In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation that will improve veteran health care in the Commonwealth and implement the recommendations provided by the Women Veterans Health Care Task Force.
Veterans often have unique and complex health care needs, placing them at higher risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and suicide. Additionally, those who have served in certain theaters may experience ongoing health concerns stemming from toxic exposures, which can have serious, long-term effects on their well-being.
Recognizing these risks is essential for policymakers, health care providers, and veteran support organizations. Developing and implementing veteran-focused health care, ranging from mental health support to specialized medical services, can ensure that veterans receive the care and resources they deserve long after their service has ended.
To better understand and address the unique health care needs of veterans—especially for women veterans—we advanced Senate Resolution 46, which the Senate unanimously passed in July 2023. The resulting Women Veterans Health Care Task Force, supported by the Joint State Government Commission, undertook an extensive study that involved countless hours of interviews, focus groups, data analysis, and expert testimony. This research was compiled into a recently released report, which included multiple recommendations to improve health care for women veterans across the Commonwealth. While some of these proposals focus specifically on women, it is evident that they will benefit all veterans and their families.
You can read the full
Women Veterans Health Care in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania report here.
The report largely found that health care is a field with large variations in patient experiences and that the best results, when seeking care outside of the VA, are obtained when a practitioner is aware of a patient’s veteran status and is trained to understand a veteran’s potential for increased health care challenges.
Our legislation will seek to implement the recommendations found in the Task Force’s report, and will include:
- Require screening for veteran status by all health care providers and health care practitioners at the time of admission or registration.
- Require veteran treatment training for all health care practitioners.
- Require programs that receive VTF grants to collect and publish data on the effectiveness of their programs.
- Ensuring DMVA officials who must attain Veteran Service Officer accreditation also receive trauma-informed training as part of their certification requirements.
The men and women who served our country deserve the health care they have earned. Please join us in co-sponsoring and supporting these bills to finally deliver on our promise of providing for our veterans.