VA to celebrate Women’s Health Week with events at medical centers

Posted

In celebration of National Women’s Health Week, May 12-18, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (VAMCs) across the country will host events to support women veterans and connect them with the VA’s health care services.

“VA is serving nearly a half million women veterans and we want to take care of even more,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Events like these get them through the doors, so they meet VA health providers and learn firsthand about the comprehensive services and quality care VA provides to women who have served.”

Women are among the fastest growing veteran demographics, accounting for more than 30 percent of the increase in veterans who served between 2014 and 2018. The number of women using VA health services has tripled since 2000, growing from about 160,000 to nearly 500,000 today. The VA offers a wide range of primary care and specialty services for women veterans, such as health screenings, preconception counseling, maternity care, menopausal support and more.

VAMCs with dedicated women’s health clinics will celebrate National Women’s Health Week by hosting either an open house or outreach events. Veterans attending these events can speak with health providers about the broad range of services offered at their medical centers and hear from experts on topics such as maternity care and child safe homes. Tours of the clinics and educational materials will be available.

For further information, please contact the Veteran Services Office.

For more information

The office of the Archuleta County veterans service officer (VSO) provides assistance to qualified military veterans and their families, or a veteran’s survivors, in applying to and in obtaining VA program assistance, benefits and claims. This assistance is provided within the guidelines, policies and procedures established by the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. This is a mandated program of the state of Colorado.

For further information on VA benefits, please call or stop by the Archuleta County Veterans Service Office, located at the Pagosa Springs Senior Center in the Ross Aragon Community Center on Hot Springs Boulevard. The best way to contact me is to set up an appointment, for either at your home or in the office, so I can schedule a specific time in order to answer and assist each veteran in Archuleta County.

The office number is 264-4013; fax number is 264-4014 and email is raytaylor@archuletacounty.org. Bring your DD Form 214 (discharge) for applications to VA programs or benefits for which the veteran may be entitled to enroll, and for filing in the Archuleta County VSO office.

Veterans’ groups

The following veterans groups meet in Pagosa Springs:

• American Legion Post 108: Second Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m., 287 Hermosa St.

• American Legion Post 108 Ladies Auxiliary: Second Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m., 287 Hermosa St.

• Veterans for Veterans: Every Tuesday at 10 a.m., St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 225 S. Pagosa Blvd.

• Combat Veterans PTSD Group: Every other Tuesday at noon, Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St. Contact Gary Hanneman at 946-2540.

• Women’s Group of Spouses of Veterans: First and third Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Sharon Carter’s office. Contact Charlotte at 903-9690.