May Veteran Newsletter

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Wilmington VA Medical Center Update
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Click Here to Enroll in VA Health Care!


Click Here to Register for the Virtual Women Veterans Health Summit

May 31, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. the Wilmington VA Medical Center in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will host a Virtual Women Veterans Health Summit for female Veterans and spouses enrolled in CHAMP VA

Topics include pelvic pain, MST-PTSD clinic and treatment, Osteoporosis Nutrition, and Hypnosis Habit Change. 

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May is Mental Health Month

If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. All VA health care facilities offer same-day help. You may qualify even without enrolling in VA health care.

Call 302-994-2511, ext. 4805 to connect with Mental Health or call 988 and select option 1. 

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May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

In 2023, the most common recognized service-connected disability for Veterans was tinnitus and the second common is hearing loss. Almost 3,000,000 Veterans had tinnitus and 1,500,000 suffer from hearing loss.

Read about U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran Richard John Tiley's experience with Wilmington VA Medical Center Audiology here

Tiley

“The best part of audiology is when you witness a person being able to hear for the first time in years,” said Tiley. “A lot of Veterans do not know hearing aids are free too, if they qualify.”

Audiology providers at the Wilmington VA are trained in hearing evaluations, hearing aid fitting and repair, assessment of auditory processing disorders, vestibular assessment and tinnitus management. They work closely with hearing aid manufacturers to ensure Veterans have access to the latest technology and can obtain and maintain their assistive devices.

Register for care here or call 1-800-461-8262 extension 5252 to contact Audiology and Speech.


May is Older Americans Month

During May, VA celebrates Older Americans Month recognizing the meaningful contributions older Veterans make in our communities. This year’s theme – Powered by Connection – recognizes the impact meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. Being connected supports aging in place by battling isolation, loneliness, and more health issues.

VA offers a variety of programs specifically designed to support older Veterans by providing care that encourages independence, ensuring activities represent Veterans needs and preferences, and increasing access to services that support aging in place.

Explore VA’s services available to help stay Powered by Connection: www.va.gov/geriatrics/.

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Nominate a Veteran for the Wilmington VA Veteran Wall of Honor

The Wilmington VA Medical Center is currently looking for Wall of Honor nominations. The Wall of Honor was created to recognize a deceased Veteran who made a significant contribution in their community or during their military service. A panel made of Veteran community partners will select a nominee in each county to be recognized and displayed at each VA clinic's Wall of Honor in Cumberland, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties in southern New Jersey and New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties in Delaware.

Veteran Wall of Honor

Applications can be found here. Completed applications and questions can be emailed to pao.wilmington@va.gov.


Patient Advocates Now Available in the Clinics

What is a Patient Advocate? The patient advocates at VA Wilmington health care are specially trained to help you resolve issues with your care. If you've experienced any problems that you haven't been able to resolve by talking with your care team, please reach out to one of our patient advocates.
  • Cumberland County: First Tuesday of the Month
  • Cape May County: Third Tuesday of the Month
  • Atlantic County: Third Wednesday of the Month
  • Kent County: First Thursday of the Month
  • Sussex County: Third Thursday of the Month
  • Advocates are available Monday through Friday at the Wilmington VA Medical Center
To contact a patient advocate call 302-994-2511 EXT. 5436

VA: Health and Benefits

View and cancel health care appointments, refill, and track prescriptions, view claims and appeals status, upload documentation to VA, securely message your doctor, locate VA facilities, retrieve your vaccine records, access the Veterans Crisis Line, and more—right from your phone—with VA’s Health and Benefits mobile app. The app also makes it easy to prove your status as a Veteran so you can take advantage of available retailer discounts. Join more than 1 million users in the Veteran community who are accessing their benefits and services, safely and securely, wherever and whenever they need them: Download the VA App

 

VA App


VA Health Chat

You can now schedule your next VA appointment quickly and easily using the VA Health Chat app! Our schedulers in the VISN 4 Clinical Contact Center are available to help you from 3 p.m. to midnight. Download the app or learn more at https://mobile.va.gov/app/va-health-chat.

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VISN 4 Tele Emergency Care

 Call 1-833-3874    Available 24/7/365 

Are you experiencing a medical or mental health symptom and unsure what to do? Our nurses are ready 24/7 to help, and our providers can evaluate and determine next steps for treatment.

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New PACT Act Section 103 Health Care Eligibility

All Veterans who meet the basic service and discharge requirements and who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving our country—at home or abroad—can enroll directly in VA care under the PACT Act. Specifically, this applies to three new cohorts:

  • Veterans who participated in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) while serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.
  • Veterans who performed active service while assigned to a duty station in (including airspace above) certain locations during specific periods of time:
    • On or after August 2, 1990, in the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates.
    • On or after September 11, 2001, in the following countries: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, or any other country determined relevant by VA. (Note: VA has not determined any other country relevant at this time.)
  • Veterans who deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, or Resolute Support Mission.

These cohorts were originally granted eligibility on a phased-in schedule between October 2024 and October 2032. By eliminating the phased-in approach and expediting the timeline to allow all eligible Veterans to enroll now, we can provide more Veterans with the care and benefits they have earned sooner.


April 21 to 27 was National Volunteer Week!

Wilmington VA Medical Center Volunteer is named Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award Honoree. See full story by clicking here.

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April 29 to May 5 was Patient Experience Week!

For Patient Experience Week, employees chalked up the sidewalk at Wilmington VA Medical Center with encouraging words for our Veterans and staff to see when they enter the building.

Chalk Monday


events

VA Outreach/TES at First State Airshow
When: May 18-19, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: Dover Air Force Base. More info here

Southern New Jersey Stand Down
When: May 22, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: All Wars Memorial, 1510 Adriatic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Veteran Career Fair and Resource Expo
When: May 22, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: Route 9 Library & Innovation Center 3022 New Castle Ave, New Castle, DE

Women’s Health Summit
When: May 31, 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual

QR Code Women Veteran Summit

 

 

 

 


Interested in Working at the Wilmington VA?

Make the Difference. Learn about VA Careers by visiting: https://www.vacareers.va.gov/ 

 

 


Service members and veterans experiencing a mental health emergency can contact the Veteran Crisis Line at 988 or 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for a VA staffer. Veterans, troops or their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.