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Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans CWV

2. Overview. Congressional MandateOur Mission Our RoleWomen Veterans DemographicsWomen Veterans and Other DemographicsVA Benefits and ServicesComprehensive Primary Care ModelsWhat Women Veterans Tell Us They Need and WantJoint Coordination and Collaboration OutreachHow Women Veterans Can Obtain Local Assistance.

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Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans CWV

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    2. 2 Overview Congressional Mandate Our Mission Our Role Women Veterans Demographics Women Veterans and Other Demographics VA Benefits and Services Comprehensive Primary Care Models What Women Veterans Tell Us They Need and Want Joint Coordination and Collaboration Outreach How Women Veterans Can Obtain Local Assistance VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans 2008 National Summit on Women Veterans Issues White House Council on Women and Girls Study on Vietnam-Era Women Veterans and Others National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study National Survey of Veterans Current Issues Summary-Where We Are Going How to Contact the Center

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    4. 4 Our Mission The primary mission is to oversee VA programs and Services for women Veterans, and assure that women Veterans and receive benefits and services on a par with male Veterans, encounter no discrimination in their attempt to access them, and are treated with respect, dignity, and understanding by VA service providers. The primary mission is to oversee VA programs and Services for women Veterans, and assure that women Veterans and receive benefits and services on a par with male Veterans, encounter no discrimination in their attempt to access them, and are treated with respect, dignity, and understanding by VA service providers.

    5. 5 Our Role The primary mission is to oversee VA programs and Services for women Veterans, and assure that women Veterans and receive benefits and services on a par with male Veterans, encounter no discrimination in their attempt to access them, and are treated with respect, dignity, and understanding by VA service providers. The primary mission is to oversee VA programs and Services for women Veterans, and assure that women Veterans and receive benefits and services on a par with male Veterans, encounter no discrimination in their attempt to access them, and are treated with respect, dignity, and understanding by VA service providers.

    6. 6 Our Role (continued) Educate VA staff on women Veterans contributions – Center staff members have membership on or attend all major Department-wide workgroups, task forces, and committees, and joint federal collaborative committees. Recommend policy and legislative proposals to the Secretary. Coordinate meetings of the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, to include an annual site visit to VA field facilities (health care facilities, regional offices, national cemeteries, domiciliaries, transitional housing). Coordinate the development, distribution, and processing of the ACWV reports.

    7. 7 Women Veterans Demographics Fastest growing Veterans subpopulation. Based on active duty and recruiting numbers, the percentage of female Veterans is projected to increase. Median female Veteran’s age 46 (male – 60). Of the 23.4 million Veterans; approximately 1.8 million are women Veterans and 5 percent of all Veterans who use VA health care services Last year alone, according to VHA, VA experienced a 20 percent jump in the number of women using VA healthcare, compared to 17 percent increase over the previous 6 years combined. The number of women Veterans enrolled for health care is expected to double in the next 5 years.

    8. 8 Women Veterans and Other Demographics Women represent 15 percent of active-duty military members and 15.1 percent of National Guard and 17.7 Reserves Forces (WIMSA data from DoD as of 9/30/09). 20 percent of new military recruits are women. According to Stars & Strips (25 Jan 10), 8 percent of female troops are mothers Women represent over 220,000 of the 1.8 million troops serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The Department estimates that by 2020 women Veterans will comprise 10 percent of the Veteran population. Now 7.7 percent.

    9. 9 VA Benefits and Services VA offers a full continuum of comprehensive medical services including: Health promotion and disease prevention. Primary care, acute medical/surgical, telephone, emergency, education, vocational rehabilitation. Substance abuse treatment, mental health, domiciliary, homeless, rehabilitation and long term care. Women's gender-specific health care, such as hormone replacement therapy, breast and gynecological care, maternity and limited infertility (excluding in-vitro fertilization).

    10. 10 VA Benefits and Services (continued) Other VA benefits of interest to women Veterans include: Children of women Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for health care and compensation for certain birth defects. Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for the loss or loss of use of specific organs or extremities, to include hysterectomy and loss of a percentage of tissue from a single breast, or both breasts due to mastectomy, or radiation treatment. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) counseling and treatment, even without filing a service-connection claim for disability.

    11. 11 Comprehensive Primary Care Models Three potential models of care delivery that will: Better meet the needs of women Veterans Decrease fragmentation Improve continuity The models are flexible: Model 1: General Primary Care Clinic Model 2: Separate, but Shared Space Model 3: Women’s Health Center Understand the population served to tailor the model of Primary Care delivery to each site.

    12. 12 What Women Veterans Tell us They Need and Want Recognition and respect. Employment. Suitable housing. Access to and receipt of high quality health care. Childcare options. Opportunities for social interaction. Want to make a difference.

    13. 13 Joint Coordination and Collaboration Active participation in joint initiatives and workgroups: White House Council on Women and Girls. Congressional roundtable discussions. Federal and military agencies (DoD/DACOWITS, DOL, DOJ, HHS, etc.). Veterans service organizations events. State conferences (in support of State women Veterans coordinators). County and community events. Faith-based and neighborhood partnerships. Policy and legislative groups (such as Women’s Policy, Inc.). Many other women and minority groups.

    14. 14 Outreach Outreach is an important education tool to connect women Veterans and to demonstrate to them that VA values their military contributions. Outreach need to portray and target women Veterans with images, messages and branding in the media. The Center with VA administrations initiated in March: Her Story campaign was held in conjunction with commencement of Women’s History Month (theme is “Writing Women Back into History.”) Goal of Her Story campaign is to encourage VACO and VA field locations to sponsor facility events that would highlight the service of women Veterans and VA’s women Veterans employees. The Center for Women Veterans (CWV) will highlight (weekly) women Veteran employees and (quarterly) highlight a VA facility on its website (www.va.gov/womenvet) that demonstrates creativity, historical bearing and local flare in telling the many contributions of women Veteran and women Veteran employees. Intent is for these events and the recognition to extend beyond Women’s History Month. Her Story will culminate with other commemorations, such as Women’s Equality Day and Veterans Day.

    15. 15 How Women Veterans Can Obtain Local Assistance Full-time women Veterans program managers at every VA healthcare facility; Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group (formerly Women Veterans Health Program Office): www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth/ Women Veterans coordinator at every VA regional office: www.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash-1 Homeless Veterans coordinators: www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/Hmls_Vet_Prog_Coord.asp Minority Veterans program coordinator at every VA healthcare facility, regional office, and national cemetery: www.va.gov/centerforminorityVeterans/

    16. 16 How Women Veterans Can Obtain Assistance VA National Homeless Veterans Call Center 1-877 424-3838 or 1-877 4AID-VET, www.va.gov. Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) VHA plans to utilize the OIF/OEF Call Center to reach out to Women Veterans National Cemetery Administration “webpage outreach to Women and Minority Veterans.” Website: www.cem.va.gov.

    17. 17 Other Resources for Women Veterans National Association of State Women Veterans Coordinators (State Department of Veterans Affairs/Governor’s Office) http://www.naswvc.com/ Women In Military Service For America (WIMSA) www.womensmemorial.org Women’s Policy, Inc. www.womenspolicy.org/ DoD Policy on Prevention and Response to Sexual Assault www.sapr.mil

    18. 18 VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (ACWV) Established by PL 98-160 in 1983; charter renewed every 2 years. Purpose is to provide advice to the Secretary, through Director of Center for Women Veterans, on the needs of women Veterans (1.8 million). Currently 12 Members (diverse group of women and men, representing different military branches, and multiple eras to include 2 OEF/OIF Veterans).

    19. 19 VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (ACWV) – (continued) Key issues from 2008 Advisory Committee report include: Providing behavioral and mental health care in women’s and primary care clinics. Identifying delivery models of health care. Requesting that VBA establish a method to track outcomes of personal assault trauma claims. Providing joint outreach to women Veterans. Enhancing training for providers in women's health. Committee offers rationales for each recommendation. Report submitted to the Secretary on July 1, 2008. Administrations crafted responses to recommendations. Report, to include VA’s response, submitted to Congress September 3, 2008. Committee currently crafting recommendations for the 2010 report.

    20. 20 2008 National Summit on Women Veterans’ Issues Held June 20-22, 2008, Westin Washington DC City Center Hotel to examine issues and recommendations from the 2004 Summit, review VA’s progress on these issues, and provide information on current issues. Over 400 attendees participated to include subject matter experts, Women Veterans, women Veterans advocates, Congresswoman Susan Davis, and others. The Summit included breakout sessions addressing issues impacting women Veterans, a town hall meeting, Health Expo, and showing of the Lioness documentary (as well as meeting the Directors and Soldiers from the film). Hearing on July 16, 2009 – issue raised for a more frequent summit on women Veterans – currently held every 4 years.

    21. 21 White House Council on Women and Girls Established by Presidential Executive Order, March 11, 2009, to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy. Priority Issues: Economic security Work family balance Violence against women Health care Education VA’s contribution includes reviewing its programs for women Veterans and policies affecting VA’s female employees. All agency reports will soon be available on the Council’s Web site: www.whitehouse.gov/administation/eop/cwg/

    22. 22 Study on Vietnam-Era Women Veterans On November 18, 2009, Secretary, Eric K. Shinseki, announced VA's launching of a comprehensive study of women Veterans who served in the military during the Vietnam War. About 250,000 women Veterans served in the military during the Vietnam War and about 7,000 served in theater or near Vietnam.  Purposes of the study include: Evaluate the long-term mental and physical health effects in women who served in the military during the Vietnam Era (July 4, 1965 - March 28, 1973). Assess the prevalence of PTSD, other mental and physical health conditions and disability for women Vietnam Veterans. Compare Women identified as serving in Vietnam, near Vietnam (in Asia during the Vietnam War), and in the U.S. during the Vietnam War to explore the relationship between PTSD and other conditions, and the Vietnam deployment experience. Examine Vietnam women Veterans’ current health care needs.

    23. 23 Study on Vietnam-Era Women Veterans (Continued) Survey will include 10,000 women Veterans and will take 4 years. Initial start up phases began March 22, 2010 which include organizing names and identifying potential participants. Mail survey should be disseminated later this year. VA is currently developing a brochure to provide more information about the study. For more information on the study, please contact Dr. Tracey Serpi, by phone at (410) 642-2411, extension 6122, by email at tracey.serpi@va.gov, or visit: https://www.csp.research.va.gov/csp579.cfm.  

    24. 24 National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study Contracted with Research Triangle Institute in NC, mandated by Public Law 98-160, report date November 7, 1988. Addressed PTSD and other psychological problems in readjusting to civilian life. Some findings: Majority made successful re-entry to civilian life. Prevalence of PTSD: 15.2 % in Vietnam theater male Veterans and 8.5 % in women Veterans who served. Strong relationship between PTSD and other postwar readjustment problems. Interviews with spouses show that PTSD has a substantially negative impact on Veterans, their spouses, children and others living with these Veterans.

    25. 25 National Survey of Veterans National Survey of Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, Activated National Guard and Reserve Members and Family Members and Survivors (NSV). Will collect important health care, benefits, employment, and demographic information that VA will use to inform policy decisions and improve benefits. Participants will be able to select a preferred survey method: through U.S. mail, telephone or a password-protected Internet address.  VA expects approximately 10,000 Veterans to complete the full-length survey.  In addition to assessing awareness levels, the survey results will fulfill a Congressional requirement established in PL 108-454. VA has informed Congress the results of the study will be available by December 2010.

    26. 26 Current Issues VA is reviewing the Advisory Committee’s recommendation to establish a method to identify and track claims involving personal assault trauma. VA is tracking Congressional action on proposed legislation regarding authorization for VA to furnish care to a newborn child of a woman Veteran receiving VA maternity care. Thomas congressional legislative website: http://thomas.loc.gov. VA has made progress regarding VBA’s outreach efforts to inform women Veterans of their entitlement to a Special Monthly Compensation. VA briefed the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on the status of VA’s response to recommendations made in GAO’s report on VA's Provision of Health Care Services to Women Veterans, published March 2010, website: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10287.pdf. 

    27. 27 Summary - Where We Are Going Enhancing joint outreach efforts – a Secretarial priority. Connecting women Veterans with knowledge of VA benefits and services. Promoting recognition of women Veterans’ service and contributions of women Veterans and women in the military. “Her Story” campaign kick-off in March during Women’s History Month. Collaborating with VHA/VBA on personal assault tracking system. Collaboration with White House Interagency Council on Women and Girls to share best practices and cross-cutting initiatives. Educate internal and external stakeholders of VA’s amended motto, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans. Ensure that momentum is Veteran-centric, results driven, and forward looking.

    28. 28 How to Contact the Center Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris, Director Dr. Betty Moseley Brown, Associate Director Desiree Long, Senior Program Analyst Shannon Middleton, Program Analyst Michelle Terry, Program Support Assistant Address: Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans (00W) Washington, DC 20420 Phone: 202-461-6193 Fax: 202-273-7092 Website: www.va.gov/womenvet Email: 00W@mail.va.gov

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