[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING BEVERLY ERSKINE AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Beverly Erskine, the 
program manager of the VA Central Iowa Health Care System Women's 
Veteran Program, as Iowan of the Week. Women are the fastest-growing 
population within the veteran community, and the Women's Veteran 
Program at the Central Iowa VA gives the heroines who served in uniform 
access to a full continuum of health care from primary care to mental 
health services.
  With Beverly's leadership, the Women's Veteran Program provides 
critical services and resources that help our female veterans lead 
healthy lives, including: inpatient medical, surgical, and mental 
health care; physical rehabilitation; substance abuse treatment; 
longterm care and pharmacy services; and on-site mammogram services 
that offer 3-D imaging. Beverly and her team also arm program patients 
with helpful information and skills that they can use in their daily 
routines to better take care of themselves through the Whole Health 
Program. Mindfulness practices, yoga, and Tia Chi are just a few of the 
offerings in Whole Health to help female service members thrive. And to 
protect women veterans from potentially dangerous domestic situations, 
Beverly and her team provide careful, confidential screening conducted 
by trained Intimate Partner Violence colleagues.
  One of the most special components of the Central Iowa VA Women's 
Veteran Program is the baby shower program Beverly and her colleagues 
facilitate each year. They invite women veterans who are pregnant, 
spouses of Veterans, Veterans who have adopted, and those who have had 
invitro fertilization to a special baby shower thrown in their honor. 
Attendees receive gifts, originally donated from partner organizations 
in Iowa, that help the expectant mothers prepare for the arrival of 
their newborns. The event is promoted during Women's Health Week and it 
offers the health care system to give back to those who have already 
sacrificed so much. As much as it makes the expectant moms feel 
special, it's truly a highlight for Beverly in her work.
  Women's History Month is an opportunity to highlight some incredible 
work being done by women for women in communities across our country. 
Beverly is a shining example of how empowering female leaders creates 
opportunity for our nation to reach its full potential. I will never 
stop fighting in Congress to expand opportunities for women like 
Beverly and those who served our nation in uniform and am proud to 
support programs like the one Beverly leads for our women veterans. It 
is my honor to name Beverly Erskine our Iowan of the Week.

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