downward spiral toward despair and
homelessness," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. "This
program expands our capacity to act before a Veteran becomes homeless and to
target the problem of family homelessness. These grants would not have been
possible without the extraordinary partnerships forged with community
organizers who are firmly committed to making a positive difference in lives of
Veterans and their families."
The SSVF Program, a critical element of VA's
plan to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans, will promote housing stability
among homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. Under the SSVF
program, VA awards grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer
cooperatives that can provide a range of supportive services to eligible very
low-income Veteran families. Supportive services include outreach, case
management, assistance in obtaining VA benefits, and assistance in obtaining
and coordinating other public benefits. Grantees will also have the ability to
make time-limited temporary financial assistance payments on behalf of Veterans
for purposes such as rent payments, utility payments, security deposits and
moving costs.
More information about VA's homeless
programs is available online at http://www.va.gov/homeless <http://www.va.gov/homeless> . A list of award recipients and details about the
Supportive Services for Veteran Families program are available online at http://www1.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp
<http://www1.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp> .
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New Guide Helps Communities
Aid Homeless Women Vets
by Cheryl
Pellerin, American Forces Press Service
Solis addressed an audience of several
hundred at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Theater on the
grounds of
"Where we're falling short in meeting
the challenge of service women is when they come home," Solis said.
"Too many women who once wore our
uniform now go to sleep in our streets," she added. "It breaks my
heart to see that because many of them are sick [and] in need of help, and many are hungry. And it isn't just them -- some
of them have children."
The publication, called Trauma-Informed Care
for Women Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: A Guide for Service Providers,
also known as the Trauma Guide, is the result of nationwide listening sessions
with women veterans and service providers about the challenges of homelessness.
Women now make up 20 percent of new
recruits, 14 percent of the military and 18 percent of the National Guard and
Reserve.
Women represent only 8 percent of veterans,
according to the guide, but they are at a four-times-greater risk of
homelessness than their nonveteran male counterparts.
The female veteran population is estimated
to grow from 1.8 million in 2010 to 2.1 million by 2036, according to Labor
Department statistics, resulting in a greater likelihood that more women
veterans will need physical and psychological services.
Today, service providers often treat women
veterans using the same methods used for their male counterparts.
"This guide acknowledges the
experiences and challenges facing women veterans," Solis said, "and
will result in better assistance and better outcomes for these deserving
women."
According to the guide, research suggests
that up to 93 percent of female veterans have been exposed to some kind of
trauma, including before they joined the military services. And Defense
Department officials say one in three military women has been sexually
assaulted, compared to one in six civilians.
Women in the military also have different
kinds of problems from those of their male counterparts, the guide says.
"According to a report by
The needs of homeless women vets include
therapy to address the impact of trauma, supportive services, transitional employment
and job training, safe living environments and options for substance abuse
treatment.
For those who provide services to these
women, the principles of trauma-informed care include understanding trauma and
its impact; promoting safety; ensuring cultural competence; supporting control,
choice and autonomy; and understanding that recovery is possible.
"No one," Women's Bureau Director
Sara Manzano-Diaz said, "pays a higher price for
freedom than our veterans and their families and we owe them a debt of
gratitude."
Solis said the new guide isn't just about
the Labor Department.
"I want to thank the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Office of Personnel Management,
the White House and ... all the branches that are here," Solis said,
"because we're all in this together."
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Special Journal Showcases
VA Women's Health Research
"VA has had a longstanding commitment to
improving women's health," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, "This
supplement shows the tremendous progress we've made by making that commitment
to women Veterans a top priority across the Department."
Titled "Health and Health Care of Women
Veterans and Women in the Military: Research Informing Evidence-based
Practice and Policy," the special journal edition, known as a supplement,
features commentaries by VA investigators examining the role, history, and
future of women's health research. For example, in an opening commentary,
Elizabeth M. Yano, Ph.D., and Susan M. Frayne, M.D., discuss
the heightened focus on health services research, with more articles published
between 2004 and 2008-the first four years after VA Office of Research and
Development established its women's health agenda-"than in the previous 25
years combined."
The supplement also includes 18 peer-reviewed
research articles addressing the changing demographics and demands of VA health
care presented by the recent surge of women Veterans into the VA system. Among
the topics addressed are: gender differences and disparities in care; mental
health, including military sexual trauma and substance abuse; post deployment
health, including posttraumatic stress disorder; quality and delivery of care;
and special populations, including homeless women Veterans and those with
traumatic brain injuries.
"With women expected to make up 10
percent of the Veteran population by 2018," said VA Under
Secretary for Health Robert A. Petzel, M.D.,
"our goal of excellence in health care for all of our Nation's Veterans
makes it imperative that we prepare now to meet future demands."
VA Chief Research and Development Officer
Joel Kupersmith, M.D. noted "VA Research is
making a tremendous difference in the lives of women Veterans. The
supplement clearly shows the scope and depth of VA's research portfolio and the
many ways we are working to improve the health of women Veterans."
Women's Health Issues is the bi-monthly
peer-reviewed journal of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health at the George
Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. The
journal focuses on applied research in women's health care and policy
issues. The special supplement, focused on research related to the health
issues of women Veterans and Military women, was sponsored by the Health
Services Research and Development Service, VA Office of Research and
Development with support from the Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care
group. Free full-text access to the supplement's articles can be accessed at
www.whijournal.com/supplements.
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HUD, VA T0 Provide Permanent
Housing And Support To Thousands Of Homeless Vets
This funding, from HUD's Veterans Affairs
Supportive Housing Program
(HUDVASHhttp://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/vash
is a
coordinated effort by HUD, VA, and local housing agencies to provide permanent
housing for homeless Veterans. Read a
complete local breakdown of the rental vouchers announced today
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD-VASH2011Chart.pdf
"Over the past three years, HUD helped
thousands of homeless Veterans find a permanent place to call home while VA
provided medical treatment, case management and other services to address their
specific needs," said HUD Secretary Donovan. "We have no greater
mission than to prevent and end homelessness, especially for those brave men
and women who risked their lives to protect our nation"
"This initiative will strengthen our
ongoing efforts to eliminate Veteran homelessness by 2015 and improve quality
of life for Veterans," said VA Secretary Shinseki. "Working with our
partners at HUD and in Congress, we continue to make good progress to reduce Veteran
homelessness though much work remains. VA is committed to providing Veterans
and their families with access to affordable housing and medical services that
will help them get back on their feet."
"This is a great step forward in our
effort to get veterans off the streets and into permanent housing," said
Senator Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.
"Growing up during the Vietnam War, I saw a generation of soldiers left
behind because they weren't given the support they needed during their
transition home, and I have worked to ensure that veterans today don't face a
similar fate. These vouchers will provide critical support to thousands of
veterans whose needs went unmet for too long, so that they will finally get the
services they need and a permanent place to call home. HUD-VASH vouchers are a
key reason why we are making real progress toward goals to finally end veterans homelessness."
This funding to local housing agencies is part
of the Obama Administration's commitment to end Veteran and long-term chronic
homelessness by 2015.
Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and
End Homelessness http://www.usich.gov/PDF/FactSheetVeterans.pdf
serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and
local agreements to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among
former servicemen and women.
The grants announced today are part of $50
million appropriated for Fiscal Year 2011 to support the housing needs of 6,900
homeless Veterans. VA Medical Centers
(VAMC) provide supportive services and case management
to eligible homeless Veterans. This is the first of two rounds of the 2011 HUD-VASH
funding. HUD expects to announce the
remaining funding by the end of this summer.
Homeless veterans are referred to the public
housing agencies for these vouchers, based upon a variety of factors, most
importantly the need for and willingness to participate in case management.
The HUD-VASH program includes both the
rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management
that VAMC staff provides.
Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH
program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30
percent of their income toward rent. VA
offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its
medical centers across the
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VA Launches Childcare
Pilot
Program Provides Eligible Veterans Childcare While Visiting Health Care Providers
"We know that many Veterans, particularly
women Veterans, are the primary care takers of young children," said
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We want these Veterans to
have the opportunity to access the high-quality health care that VA offers, and
we believe that these childcare centers will make it easier for Veteran
caregivers to visit VA."
The pilot centers are part of VA's
continuing effort to improve access to health care for eligible Veterans,
particularly the growing number of women Veterans. Congress established this
childcare initiative as part of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health
Services Act of 2010 which was signed by the President in May 2010. The
three sites and childcare details include:
*
*
*
All the pilot childcare centers will be
operated onsite by licensed childcare providers. Drop-in services are offered
free to Veterans who are eligible for VA care and visiting a facility for an
appointment.
In a survey, VA found that nearly a third of
Veterans were interested in childcare services and more than 10 percent had to
cancel or reschedule VA appointments due to lack of childcare.
This pilot program will benefit both men and
women Veterans. Development of the pilot program was facilitated by the Women
Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group, which strives to make positive
changes in the provision of care for all women Veterans.
"While the number of women Veterans
continues to grow, they use VA for health care proportionately less than male
Veterans," said Patricia Hayes, Chief Consultant of the VA's Women
Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. "We hope that by offering
safe, secure childcare while the Veteran attends a doctor's appointment or
therapy session, we will enable more women Veterans to take advantage of the VA
benefits to which they are entitled."
Women Veterans are one of the fastest
growing segments of the Veteran population. Of the 22.7 million living
Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of
the total Veteran population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health
care services.
VA estimates women Veterans will constitute
10 percent of the Veteran population by 2020 and 9.5 percent of VA patients.
For more information about VA programs and
services for women Veterans, please visit: www.va.gov/womenvet
and www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.
________________________________________________________________________________
VA Expands Outreach to
Women Veterans
Department Hosts 5th
National Summit in D.C.
"With more women serving in our armed
forces than ever before, this summit is an opportunity to exchange ideas and
focus attention on the issues and concerns unique to women Veterans,"
Shinseki said. "Today, there are over 1.8 million women Veterans of all
eras and one of VA's highest priorities is to continue to expand our services
and outreach to ensure they receive the care and benefits they have
earned."
This is the first time VA will provide
targeted training, education, and collaborative cross training for its staff
responsible for providing services and benefits specifically to women Veterans
and their families. Participants include: women Veterans, women Veteran
advocates from across the nation, active duty women service members (to include
those in the Reserves and National Guard) VA employees who provide care to
women Veterans, and representatives from a multitude of Veterans service
organizations and nonprofit agencies. VA Medical Centers employ
women Veterans program managers; community-based outpatient clinics employ a
women's liaison; and VA regional offices employ a women Veterans coordinator.
"The number of women Veterans using VA
health care has doubled in the last decade," said Patricia Hayes, chief
consultant of VA's Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group.
"This training, coupled with direct feedback from women Veterans, will
enable VA to continue to enhance health care and services to meet their
needs."
Today, over 200,000 women are serving in the
armed forces. About 11 percent of the
In addition, VA also has a multitude of
gender specific services and programs that respond to the unique needs of women
Veterans, including pap smears, mammography, general reproductive health care,
counseling for substance abuse, sexual trauma, depression, and evaluation and
treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For more information about
VA visit the website at www.va.gov and its Center for Women Veterans at http://www.va.gov/womenvet.
________________________________________________________________________________
VA Issuing First Payment To Caregivers
"This is a long-awaited day for many
Family Caregivers who diligently worked to achieve this landmark legislation to
enhance services for Family Caregivers," said VA Secretary Eric K.
Shinseki. "I am proud VA can now offer direct support to the loved
ones who give the Veterans we serve a greater quality of life by allowing them
to remain at home surrounded by family and friends."
Family Caregivers will receive an average
$1,600 in monthly stipend payments. The initial payments will average $2,500
because the first stipend checks are retroactive to the date of
application. The amount of the stipend is based on the condition of the
Veteran and the amount of care they require as well as the geographic location
where the Veteran resides. An additional 80 stipend payments will be
released from the U.S. Treasury on July 8 bringing the total to 176 Family
Caregivers receiving the stipend in July.
"We continue to process and approve
applications on a daily basis" said Deborah Amdur,
VA's Chief Consultant for Care Management and Social Work. "It has been
profoundly gratifying to receive messages from Family Caregivers about the
value of this program."
Since
May 9, nearly 1,250 Caregivers of Veterans who were seriously injured in the
line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, have applied for the Program. A
core caregiver training curriculum is a required component of the
program. This comprehensive training, which was developed by Easter Seals
in collaboration with VA clinical experts, has received many positive comments
from Family Caregivers. In addition to the training, eligible Family
Caregivers can also access mental health services and are provided health care
insurance, if they are not already entitled to care or services under a health
plan.
Veterans may review the criteria for
eligibility and download the Family Caregiver program application (VA CG 10-10)
at www.caregiver.va.gov <http://www.caregiver.va.gov>. The
application enables the Veteran to designate a primary Family Caregiver and
secondary Family Caregivers if needed. Caregiver Support Coordinators are
stationed at every VA medical center to assist with coordinating the training
or assist Caregivers in locating available services.
Support for all Caregivers is also available
via the national Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274. Caregivers of
Veterans from all eras are encouraged to use the Website and Support Line to
learn about more than two dozen supportive services VA offers to Family
Caregivers.
The Boise VA Medical Center has received 8
applications for the Caregiver Support Program since it began. To date 3
caregivers have been trained, completed the home inspection and approved to
receive caregiver benefits.
For more information about the Boise VA
Medical Center, Caregiver Support Program or to apply contact Deb Mueller at
(208) 422-1000 ext. 7840.
________________________________________________________________________________
VA Creates
"We are taking a proactive approach to
enhancing VA health care for women Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We are seeking the input of women Veterans so
that VA can continue to provide high quality health care to the growing numbers
of women Veterans."
Representatives at VA's Health Resource
Center (HRC) are placing calls to women Veterans nationwide, asking them to
share their experiences with VA and suggest potential enhancements that will
further VA's mission to provide the best care anywhere.
Women Veterans are one of the fastest
growing segments of the Veteran population. Of the 22.7 million living
Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of
the total Veteran population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health
care services.
VA estimates by 2020 women Veterans will
constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population and 9.5 percent of VA patients.
The HRC, which started placing calls on June 1, is contacting women Veterans
who have enrolled, but have not begun using VA services.
"Through this contact center, we are
placing friendly, conversational calls to women Veterans," said Patricia
Hayes, chief consultant of the VA's Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care
Group. "We want these Veterans and their caregivers to talk candidly about
why they are not using VA, whether they are aware of the gender-specific
services we offer, and what additional services they would like to see VA
offer."
The HRC representatives making the calls are
also informing women Veterans about the services VA offers and quickly
connecting them with appropriate departments if they are interested in trying
VA health care. Veterans who have complaints about VA are connected to a
patient advocate who helps resolve issues.
VA has trained professionals in all aspects
of women's health, including general primary care, osteoporosis management,
heart disease, mental health care, menopausal services and obesity-related
issues, such as diabetes. Preventive screenings for breast and cervical cancer
are also areas in which VA excels. Soon, all VA facilities will offer comprehensive
primary care for women from a single provider.
The Women Veterans Health Care program has
made significant changes in the last few years to enhance the health care
offered to eligible women Veterans. This progress includes:
* Adopting key policies to improve access and
enhance services for women Veterans;
* Implementing comprehensive primary care for
women Veterans;
* Conducting cutting-edge research on the
effects of military service on women's lives;
* Improving communication and outreach to
women Veterans; and
* Providing mental health, homelessness and
other services designed to meet the unique needs of women Veterans
For more information about VA programs and
services for women Veterans, please visit: www.va.gov/womenvet
and www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.
________________________________________________________________________________
General Allison A. Hickey
Sworn In as Under Secretary for Benefits
"General Hickey is a proven leader with
deep experience and passion, who is dedicated to the welfare of Veterans, their
families and survivors," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki. "With her extensive knowledge, insight, and commitment, I am
confident we will achieve the bold and comprehensive changes that will continue
the transformation of the Veterans Benefits Administration into a 21st century
organization."
As Under Secretary, Hickey is responsible
for a $72.3 billion budget and benefit programs that include compensation and
pension benefits for more than four million veterans and survivors, education
programs including the Post 9/11 GI Bill, home loan guaranties, vocational
rehabilitation and employment services, and one of the nation's largest life
insurance programs.
Hickey, a pilot and aircraft commander, has 17 years of leadership in Department of
Defense (DoD) strategic and transformation planning,
program and resource implementation, public and congressional affairs, and
quality and organizational management.
She served as head of the Air Force's Future
Total Force office, and as Assistant Deputy Director of Air Force Strategic
Planning, leading one of the largest mission and culture change efforts the Air
Force has gone through since its inception.
Additionally, Hickey held the position of
Air Force Future Concepts and Transformation Division Chief, focused on the
integration of technologies, organizations, and operations that became the
model for the Air Force of 2025.
She also brings private industry experience,
leading human capital management as an executive for Accenture in their work
for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and supported operational
business processes for other intelligence community organizations in the areas
of customer relationship management, call center practices, and other 21st
century information technology systems.
"As a recently separated Veteran, I have
firsthand experience with the transition processes that thousands of Veterans
and their families experience every day," said Hickey. "I also
have personal knowledge of the issues and sacrifices made by military
families - including those of our National Guard and Reserve. I am
excited to be part of the VA team focused on serving Veterans."
In addition to her own military service,
Hickey is part of a proud military family. She is the daughter of a
career Army Officer and Vietnam Veteran, Lt. Gen. William J. Hilsman (Ret.). Her mother, Jean Hilsman,
a military mother and spouse, served as a Director and Past President of the
National Military Family Association and as the first Department of Defense
Family Policy Office Director.
Hickey is also the spouse of Col. Rob Hickey
(Ret.), a 30-year active duty Veteran, Guard and Reservist and a current
federal government civilian employee. Hickey and her husband have three
children.
Hickey replaced Acting Under
Secretary for Benefits Michael Walcoff, who has
served with distinction throughout the Veterans Benefits Administration
including positions as Deputy Under Secretary, Associate Deputy Under Secretary
for Field Operations, Deputy Area Director, and Regional Office Director.
He will be retiring from VA after more than 35 years managing the department's
benefits programs and 57 field offices with nearly 20,000 employees.
For more information about VA and the
Veterans Benefits Administration, go to www.va.gov.
________________________________________________________________________________
Muro Sworn In as Under Secretary for
VA's Memorial Affairs
WASHINGTON - Steve L. Muro,
a Vietnam Veteran with leadership experience at every level within the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration, has been sworn in as
Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. Muro has been the Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs since January 2009.
"Working with Steve Muro for more than
two years, I know he has the vision to help transform the Department of
Veterans Affairs," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
"Together with the other men and women of our Cemetery Administration, he
will continue working to serve those who sacrificed for our country, their
families and survivors."
As the senior official for VA's burial
operations and memorial affairs, Muro is responsible for overseeing 131
national cemeteries that provide burial services for military Veterans and
eligible family members. He is responsible for operating and maintaining
VA cemeteries as national shrines and for land acquisition and other activities
related to establishing additional national cemeteries. His responsibility
also includes programs that provide headstones, grave markers, medallions and
Presidential Memorial Certificates for eligible Veterans, as well as federal
grants to help
Starting in 1979 as an automotive mechanic at
VA's
From 2003 to 2008, Muro was the director of
the cemetery administration's Office of Field Programs. During that period, he
twice led that VA administration in achieving the unprecedented American
Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score of 95 percent.
In October 2008, Muro received the
Presidential Rank Award as a Meritorious Executive. Awarded to fewer than
five percent of senior federal executives, the award recognizes exceptional
leadership, accomplishments and service over an extended time period. Also
in October 2008, he was named the Deputy Under
Secretary for Memorial Affairs. He was named Acting Under
Secretary for Memorial Affairs on Jan. 21, 2009.
Muro is a U.S. Navy Veteran who served two
tours in
In the midst of the largest expansion since
the Civil War, VA operates 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and
Veterans with a discharge issued under
conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent
children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Also eligible are
military personnel who die on active duty, their spouses and eligible
dependents. Other burial benefits available for Veterans, regardless of
whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a
burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or
marker. Families of eligible decedents may also order a memorial headstone
or marker when remains are not available for interment.
Information on VA burial benefits can be
obtained from national cemetery offices, from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional
offices toll-free at 800-827-1000. To make burial arrangements at the
time of need at any VA national cemetery, call the National Cemetery Scheduling
Office at 800-535-1117.
________________________________________________________________________________
The Boise VA Medical Center's Research
Department, in collaboration with the
The Idaho Infectious Disease Reporting
Network (IIDRN) is a real-time web-based syndromic
surveillance system for health care providers, public health professionals, and
the general public. It uses VA data and advanced mapping techniques to track,
monitor, and help predict early outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) in
The IIDRN grant project website contributes
to a developing collaborative network that is extremely important for
scientists and clinicians and is a critical tool in the fight against
infectious diseases in
Residents of
For more information about the Idaho
Infectious Disease Reporting Network contact Joanne Mitten, Master of Health
Education at the Boise VA Medical Center, at (208) 422-1000 ext. 3323 or by
email at joanne.mitten@va.gov
.
________________________________________________________________________________
About the
The Boise VA Medical Center and surrounding
Community Based Outpatient Clinics are available to meet the health care needs
of the estimated 100,000 military veterans living in the southern
________________________________________________________________________________
VA Infection Control
Practices Featured in
"This is a landmark initiative for VA
and health care in general," said VA's Under Secretary for Health, Dr.
Robert Petzel. "No one should have to worry
about acquiring an illness or infection from the place they trust to deliver
their care. I am proud that VA is leading the way."
The article reviews a bundle of four
infection control practices that marked a dramatic improvement in preventing
hospital-acquired MRSA infections. MRSA infections are a serious global
health care issue and are difficult to treat because the bacterium is often
resistant to many antibiotics.
The prevention practices consist of patient
screening programs for MRSA, contact precautions for hospitalized patients
found to have MRSA, and hand hygiene reminders with readily available hand
sanitizer stations placed strategically in common areas, patient wards, and
specialty clinics throughout medical centers. The strategy also involved
creating a culture that promotes infection prevention and control as everyone's
responsibility.
"MRSA is a serious threat to patient
health that can be minimized with a few achievable strategies," said Dr.
Rajiv Jain, VA's chief consultant for specialty care services and lead author
of the study. "I am extremely grateful I work for an agency with 152
integrated medical centers across the Nation so these strategies could be
implemented, assessed, and ultimately, shown to work on a vast scale of many
different environments. These results mean better health care for Veterans
and a way for the people they defended to also benefit from this effort in the
future."
"These are the types of results
hospitals should be striving for," said Dr. John Jernigan, chief of the
interventions and evaluation section in the division of healthcare quality
promotion at the Centers for Disease Control. "The bottom line is
that MRSA prevention and control is possible."
More than 1.7 million screening tests for
MRSA were done on Veteran patients during the period reported in the analysis.
VA operates the largest integrated health care system in the
________________________________________________________________________________
VA Begins Process to Create
Open Source Electronic Health Record
Formally Announces Request for Proposal &
Implementation Schedule
"
VA expects to begin conversion to an Open
Source version of
The
"Over the past year, we have followed a
deliberative process to examine the implications of Open Source for
VA
expects that other organizations may commit to VistA
Open Source, and welcomes their participation in the development, use and
governance of
VA Chief Technology Officer Peter Levin, who
helped lead the Open Source initiative, said, "This is a terrific example
of what the Administration means by Open Government: transparent, collaborative and truly
participatory. This is a historic moment
for health care informatics. By moving towards standards-based systems that
incorporate health records and the best that industry and government can offer,
VA will remain at the vanguard of electronic health care delivery."
Hundreds of companies, organizations,
government agencies, universities, Congressional stakeholders, and individuals
advised VA's path towards Open Source via published studies, RFI responses,
meetings or individual comments. In the
best traditions of Open Source, the combined wisdom of this community has
ensured establishment of a much better path than any single institutional
stakeholder could possibly have achieved on its own.
________________________________________________________________________________
Paralympic
Veterans May Qualify for New Benefit
VA's Partnership with
"Our disabled Veterans are models of
courage, resilience and determination," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Eric K. Shinseki. "This new allowance will enable our disabled athletes to
further their recovery by taking part in world-class adaptive sports."
VA officials caution that not all disabled
Veterans will qualify for the subsistence allowance, which will actually be
administered by the U.S. Paralympics.
The allowance will be pegged to VA's
subsistence allowance for participants in a full-time institutional program
under chapter 31 of title 38 of the U.S. Code. Those rates start at $554
per month for Veterans without dependents. The current rate table is
available at www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/sa.htm.
Under
the new rule, VA will pay the allowance to a Veteran with a service-connected
or non-service-connected disability if the Veteran is invited by the U.S.
Paralympics to compete for a slot on the U.S. Paralympic
team or is residing at a U.S. Paralympic training
center for training or competition.
"While in uniform, our service men
and women are continually challenged to push themselves beyond expectations,
both physically and mentally," said Christopher J. Nowak, director of VA's
paralympic program. "Their motivation and
desire to succeed doesn't end with injury. Paralympic
sports allow them to harness their competitive nature and push themselves
beyond any perceived limitations."
Applications for the allowance must be
submitted through the U.S. Paralympics. The VA Paralympics Program Office
will work closely with U.S. Paralympic Committee to
ensure that Veterans who are eligible for retroactive payments are processed in
a timely manner.
__________________________________________________________________
VA Launches New PSA on
Suicide Prevention for Veterans
Confidential Crisis Line Provides 24/7 Access to Help
"As more Veterans return from
The new television spot encourages Veterans
in crisis to call the crisis hotline number at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and then
push 1 on their telephone keypad to reach a trained VA mental health
professional who can assist the Veteran 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Suicide is preventable," said
Batten. "Every Veteran suicide is tragic and regardless of the numbers or
rates, one Veteran suicide is too many. We feel the responsibility to continue
to spread the word throughout the nation that suicide prevention is everyone's
business."
So far, more than 379,000 people have called
the hotline, and more than 200,000 of these callers have identified themselves
as Veterans, family members or friends of Veterans. The hotline has led to more
than 13,000 rescues of actively suicidal Veterans.
The hotline also operates an online Veterans
Chat program, which provides Veterans, their families and friends with the
ability to communicate anonymously online in real-time with a trained VA mental
health professional. Veterans Chat can be accessed through the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline's web page at
http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans/Default.aspx.
Through the hotline and Veterans Chat, VA
can connect Veterans and their families with important services, including
suicide prevention coordinators, as well as general inpatient and outpatient
psychiatric services at VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics.
The hotline, which is part of the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline, was started in 2007 as a partnership between VA
and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The PSA can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/user/VeteransHealthAdmin#p/u/1/PPL7CAHixQE.
__________________________________________________________________
(
The Boise VA Medical Center was one of only
five VA Medical Centers in the nation selected to receive a 5 million dollar
grant and carry the distinction as a
This unique selection required the Boise VA
Medical Center to prove it: has the capacity to change patient care beyond its
own walls; has a strong collaboration internally and between professional
institutions; and has an exemplary clinical and educational environment.
As a
"We are now at the forefront of
identifying state-of-the-art models of care delivery and training multiple
health professionals in those models." said Dr. Scott Smith, Residency
Program Director of Internal Medicine at the Boise VA Medical Center.
Being selected as a
According to a report published by the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009,
Studies have shown healthcare professionals
who are exposed to