1.This Act may be cited as the Women
Veterans Access to Care Act
.
2.Congress makes the following
findings:
(1)As of 2008, 15 percent of members of the
Armed Forces are women.
(2)As of 2008, one of every 10 members of the
Armed Forces serving in Iraq is a woman.
(3)As of 2006, more than 16,000 single mothers
have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(4)As of 2008, an estimated one-third of women
veterans who have sought counseling at the Department of Veterans Affairs
report having been the victim of rape or attempted rape during their
service.
(5)As of 2008, women are the fastest growing
group within the veteran population.
(6)As of 2008, 11 percent of Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans were women.
(7)As of 2006, more than 155,000 women have
served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(8)As of 2008, nearly half of all women
veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom
have enrolled with Department of Veterans Affairs health care.
3.Emphasis on
health care for women veterans
(a)In providing health care services to women
veterans, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that an emphasis is
placed on the following:
(1)With respect to
physical health, conditions including—
(A)sexual
reproductive health;
(B)preventative
medicine and early detection of problems;
(C)sexual
trauma;
(D)special needs of
women with prosthetics;
(E)rehabilitation;
and
(F)other conditions
the Secretary considers appropriate.
(2)With respect to
mental health, issues including—
(A)stress reduction (including the reduction
of stress associated with balancing children, family, and work
responsibilities);
(B)services for
depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse;
(C)conflict
resolution; and
(D)other issues the
Secretary considers appropriate.
(3)Improving health-related telecommunications
technologies.
(4)Providing care to
women veterans who—
(A)served in
Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom;
(B)live in a rural
location; or
(C)are homebound or elderly.
(5)With respect to health professionals
employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, issues including—
(A)hiring health professionals who are
specialists in fields related to women’s health; and
(B)offering
additional training on special issues regarding women veterans.
(b)The Secretary shall conduct a study on
health care for women veterans. Such study shall—
(1)identify the main
causes of stress among women veterans;
(2)determine the most effective method to
reduce such stress; and
(3)evaluate the
various private and public health care systems in which women veterans receive
care (including mental health care).
(c)Not
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report containing—
(1)an evaluation of
the activities conducted by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a);
(2)the findings of
the study required by subsection (b); and
(3)such recommendations for legislative or
administrative action the Secretary considers appropriate to improve health
care for women veterans.
4.Outreach to women
veterans and families
(a)The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall carry out an outreach program to provide women veterans
and families of such veterans with information concerning the following:
(1)The various
resources available to such veterans and families, including mental and
behavioral resources.
(2)The conditions and
issues such veterans may experience, including those described under section
3(a).
(3)The challenges
that family members of such veterans, especially spouses and children, may
experience.
(b)The Secretary may
enter into a contract with a public or private entity to carry out this
section.