DAV Magazine — November/December 2016
NEWS for VETERANS
VA pilot program proposes service dog veterinary benefits
■ Veterans with limited mobility associated with mental health disorders may soon receive veterinary health benefits for service dogs through a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program.
“We take our responsibility for the care and safety of veterans very seriously,” said VA Undersecretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin. “[We] are committed to providing appropriate, safe and effective, compassionate care to all veterans. Implementing the veterinary health benefit for mobility service dogs, approved for veterans with a chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility associated with mental health disorders, may prove to be significantly beneficial for some veterans.”
According to the VA, veterinary benefits have been provided to veterans diagnosed as having visual, hearing or substantial mobility impairments and whose rehabilitation and restorative care is clinically determined to be optimized with guide dog or service dog assistance. Under the pilot program, the same benefit is being provided to veterans with mental health disorders that cause the same type of debilitating challenges. If the pilot program becomes standard, more veterans would be able to live independently.
More information can be found at www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp.
VA, DoD, NCI create nation’s first targeted screening program for cancer patients
■ The VA, Department of Defense and National Cancer Institute (NCI) are partnering to find new ways to tailor cancer care for patients based on the genes and proteins associated with their tumors. According to the VA, the tri-agency program will create the nation’s first system in which cancer patients’ tumors are routinely screened for gene and protein information, with the goal of finding targeted therapies for each individual patient.
The new program, Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes (APOLLO), is part of the wider national Cancer Moonshot initiative. APOLLO will initially focus on lung cancer in patients at VA and DoD medical centers, with plans to eventually include other forms of cancer. The focus on lung cancer comes from the approximately 8,000 patients being diagnosed with that particular cancer at the VA each year alone.
“APOLLO will create a pipeline to move genetic discoveries from the lab to VA clinics where veterans receive cutting-edge cancer care,” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald. “This is an example of how we are striving to be an exemplary learning health care system. We are proud to join our federal partners in this exciting initiative, and we expect it will lead to real improvements in the lives of those affected by cancer.”
The plan is for APOLLO researchers and clinicians to classify veterans’ lung tumors based on changes in genes in the tumors and in the levels of proteins. Based on the individual patient, clinicians will use the findings to recommend targeted therapies or appropriate clinical trials.
Veteran homelessness dropped by nearly half
■ Veteran homelessness is down 47 percent since 2010, according to research conducted by the VA, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The data also revealed a 17-percent decrease in veteran homelessness between 2015 and 2016.
“Although this achievement is noteworthy, said VA Secretary Robert McDonald, “we will not rest until every veteran in need is permanently housed.”
For veterans and their families, the VA has a wide range of programs that prevent and end homelessness, including health care, housing solutions, job training and education. Last year, some of these programs—in coordination with HUD—helped more than 157,000 people secure or retain permanent housing.
Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless should contact their local VA medical center and ask to speak to a homeless coordinator, or call 877-4AID-VET.
■ Veterans with limited mobility associated with mental health disorders may soon receive veterinary health benefits for service dogs through a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program.
“We take our responsibility for the care and safety of veterans very seriously,” said VA Undersecretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin. “[We] are committed to providing appropriate, safe and effective, compassionate care to all veterans. Implementing the veterinary health benefit for mobility service dogs, approved for veterans with a chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility associated with mental health disorders, may prove to be significantly beneficial for some veterans.”
According to the VA, veterinary benefits have been provided to veterans diagnosed as having visual, hearing or substantial mobility impairments and whose rehabilitation and restorative care is clinically determined to be optimized with guide dog or service dog assistance. Under the pilot program, the same benefit is being provided to veterans with mental health disorders that cause the same type of debilitating challenges. If the pilot program becomes standard, more veterans would be able to live independently.
More information can be found at www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp.
VA, DoD, NCI create nation’s first targeted screening program for cancer patients
■ The VA, Department of Defense and National Cancer Institute (NCI) are partnering to find new ways to tailor cancer care for patients based on the genes and proteins associated with their tumors. According to the VA, the tri-agency program will create the nation’s first system in which cancer patients’ tumors are routinely screened for gene and protein information, with the goal of finding targeted therapies for each individual patient.
The new program, Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes (APOLLO), is part of the wider national Cancer Moonshot initiative. APOLLO will initially focus on lung cancer in patients at VA and DoD medical centers, with plans to eventually include other forms of cancer. The focus on lung cancer comes from the approximately 8,000 patients being diagnosed with that particular cancer at the VA each year alone.
“APOLLO will create a pipeline to move genetic discoveries from the lab to VA clinics where veterans receive cutting-edge cancer care,” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald. “This is an example of how we are striving to be an exemplary learning health care system. We are proud to join our federal partners in this exciting initiative, and we expect it will lead to real improvements in the lives of those affected by cancer.”
The plan is for APOLLO researchers and clinicians to classify veterans’ lung tumors based on changes in genes in the tumors and in the levels of proteins. Based on the individual patient, clinicians will use the findings to recommend targeted therapies or appropriate clinical trials.
Veteran homelessness dropped by nearly half
■ Veteran homelessness is down 47 percent since 2010, according to research conducted by the VA, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The data also revealed a 17-percent decrease in veteran homelessness between 2015 and 2016.
“Although this achievement is noteworthy, said VA Secretary Robert McDonald, “we will not rest until every veteran in need is permanently housed.”
For veterans and their families, the VA has a wide range of programs that prevent and end homelessness, including health care, housing solutions, job training and education. Last year, some of these programs—in coordination with HUD—helped more than 157,000 people secure or retain permanent housing.
Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless should contact their local VA medical center and ask to speak to a homeless coordinator, or call 877-4AID-VET.
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