A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
VA Stories of Note: July 9 – July 15
KOLR (CBS-27) (Springfield, Mo.), July 15: Two organizations bring mobile services to veterans on 37-foot-long vehicle
Two organizations are working together to help veterans in Missouri get the help they need. The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital is working with the Columbia Vet Center to provide veterans with access to resources such as counseling and benefits information.
The American Legion, July 15: VA program brings cancer care to over 50,000 veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs National Precision Oncology Program was launched in 2016 to bring targeted, personalized cancer care to veterans. Additionally, the program standardizes precision oncology in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Popular Science, July 15: For veterans with PTSD, tinnitus can be unbearable. This scientist is finding ways to soothe them. What can silence a ringing ear?
The perception of sound in the absence of external noise—a condition known as tinnitus—plagues an estimated 10 to 25 percent of American adults. […] Theodoroff got her earliest glimpse inside the human ear in a speech-language pathology class. “After seeing an eardrum for the first time, I was hooked,” she recalls. That spurred an education in speech and hearing science and, eventually, dual roles at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research and at Oregon Health & Science University.
WMAQ (NBC-5, Video) (Chicago, Ill.), July 14: Hines VA Making Custom 3D Maps to Help Veterans Navigate Life
3D printing technology is being used to manufacture incredibly detailed maps at the Hines VA facility, part of an effort to help visually-impaired military veterans navigate their daily lives more easily. The hospital just started rolling out the maps, which can be printed in just over an hour, according to officials.
WPXI (NBC-11) (Pittsburgh, Pa.), July 13: Vaccinated man who got severely ill with a Covid variant is released from the hospital
After 22 days in the hospital, Joe Pucci of Ambridge is home at last. He was diagnosed with the Delta variant of Covid-19, despite being fully vaccinated. “I was real real shocked, I couldn’t believe it,” Pucci said. “But with help from the doctors at the VA Hospital, I’m home. I am so happy.”
KHQ (NBC-6) (Spokane, Wash.), July 13: Tele-dental helping veterans save tooth pain and time at MTVAHCS
In the pandemic telehealth started taking off but there is another aspect of your health that also needs to be taken care of - your teeth. The tele-dental program at the Montana Department of Veteran Affairs is still very new but it is helping veterans living at the community living center save time and tooth pain with a little camera that fits inside your mouth.
Homeland Preparedness News, July 8: VA, DHS launch noncitizen service member initiative
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this week the launch of a new initiative to support noncitizen service members, veterans, and their immediate family members. “It’s our responsibility to serve all veterans as well as they have served us – no matter who they are, where they are from, or the status of their citizenship,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough said.
GovernmentCIO (Audio), July 8: Listen: Improving Health Outcomes with Genomics Research at VA
The Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program (MVP) is using genomic information submitted by American veterans to conduct research on a wide array of physical and mental health conditions. Hear from Associate Director of Cohort Relations Jennifer Deen and Associate Director of Scientific Programs Jennifer Moser on how VA is using this critical research to improve patient outcomes and expanding its roster of genomic information to better care for underserved populations.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Mich.), July 8: The VA Home Loan Program: Putting Homeownership Within Reach for Military Borrowers
Since World War II, the VA home loan has helped millions of service members, veterans, and military families achieve the dream of homeownership. Despite its advantages, many veterans aren’t utilizing this benefit, either because they’re unaware that it exists or because they believe some of the common misconceptions. If you’re eligible for the VA loan, it’s definitely worth exploring because the program offers a handful of benefits not typically found in other mortgage products.
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