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Women Veterans: VA Health Care Includes You!
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| For more information about the Women Veterans Health Care Program, call the Baltimore VA Medical Center Women's Clinic at 1-800-463-6295, ext. 4981, or the Perry Point VA Medical Center Women's Clinic at 1-800-949-1003, ext. 5768. To make an appointment for Women's Health or Primary Care, call 1-800-463-6295, EXT 7333. |
For Tyronda Franklin, a Veteran who served in both the Navy and the Army, it didn’t occur to her to enroll for her VA benefits when some health care issues arose. “I always knew the VA was there, I just didn’t think it was for me,” said Franklin.
Similarly, Roberta Lea Petties, a Navy Veteran, waited three to four years before enrolling for VA health care. “Due to lack of information and misinformation, I didn’t realize what kind of health benefits were available to me. When you’re getting discharged, you’re worried about getting a job and securing a place to live. Health care is secondary, until you have an issue,” said Petties.
Roxanne Smith, on the other hand, learned about VA health care benefits before she recently retired from the Navy and signed on quickly. “I get great health care at the VA,” said Smith.
All three women say, “I love the care I’m getting at the VA,” and that is no accident. Just ask Zelda McCormick, the new program manager of the Women Veterans Health Care Program. A nurse, McCormick works to ensure that women Veterans receive timely, equitable care in a sensitive and safe environment at all VA Maryland Health Care System locations.
“We’ve created women-friendly space,” says McCormick. “The Women’s Health Clinic also offers women Veterans access to high-quality, cutting-edge comprehensive care and privacy.”
Women Veterans with an honorable discharge may qualify for health care benefits through the VA. The VA provides women Veterans with an array of services that can span their entire lifetimes, from contraception and reproductive health to geriatric services and everything in between. According to McCormick, women Veterans can also find a plethora of mental health services covering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma, readjustment to civilian life, interpersonal violence, alcohol and drug dependence, and family issues.
“We offer excellent, gender-specific care to our women Veterans that is equal to the care male Veterans receive,” McCormick says of the program. “I want to tell women Veterans out there to enroll for their health benefits and pay us a visit.” |
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