VETERANS POST
by Freddy Groves
Women veterans haven’t gotten the same level of health care as male veterans. Here are just a few of the obstacles they face in trying to obtain medical care at most of the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities:
No wellness facilities, requiring referrals to other facilities for basics such as mammograms. No GYN staff; no prenatal care; no delivery of babies. Co-ed waiting rooms. Male therapy groups. Prostheses made for men. No separate wards, being put in rooms with men, and no privacy except a curtain.
And the list continues:
No mental-health staff and counseling for women who’ve been assaulted (which is thought to be one in four women veterans). No separate restrooms. Mail that notifies a female she’s due for a prostate exam.
There are over 2 million women veterans who are eligible for VA care. Only a fraction use it. Is it any wonder why?
And then there is Togas VA Medical Center in Maine. Last year it moved women’s care out of the cramped 5th floor and into a new, separate facility that includes everything needed in one spot: Mental-health counseling for sexual trauma, primary care and even a play area for children.
In Sioux Falls, S.D., a women veterans health clinic opened with all-female staff and a mental-health office.
At White River, Vt., all the women-centered care is available, and there’s even a Women Veterans Program Manager.
If you’re a female veteran who’s avoided VA care, give it another chance. At least make the phone call and ask questions. At this point, with more women-centered facilities opening, you might be surprised. Or go online to www.womenshealth.va.gov. Put your ZIP code in the Hospital Locator on the left of the screen, and you’ll get a list of facilities near you. Or call 1-855-VA-WOMEN.
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
