More veterans in need of mental health care because they were sexually assaulted or sexually harassed during their military service are now eligible for treatment, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced Tuesday.
This expansion primarily pertaining to reservists and National Guard members participating in weekend drills extends authority to offer veterans the services needed to treat military sexual trauma.
The expanded service is made possible through the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.
When screened by a VA provider, about one in four women and one in 100 men say they have experienced such trauma. The data comes from VAs national screening program in which every veteran is asked about it.
Linda Reinhart, MST coordinator for the VA Montana Health Care System, said the expansion is real important. Though the original intent was to provide health care for all veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard were left out.
We had veterans falling through the cracks, Reinhart said. It only happened a few times, but when it did it was very upsetting.
For decades, the military ignored sexual assault of its service members, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., told The Billings Gazette. All survivors of military sexual assault need access to quality care including mental health care just like veterans who served in combat.
Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said he is pleased the VA recognizes that military sexual trauma can no longer be swept under the rug.
Tester introduced the Senates Ruth Moore Act in February 2013 to make it easier for survivors of military sexual trauma to get benefits. He began working to end military sexual trauma after a constituent, Sara Albertson of Bozeman, brought her story to his attention. In 2006, Albertson had been in the Marine Corps for three years and was raped by a supervisor who was 12 years her senior.
VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald met last week with Ruth Moore, a Navy veteran and military sexual trauma survivor. Moore will be working with the VA to ensure that survivors are treated fairly and compassionately, and that veterans with MST can access fair compensation exams and access healthcare practitioners who are trained in working with military sexual trauma issues.
Every VA health care facility has a military sexual trauma coordinator and every VA medical center and community-based Vet Center offers outpatient counseling.
Currently, all VA health care for military sexual trauma is provided free. Veterans do not need to have a service-connected disability or be seeking disability compensation to be eligible. It also isnt necessary that the incident causing the trauma has been reported to the Department of Defense. And, veterans need not be enrolled in VAs health care system to qualify for treatment.
The VA provides training to staff on issues related to military sexual trauma, engages in a range of outreach activities to veterans, and conducts monitoring of screening and treatment.
