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Senate VA Committee Passes Legislation to Improve Care of Women Veterans
On June 26, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee passed the Veterans' Health Care Authorization Act of 2008. Senator Murray's Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008 was passed as part of S. 2969. This provision prepares the VA for the influx of women veterans that will access VA health care in the coming years.
In the next five years the amount of women veterans being treated by the VA will double -- making women veterans one of the fastest growing subgroups of veterans. "We need to ensure that women have equal access to VA health care benefits and services, and that the VA health care system is tailored to meet the unique needs of women veterans. Planning for the wave of new women veterans is going to be a difficult and complex task, but this bill gets us on the right track," said Murray.
The bill will require the VA to provide neonatal care to newborns of eligible women veterans for up to 30 days after birth, implement a program to educate, train and certify mental health professionals to specialize in Military Sexual Trauma (MST), create a pilot program to provide child care to women veterans who require intensive outpatient care and ensure that there are OEF/OIF veterans on the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
Currently, both the Senate and the House are scheduled to recess for summer beginning August 9 and ending September 8. The target adjournment date for 2008 is September 26 which leaves only six weeks to accomplish an ambitious but packed agenda. Please contact your senators today and voice your support of S. 2969, the Veterans' Health Care Authorization Act of 2008.
Source: American Legion Auxiliary
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