Tag: Veterans Health Administration

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COVID-19, VA Northern California

VA NorCal Offering Walk-In Vaccinations, J&J on Thursdays

UPDATE 05/12/2021 On 05/10/2021, the VA announced it would be offering COVID-19 vaccinations on a walk-in basis to eligible Veterans, spouses, and caregivers. Acting VA Under Secretary for Health Richard Stone, M.D., said, “VA encourages those who wish to get their COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment to check the walk-in hours and requirements at their local facility. Individuals taking advantage of walk-in vaccinations may need … Continue reading VA NorCal Offering Walk-In Vaccinations, J&J on Thursdays

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Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Intersex, Issues, LGBTQ Veterans, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Nonbinary, Nonconforming, Today Is..., Transgender, Transgender Military Ban, Transgender Veterans, VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS), Veterans, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

#TDOV: Transgender Veterans

Did You Know Over 134,000 U.S. Veterans are estimated to be transgender and, before the transgender military ban was lifted in 2021, there were over 15,000 transgender people serving in the U.S. military Transgender people are at least two to three times more likely to have served in the U.S. military; motivated by patriotism, life direction, and family history of service, transgender people may have … Continue reading #TDOV: Transgender Veterans

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COVID-19, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Federal, House of Representatives, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Issues, News, President of the United States of America (POTUS), VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)

Vaccine Access Opened to Veterans’ Families, Spouses

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation into law expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to veterans and their families under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), following efforts from House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs leaders Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).  The Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans … Continue reading Vaccine Access Opened to Veterans’ Families, Spouses

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Awareness Campaigns, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Discrimination, Government Accountability Office (GAO), HIV/AIDS, Issues, Lambda Legal, LGBTQ Veterans, LGBTQ+, Resources, Transgender, Transgender Veterans, VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS), Veterans, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

LGBT+ Health Awareness Week: Non-Discrimination

According to the largest-ever study of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the United States, about 56% of those surveyed had experienced discrimination while trying to seek medical treatment. A 2016 survey found that 68.5% of LGBT+ people who experienced discrimination in the year before had been negatively affected psychologically, about 43.7% said discrimination had adversely affected their physical well-being. For all the legislation and … Continue reading LGBT+ Health Awareness Week: Non-Discrimination

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Awareness Campaigns, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Discrimination, Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), HIV/AIDS, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Issues, LGBTQ Veterans, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Northern California, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Resources, Suicide Prevention, Transgender Veterans, U.S. Military, VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS), Veterans, Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

LGBT+ Health Awareness Week: Advocacy

Did you know that the VA has a program for LGBT+ Veterans and that there are personnel at nearly all VA facilities nationwide that are tasked to help LGBT+ Veterans with care issues? In 2016, the VA started addressing healthcare issues specific to LGBTQ+ Veterans by appointing LGBT Veteran Care Coordinators (VCCs) at VA facilities. VCCs are licensed clinicians responsible for promoting best practices for … Continue reading LGBT+ Health Awareness Week: Advocacy

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Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Discrimination, LGBTQ Veterans, LGBTQ+, News, U.S. Military, Veterans

VA Secretary McDonough: The VA Welcomes ALL

Today, newly-confirmed Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Denis McDonough issued a message laying out the department’s stance on being a welcoming place for all Veterans, families, caregivers and survivor beneficiaries and employees. Read below: Continue reading VA Secretary McDonough: The VA Welcomes ALL

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Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), How To, News, Resources, Veterans, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

How to Navigate the VA’s Online Portal for Travel Reimbursement (BTSSS)

In late-2020, the VA went live with a new online portal for Veterans to submit claims for travel reimbursement. The Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS; one could probably pronounce it as “Bitsssssss…”) was reportedly implemented to simplify the claim submission process for Veterans, caregivers, and beneficiaries. As with any new federal process, BTSSS both improves and complicates. In hopes of providing some clarity, see below … Continue reading How to Navigate the VA’s Online Portal for Travel Reimbursement (BTSSS)

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COVID-19, News, Veterans

VAntage Point: Caregivers Can Get COVID-19 Tests, Vaccine

According to VAntage Point, the VA’s official blog, Caregivers of Veterans are now eligible for COVID-19 testing and vaccination: Designated family caregivers of Veterans participating in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers can receive COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. Each facility will determine its own start date based on site-specific resources, needs and vaccine availability. “Caregivers play a critical role in caring for some of our … Continue reading VAntage Point: Caregivers Can Get COVID-19 Tests, Vaccine

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