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Veterans
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans will be able to access VA Video Connect, which uses the cameras on computers, smartphones or tablets, to let veterans talk and interact with their VA care team over a live, encrypted video stream, anywhere across Verizon’s nationwide 4G LTE network, without incurring data charges.
“VA’s telehealth app for streaming live video sessions between patients and health care providers is another testament to our shared journey to fully integrated, seamless access to health care for our veterans, no matter where they live,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said.
Accessing VA Video Connect is easy: For iOS devices, VA Video Connect is available at the Apple App Store; for all other devices, a telehealth session launches automatically after a veteran user selects an emailed session.
“We’re proud to deepen our support of veterans,” said Mike Maiorana, senior vice president, Public Sector, Verizon. “Regardless of whether they live in city centers or rural areas, veterans should be able to access the VA’s telehealth resources.”
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
This bill corrects a flaw in our Medicare and TRICARE systems that imposes an undue financial penalty on wounded veterans who return to work.
“Currently many veterans injured in the line of duty who return to the workforce are forced to pay unnecessary Medicare premiums to retain the TRICARE coverage they have already earned. This is unacceptable,” said Thompson. “My bipartisan legislation that the committee advanced today would allow veterans who return to work to keep the health care coverage they have earned without unfair and unnecessary financial penalties. We must live up to our promise to provide for our men and women in uniform once they return from the battlefield.”
Wounded veterans who are eligible for TRICARE, the veterans’ health coverage program, are often also eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Medicare.
However, due to the way current law treats the interaction of TRICARE, SSDI, and Medicare, many medically retired veterans who return to work are forced to pay unnecessary Medicare premiums to retain the TRICARE coverage they have earned.
Thompson’s legislation was included in a larger package, H.R. 3429, the HEARTS and Rural Relief Act.
The bill also includes coverage for a prostate-specific diagnostic tool. You can click here to read more about this package, which has been favorably referred to the full House for consideration.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
The President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End the National Tragedy of Suicide, or PREVENTS, task force will include a community integration and collaboration proposal, a national research strategy and an implementation strategy.
Efforts supporting the development of the roadmap are already well under way and are on target for the March 2020 delivery to the White House.
“This is a call to action,” Wilkie said. “In order to decrease the rate of veteran suicide, we need to engage our local and community partners in addition to leveraging the resources of the departments. We need an all-hands on-deck approach to preserve the lives of our Veterans who have served our country. As such, I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, the founder and president of Give an Hour, has agreed to serve as executive director of the critical PREVENTS work. Dr. Van Dahlen is widely recognized for changing the culture surrounding mental health and suicide and is an expert and thought leader in large-system change. We are proud to have her leading this effort.”
On March 5, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order (EO) titled “National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Suicide.”
The EO directed the secretary of VA and the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council to co-chair and stand up an interagency task force to develop a plan implementing a roadmap for the prevention of veteran suicide at the national and community level.
As part of the effort to ensure the broadest stakeholder input in the development of the national research strategy, the task force is releasing a request for information to gather feedback on how to improve research and the use of research to radically reduce veteran suicide.
Input may be provided at www.research.va.gov/PREVENTS .
“In signing this Executive Order, President Trump demonstrated that once again he is putting a high priority on the needs of our veterans,” Grogan said. “Through the standup of a collaborative task force, the development and implementation of a public health approach and enhanced research, we will increase our efforts to prevent veteran suicide with the aspirational goal of zero veteran suicides.”
To learn more about VA’s suicide prevention resources and programs, visit www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention .
Veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and those who know a veteran in crisis, can call Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support 24 hours a day. Call 800-273-8255 and press 1, send a text message to 838255 or chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat .
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 14770 Austin Drive in Clearlake.
Veterans will have the opportunity to meet service providers and community organizations, enjoy lunch and comradery from other veterans.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about veteran healthcare benefits and benefits from other organizations in Lake County.
All veterans and family members are encouraged to attend, veterans must have DD214 or Veteran ID card on hand.
The next event will be the two day Lake and Mendocino County Stand Down on Sept. 18 and 19 at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport.
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
The report, titled "Including Family Caregivers in Seriously Ill Veterans' Care: A Mixed-Methods Study,” was led by Duke University researchers and emphasizes caregiver inclusion identified in the VA - Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Campaign for Inclusive Care, which strengthens health care and is a model for improving care in the private sector.
The Campaign for Inclusive Care is one of several initiatives and programs through which VA supports veterans’ caregivers.
“VA is pleased to partner with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, whose commitment to caregiver support mirrors our own,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilke. “The Campaign for Inclusive Care is a groundbreaking model integrating veteran caregivers into the fabric of our organization, ensuring veterans’ health care needs are met.”
The study supports using family caregivers for veteran care and provides recommendations, to include: a call to better define caregiver roles, support for caregiver inclusion in health teams and streamlining legal and privacy regulations currently creating barriers to provider-caregiver information sharing.
The study also suggests health care teams (generally comprising a physician, nurse and social worker) build strong relationships with caregivers by inviting their participation in care decisions and creating methods to assess their abilities and assist their needs.
"These findings support the essential idea of a care model that is fully inclusive of Veteran caregivers,” said Sen. Elizabeth Dole, founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “We are grateful to work with VA, ensuring caregivers are empowered and providers are better supported in their work to improve Veteran care.”
The Campaign for Inclusive Care builds on findings of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's 2014 RAND Report, indicating a wounded warrior’s best chance for full recovery is a strong, well-supported caregiver.
Learn more by visiting the Campaign for Inclusive Care Web site.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Various apparel choices will be available and the Operation Tango Mike logo will be emblazoned while you visit. A portion of profits from each purchase will be donated to Operation Tango Mike.
The all-volunteer non-profit continues to ship 90 to 100 monthly care packages to deployed military personnel.
Visitors are invited to drop by the event to learn more about Operation Tango Mike, to bring donations of items for care packages and to peruse the selection of items offered by KonocTees.
Ginny Craven, founder of Operation Tango Mike said, “This event supports our troops, Operation Tango Mike and local business. It’s a win-win-win!”
On the third Thursday of every month, volunteers gather at 6 p.m. at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th Street, Lakeport, to prepare care packages for the troops.
Packing parties are family friendly and children are encouraged to participate.
For further information or to add someone to the care package recipient list, please call 707-349-2838 or e-mail
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Students have been appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy Prep School, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy.
“Military service is a deep responsibility and I am honored each year to nominate candidates from our district to attend our nation’s military service academies. These students represent our community’s highest standards of academic dedication and public service and those accepted this year have completed a competitive application process,” said Thompson. “The three students are exemplary in their achievements, having overcome many barriers to succeed. Two students are first generation American citizens and the other survived the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. We are so proud of their decision to serve our nation in uniform. Our entire district cannot wait to see all you accomplish!”
Each year, local candidates are interviewed for nomination to our nation’s service academies.
Those nominated then must be accepted for appointment by the academies.
Appointees from the Fifth Congressional District were honored at a ceremony at St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery in Rutherford this weekend.
U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School
Aaron Hern is a Martinez resident who attends Alhambra Senior High School.
Hailing from a Navy family, Martinez has a lifetime of dedication to his community and to the highest levels of achievement.
He was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 but was determined to recover, working hard at his rehabilitation from a wheelchair.
He never gave up, eventually securing a slot on his high school’s varsity football team.
He was offered a spot at the preparatory school, which he will be joining in the fall.
U.S. Air Force Academy
Alan Kobylik resides in Martinez and attends Alhambra Senior High School.
The son of immigrants from the Soviet Czech Republic, Kobylik has a deep appreciation for the freedoms offered to those is America and decided early on he wanted to find a way to protect those values.
A natural leader, he’s grown the Key Club to one of the largest volunteer organizations at his school. He’s also excelled in the Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary Air Force and at Encampment, a week-long bootcamp.
He was named “Young Man of the Year” by the Martinez Chamber of Commerce as well as Thompson’s “2018 Student Leader of the Year.”
He will join the U.S. Air Force Academy upon graduating.
U.S. Naval Academy
Antonius Wells is a Calistoga native who attended Justin Siena before receiving a U.S. Naval Academy Foundation Scholarship to attend the academy’s preparatory school.
There he maintained a 4.0 grade point average and attended the summer STEM and USNA seminar.
In high school, he was captain of his lacrosse team for three years.
He will join the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Albo is the daughter of Abel and Patricia Santiago of Kelseyville, Calif., wife of Jake Albo, of Clearlake, Calif., and daughter-in-law of Michelle Albo of Clearlake.
She is a 2014 graduate of Kelseyville High School.
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
Locally, the MISSION Act will strengthen the San Francisco VA Health Care System by empowering the more than 66,000 veterans it serves each year to have more options when making their health care decisions.
“We are committed to meeting the needs of our veterans and to providing the highest quality health care,” said San Francisco VA Health Care System Director Bonnie Graham. “Our staff will continue to serve our nation’s heroes with the care and compassion that they have earned and deserve.”
Under the new and improved Veterans Community Care Program, veterans can now work with their VA health care provider or other VA staff to see if they are eligible to receive community care.
Eligibility for community care does not require a Veteran to receive that care in the community; veterans can still choose to have VA provide their care.
Veterans are eligible to choose to receive care in the community if they meet any of the following six eligibility criteria:
1. A veteran needs a service not available at any VA medical facility.
2. A veteran lives in a U.S. state or territory without a full-service VA medical facility. Specifically, this would apply to veterans living in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire and the U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
3. A veteran qualifies under the “grandfather” provision related to distance eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program.
4. VA cannot furnish care in a manner that complies within certain designated access standards. The specific access standards are described below. (Important: Access standards are proposed and not yet final.)
· Average drive time to a specific VA medical facility.
o 30-minute average drive time for primary care, mental health and noninstitutional extended care services.
o 60-minute average drive time for specialty care.
Note: Average drive times are calculated by VA using geo-mapping software.
· Appointment wait time at a specific VA medical facility.
o Twenty days for primary care, mental health care and noninstitutional extended care services, unless the veteran agrees to a later date in consultation with his or her VA health care provider.
o Twenty-eight days for specialty care from the date of request, unless the veteran agrees to a later date in consultation with his or her VA health care provider.
5. The veteran and the referring clinician agree it is in the best medical interest of the veteran to receive community care based on defined factors.
6. VA has determined that a VA medical service line is not providing care in a manner that complies with VA’s standards for quality.
The VA MISSION Act:
· Strengthens VA’s ability to recruit and retain clinicians.
· Statutorily authorizes “Anywhere to Anywhere” telehealth provision across state lines.
· Empowers veterans with increased access to community care.
· Establishes a new, urgent-care benefit that eligible veterans can access in the community.