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VA Being Proactive In Helping Female Veterans

Life for female veterans has not been easy within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) over the last 10 years. The VA has only recently embraced the idea of adapting its services and facilities in order to cater to the growing number and needs of female veterans with disabilities and injuries, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Whereas once many female veterans found the VA to be an intimidating place reminiscent of an "old boys club," the modern VA is different. Today's VA provides a much more accepting and open environment, which includes more health services for female veterans with problems specific to female veterans.

Two years ago, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) essentially scolded the VA for their "disregard" of female veteran patients. That reprimand included criticisms that ranged from the VA's failure to provide private facilities for females to failing to make available doctors familiar enough with issues specific to female veterans to provide a reasonable level of care.

The VA has addressed their shortcomings by opening entire medical centers dedicated to the care of female veterans as well as training doctors in specific care of issues exclusive to female veterans. For example, the VA opened one female veteran center in Pittsburgh at a cost of $1.6 million. For those areas without centers specific to care for female veterans, the VA is hiring liaisons to help outpatient clinics with health issues related to female veterans.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.