Online Toolkit Aims to Support Mental Health Providers Serving Veterans in the Community - The Department of Veterans Affairs has developed a new online Community Provider Toolkit (www.mentalhealth.va.gov/communityproviders) aimed at delivering support, therapeutic tools, and resources to community providers treating Veterans for mental health concerns. (9/27/12)
VA Teams Up with American Heart Association to Raise Awareness of Heart Disease in Women - The Department of Veterans Affairs will raise awareness of heart disease in women, particularly women Veterans and VA employees, at a “VA Goes Red” health expo Thursday, Sep. 27, outside VA’s central office at 810 Vermont Avenue. The event will run in conjunction with the FRESHFARM farmer’s market held at the same location from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (9/24/12)
VA and Entertainment Industries Council Launch Resource on Veterans’ Mental Health - A powerful new tool is available to the entertainment industry with the release of Picture This: Veteran Mental Health Challenges and Solutions, a comprehensive guide to assist members of the creative arts community in accurately portraying mental health issues Veterans may experience. (9/24/12)
VA Completes Over 1 Million Compensation Claims in 2012 - The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), which oversees the delivery of disability compensation and other benefits to the nation’s Veterans, processed over one million disability claims during fiscal year 2012, marking the third year in row VBA claims processors have exceeded the one million mark. (9/20/12)
VA Fills First Phase of Veterans Retraining Program to Enhance Job Skills - The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved applications for all 45,000 slots available in fiscal year (FY) 2012 under the successful Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) and is in the process of approving applications for a total of 54,000 slots available in FY 2013. (9/20/12)
VA Grant Supports Improvements at Minnesota Veterans Facility - The Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding nearly $1.3 million for the state of Minnesota to construct a new generator building at the state Veterans home in Minneapolis. (9/20/12)
VA Awards More than $300,000 to Ohio Veterans Home - The Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding more than $300,000 for the state of Ohio to renovate the fire alarm system at the Veterans home in Sandusky. (9/20/12)
VA Approves $28 Million in Grants for Homeless Veterans - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved $28.4 million in grants to fund 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia that will provide transitional housing to homeless Veterans. Among these 38 projects, 31 will provide temporary housing to homeless Veterans with the goal that they will retain the residence as their own. (9/19/12)
VA and DoD to Fund $100 Million PTSD and TBI Study - The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense (DoD) are investing more than $100 million in research to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). (9/19/12)
Summer Sports Clinic Offers Veterans Hope - The 5th annual National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, taking place this week in San Diego, teaches Veterans with disabilities how to reengage in life through adaptive sports programs. (9/17/12)
VA-HUD Team Honored for Progress to End Veterans Homelessness - Employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs were members of a unique federal team that won the prestigious Samuel J. Heyman Citizens Service Medal for the Administration’s efforts to end homelessness that resulted in a 12 percent reduction in homeless Veterans in 2011. (9/13/12)
VA Mobilizes Veterans’ Supporters for Suicide Prevention Month - In recognition of September as Suicide Prevention Month, the Department of Veterans Affairs is calling on individuals and communities across the country to show their support for Veterans in crisis and help raise awareness of the VA mental health services Veterans have earned. The theme for the outreach campaign, “Stand by Them,” is part of a joint VA and Department of Defense (DoD) effort focused on Veteran and Servicemember support networks, especially their friends and family members, who may be the first to realize a Veteran or Servicemember is in crisis. (9/10/12)
Fifth Grade Students Recognized for Supporting Veterans and VA Research - The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development (ORD) honored two students for their efforts to raise awareness about Veterans and VA Research. At an afternoon ceremony held this summer at VA’s central office, Francesca Cetta and Claire Quigley were recognized by Dr. Madhulika Agarwal, VHA Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Services for their “outstanding efforts on behalf of VA Research and its mission to improve the lives of Veterans.” (9/5/12)
Blue Button Reaches One Million Registered Patients - The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that, during the month of August, the one millionth patient has registered for Blue Button to access and download their Personal Health Record (PHR) information. (8/31/12)
VA Researchers Receive Nation’s Top Award for Early Career Scientists - Four Department of Veterans Affairs researchers were among the 96 recipients of the 2011 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) honored at a ceremony held last month. The PECASE is the highest honor conferred by the U.S. government on federal researchers in the early stages of their careers. (8/29/12)
VA Expands Women’s Health Practitioner Trainings - 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. (8/28/12)
VA Continues to Reduce Gender Disparities in Health Care - 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. (8/28/12)
