Veterans
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The Department of Veterans Affairs has trained nearly 1,500 providers through its flagship National Women’s Health Mini-Residency Program, one of many training opportunities for VA clinicians to sharpen their women’s health skills.
“We have collaborated throughout VA to develop training that keeps VA providers and staff at the forefront on women’s health issues,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “This training will help VA prepare for the continuing increase in women veterans and the accompanying complexity of their health care needs.”
VA is offering an unprecedented number of creative education opportunities to its health care providers interested in women’s health care.
The training ranges from traditional lectures with direct instruction to online and audio courses.
Several courses target physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners; other courses have sections geared toward wider audiences, including nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and psychologists.
VA’s Employee Education System and VHA’s Simulation Learning Education and Research Network partnered closely with Women’s Health Education to develop the courses.
“Health care providers throughout VA must understand that women have unique health care needs and that different approaches might be necessary to provide the highest quality care to them,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel.
Training programs include:
- The flagship Mini-Residency Program on Primary Health Care for Women Veterans, which has educated nearly 1,500 VA primary care providers using techniques like first-hand practice, lectures, and case discussions. This year, an online e-learning version of the mini-residency has been released as well as a mini-residency program for nurses.
- Monthly Women’s Health Provider Audio-conferences, which are designed to complement the mini-residency program by supplying providers with up-to-date information about important women’s health topics. A new Monthly Women’s Health Nursing Audio-conference Series launched in May 2012.
- Women’s Health Emergency Medicine Course, a series of 10 online modules that use virtual patient scenarios, interactive content delivery, and videos to educate emergency care providers about common women’s health issues in emergency rooms. The first module was released this year and an additional three are slated for release this summer.
- Women’s Health Simulation Equipment and Videos enable health care providers at VA facilities nationwide to get hands-on training in breast and gynecologic examinations. One such system is MAMMACARE, involving computerized simulation equipment that gives the provider the opportunity to hone hand-eye coordination when assessing lumps.
To reach VA’s more remote locations, Women’s Health Services recently partnered with VA’s Office of Rural Health to sponsor 15 Women’s Health Education Innovation Grants.
These grants are providing resources to produce creative ideas for women’s health education training at 15 VA locations nationwide. Lessons learned from this grant program will be used to shape future national training initiatives.
Additionally, the VA Women’s Health Advanced Fellowship Program, which provides stipends to trainees in health care professions, has been expanded from seven to eight sites.
Previously available only to physician trainees, the program has begun an inter-professional approach that incorporates training of associated health and nursing professionals.
The Women’s Health Advanced Fellowship Program is sponsored by VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations.
Women veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the veteran population. By 2020, VA estimates women veterans will constitute 10 percent of the veteran population and 8 percent of VA patients.
For more information about VA programs and services for women veterans, please visit: www.va.gov/womenvet and www.womenshealth.va.gov .
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released a report that shows improvement in gender disparities in 12 out of 14 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures in VA since 2008.
HEDIS measures are used by 90 percent of America's health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service, such as screening, prevention and chronic disease management.
VA consistently scores higher than private sector health care on both gender-specific and gender-neutral HEDIS measures.
“We have a solemn obligation to provide high-quality health care to all veterans, regardless of gender. Although we are encouraged by the progress we have achieved, we are not going to stop working until all gaps are eliminated,” said Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.
VA began a national initiative to eliminate gender gaps in preventive care in 2008.
In 2011, VA asked each health care region across the country to review gender disparity data and create and implement an improvement plan.
The Comparing the Care of Men and Women Veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs report released by VA’s Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) indicates progress.
The report shows that VA improved gender disparities in six performance measures specific to VA, including the screening rate for persistence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
Other findings from the report include:
- VA has improved rates of screening women veterans for depression, PTSD and colorectal cancer.
- VA has improved disease prevention for women veterans through increased vaccination rates.
- VA has improved chronic disease management for women veterans in hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, all significant risk factors for cardiac disease.
- Although the gender gaps have narrowed, care remains better for men than women in cholesterol control, diabetes management and flu vaccination.
The OIA report includes results of veterans’ inpatient and outpatient satisfaction surveys, which show that men and women veterans reported similar satisfaction except in the Getting Care Quickly and Getting Needed Care outpatient sections.
VA has implemented a national initiative to improve care for women veterans. Some of the components include training VA providers in basic and advanced women’s health care, implementation of women’s health primary care teams at VA facilities nationwide and ramped-up communications efforts.
The Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group, which leads the initiative, also issued a report looking at gender disparities.
That report, Gender Differences in Performance Measures, VHA 2008-2011, identifies best practices for eliminating gender gaps based on success in VA networks.
“We’re looking at what works and trying to replicate it throughout VA’s system,” said Patricia Hayes, chief consultant for the Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. “We want to sustain this trend toward shrinking gender disparities and become a model for all other health care systems on how to eliminate gender disparities. Most importantly, we want to give every veteran the best health care.”
Both reports can be downloaded via www.womenshealth.va.gov .
For more information about VA programs and services for women veterans, visit www.va.gov/womenvet and www.womenshealth.va.gov .
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The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved more than 36,000 applications for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), a new training and education program for unemployed Veterans to upgrade their skills for in-demand jobs.
“The tremendous response illustrates how important this program is in providing veterans the opportunity to find employment in a high-demand field,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
At the current approval rate, VA expects to fill all 45,000 available slots for the fiscal year 2012 phase of the program before the Sept. 30 deadline, and will continue processing new applications for the 54,000 slots available in fiscal year 2013.
The program, a provision of the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, which was passed by Congress and signed by the President in November 2011, is managed by VA and the Department of Labor (DOL) and allows qualifying veterans to receive up to 12 months of education assistance equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty rate, currently $1,473 per month.
The goal of VRAP is to train a total of 99,000 veterans over the next two years in more than 200 job skills that DOL has determined are the most sought-after by employers.
To be eligible for the program, a veteran must:
- Be 35 to 60 years old, unemployed on the day of application and not dishonorably discharged;
- Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment;
- Not be enrolled in a federal or state job-training program within the last 180 days; and
- Not receive VA compensation at the 100% rate due to individual unemployability (IU).
Veterans who have been approved for VRAP are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible to start training full-time in a VA-approved program of study offered by a community college or technical school.
The program of study must lead to an associate degree, non-college degree, or certificate for a high-demand occupation as defined by DOL.
Applicants approved for the 2013 phase should enroll full-time in an approved program and start training by April 2013 in order to take full advantage of this benefit before its termination March 31, 2014.
“I’m thrilled that the response to the program has been so strong,” said VA Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “But we need to keep getting the word out to maintain the momentum.”
VA Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity Curtis Coy acknowledged the program applies to a small segment of the Veteran population that may not have regular interaction with VA or stay informed about Veterans’ benefits and opportunities.
“We ask anyone who knows an unemployed Veteran to tell them about VRAP,” said Coy. “We are counting on the continued help of Veterans Service Organizations and the Department of Labor, as well as the American public, to reach as many eligible veterans as possible.”
Potential applicants can learn more about VRAP and apply online at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW, or call VA toll-free at 1-800-827-1000. Information about the Department of Labor’s programs for veterans is available at www.dol.gov/vets . Veterans can also visit the nearly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers across the nation, listed at www.servicelocator.org , for in-person assistance.
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SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Veterans Affairs will host a leadership conference for veterans and veteran stakeholders on Thursday, Oct. 4, in Sacramento at the Double Tree Hotel.
The conference, entitled “A Call To Service, A Call to Action” will empower attendees to “move the needle” when working with women veteran issues in their communities.
Workshops will offer information about how to start a business or nonprofit organization, how to host a veteran stand down, how to run for political office, and more.
The one-day event will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude with dinner, an evening reception and an awards ceremony.
CalVet will present three awards at the conference: Woman Veteran Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award and Outstanding Volunteer Award.
Individuals who do an outstanding job serving veterans in their community and women veterans who demonstrate exemplary leadership in their communities may be nominated at
Those wishing to register for the conference may do so at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=ga8vqpfab&;oeidk=a07e63ar7nd8effe40a or call 916-653-1402 for more information.
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SAN ANTONIO – Air Force Airman Brennen C. Snodgrass graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Snodgrass is the son of Charlie Snodgrass of Clearlake, Calif., and grandson of Connie Diamond of Ukiah, Calif.
He is a 2009 graduate of Anderson Valley High School in Boonville, Calif.
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August marks the third anniversary of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and since it was implemented Aug. 1, 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs has provided educational benefits to 773,000 veterans and their family members.
“This is one of the most important programs helping our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans reach their educational goals,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We’re proud this important benefit is making such a big difference in the lives of so many veterans.”
The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays tuition and fees on behalf of veterans or eligible dependents directly to the school in which they are enrolled.
Eligible participants also receive a monthly housing allowance and up to $1,000 annually for books and supplies.
The program also allows eligible servicemembers to transfer their benefits to their spouses and/or children.
The program provides a wide range of educational options, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, vocational/technical training, on-the-job training, flight training, correspondence training, licensing and national testing programs, entrepreneurship training, and tutorial assistance.
All training programs must be approved for GI Bill benefits.
“For over 68 years, GI Bill programs have shaped and changed the lives of servicemembers, veterans, their families and survivors by helping them reach their educational goals,” said Allison A. Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits. “Benefits provided under the Post-9/11 GI Bill will continue to shape and change the lives of veterans by helping them build a stronger foundation for their careers.”
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the most extensive educational assistance program since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. Since its inception, VA has paid more than $20 billion in benefits to veterans and their family members.
For the 2012-2013 academic year, 1,770 colleges and universities are supplementing Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits by participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Under the Yellow Ribbon Program, degree-granting institutions make additional funds available for a Veteran’s educational program without an additional charge to their GI Bill entitlement.
To make up the difference for those students whose tuition and fees exceed what the Post-9/11 GI Bill covers, institutions can voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with VA to designate an additional amount of funding, and VA will match that amount.
VA is seeking legal authority to trademark the term GI Bill.
President Obama signed an executive order on April 26, directing VA and the Department of Defense to undertake a number of measures to “stop deceptive and misleading” promotional efforts that target the GI Bill educational benefits of servicemembers, veterans, and eligible family members and survivors. In June, the attorneys general of several states gave VA the rights to the www.GIBill.com Web site after the original owners agreed to give up the Internet site to settle a lawsuit by the states.
For more information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other veteran education programs, visit www.gibill.va.gov .
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The Army has released suicide data for the month of July.
During July, among active-duty soldiers, there were 26 potential suicides: one has been confirmed as suicide and 25 remain under investigation.
For June, the Army reported 11 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers; since the release of that report, one case has been added for a total of 12 cases: two have been confirmed as suicides and 10 remain under investigation.
For 2012, there have been 116 potential active-duty suicides: 66 have been confirmed as suicides and 50 remain under investigation.
Active-duty suicide number for 2011: 165 confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.
During July, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 12 potential suicides (nine Army National Guard and three Army Reserve): one has been confirmed as suicide and 11 remain under investigation.
For June, among that same group, the Army reported 12 potential suicides (nine Army National Guard and three Army Reserve): seven have been confirmed as suicides and five remain under investigation.
The Army previously reported 10 Army National Guard and two Army Reserve cases for June. Subsequent to that report, one Army National Guard case was removed due to a change in manner of death to non-suicide and one Army Reserve case was added.
For 2012, there have been 71 potential not on active-duty suicides (44 Army National Guard and 27 Army Reserve): 54 have been confirmed as suicides and 17 remain under investigation.
Not on active-duty suicide numbers for 2011: 118 (82 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve) confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.
“Suicide is the toughest enemy I have faced in my 37 years in the Army. And, it’s an enemy that’s killing not just soldiers, but tens of thousands of Americans every year,” said Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, vice chief of staff of the Army.
“That said, I do believe suicide is preventable,” Austin continued. “To combat it effectively will require sophisticated solutions aimed at helping individuals to build resiliency and strengthen their life coping skills. As we prepare for Suicide Prevention Month in September we also recognize that we must continue to address the stigma associated with behavioral health. Ultimately, we want the mindset across our force and society at large to be that behavioral health is a routine part of what we do and who we are as we strive to maintain our own physical and mental wellness.”
Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their Web site at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org .
The Army’s comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil .
Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).
Information about Military OneSource is located at http://www.militaryonesource.com or by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647 for those residing in the continental United States. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource website for dialing instructions for their specific location.
Information about the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf .
The Defense Center for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at
The Web site for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found at http://www.sprc.org/index.asp .
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California will receive nearly $15.7 million to help veterans find and secure housing according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
This is part of the USDVA’s nearly $100 million in grants that will help approximately 42,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families.
These grants are being distributed to 151 community agencies in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
California will receive $2,975,174 in new grants and $12,686,712 in renewal grants for a total of $15,661,886.
“We are very happy that California will receive almost $3 million additional funding to help veterans break the cycle of homelessness,” said Peter J. Gravett, secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). “These new funds will help more than 500 veteran households secure housing. In addition, the Golden State will receive more than $12.7 million in renewed awards to community-based organizations already working toward helping veterans find and secure housing.”
“We are committed to ending veteran homelessness in America,” said U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “These grants will help the USDVA and community organizations reach out and prevent at-risk veterans from losing their homes.”
Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, the USDVA is awarding grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide services to very low-income Veteran families living in – or transitioning to – permanent housing.
Those community organizations provide a range of services that promote housing stability among eligible very low income veteran families.
Under the grants, homeless providers will offer Veterans and their family members outreach, case management, assistance in obtaining USDVA benefits and assistance in getting other public benefits. Community-based groups can offer temporary financial assistance on behalf of veterans for rent payments, utility payments, security deposits and moving costs.
This is the program’s second year. Last year, the USDVA provided about $60 million to assist 22,000 veterans and family members nationally.
In 2009, President Obama and Secretary Shinseki announced the federal government’s goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015. The grants are intended to help accomplish that goal. According to the 2011 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, homelessness among veterans has declined 12 percent since January 2010.
Through the homeless veterans initiative, the USDVA committed $800 million in Fiscal Year 2011 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among veterans.
The USDVA provides a range of services to homeless veterans, including health care, housing, job training and education.
More information about the USDVA’s homeless programs is available on the Internet at www.va.gov/homeless .
Details about the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program are online at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp .
For California specific information, please visit CalVet’s Web site at www.calvet.ca.gov and click on the “Vet Services” tab at the top of the homepage or call 877-741-8532 toll-free.
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SACRAMENTO – Todd Irby was sworn in on Monday as chief counsel for the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) by Secretary Peter J. Gravett.
Also present at the ceremony was Irby’s wife Tina and son Christian.
“Today I swore in Todd and welcomed him to the CalVet family,” said Gravett. “Todd’s vast expertise and background will serve him well as CalVet’s Chief Counsel. I am confident that Todd will be an asset to CalVet and to the veterans of our Golden State.”
“I am honored and privileged to be able to work on behalf of our state’s veterans,” said Irby. “I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that CalVet and our veterans receive the best legal counsel available.”
Irby, of Sacramento, has served as deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice since 2007.
He was a private practice attorney from 2006 to 2007 and an associate attorney at The Duffy Law Firm from 2004 to 2006.
Irby was an associate attorney and partner at Hess Verdon and Irby from 1995 to 2004 and an associate attorney at Martin Wilson Fingal and MacDowell from 1994 to 1995.
He was an associate attorney at Garrett and Jensen from 1991 to 1994.
Irby is a member of the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Visit CalVet’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/mycalvet and follow the agency at www.twitter.com/mycalvet .
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