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Women’s Health Care in DOD Unchanged by Supreme Court Decision > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

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While last month’s Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization means each state now makes its own laws regarding abortion services, the health care that the Defense Department provides to service members has not changed, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness said. 

“Service members can receive the same reproductive health care after Dobbs as they did before the ruling,” Gil Cisneros testified today before the House Armed Services Committee. “Consistent with long-existing federal law, ‘covered abortions’ — those cases that involve rape, incest or where the life of the mother would be endangered — will continue to be authorized to use federal funds and facilities. There is no interruption to this care.” 

Travel policies related to health care also remain, Cisneros said. If a service member must travel to obtain a covered abortion, she may do so on official status and will not be charged leave. 

While the department will continue to be able to provide to service members the same level of health care it has always provided, Cisneros said the department is aware that the Dobbs decision will change available options for some service members when it comes to abortions that are not covered under department policy. Based on laws that may be in effect in the state where a service member is stationed, abortion services may not be available. 

“Service members are now having to navigate additional challenges to access essential women’s health care services,” he said. “Service members and their families, who were previously able to make very personal decisions about when to have a family, may now face greater burdens depending on where they’re stationed.” 

Cisneros told lawmakers that the DOD continues to review its personnel and medical polices as a result of the Dobbs decision. 

“We understand the very personal nature of how the court decision impacts families,” he said. “We are being very deliberate in analyzing Dobbs with both focus and compassion. We want to make sure we get this right because it impacts access to essential women’s health care and reproductive care.” 

Another aspect of reproductive health care that lawmakers were interested in concerned the availability of contraception within the military health care system. Seileen Mullen, the acting secretary of defense for health affairs, testified that until recently DOD had contraceptive clinics set up at 18 military treatment facilities across the department. Now, she said, the plan is to have those clinics at all military treatment facilities across the department. 

“We have expanded where we have military treatment contraceptive clinics — walk-in clinics,” she said. “A woman or man could come up, get counseling, and decide what contraceptives they need that day.” 

Cisneros said the department is changing policy on one form of contraception in particular — the intrauterine device, or IUD — to make it available to more service members. 

“We are currently updating our policies so that service members and their families will be able to receive those IUDs through the TRICARE health care system without having to pay a copay, which is currently the thing right now,” he said. “We’re changing our policy, updating it, so that the copay will be eliminated with that.” 

Mullen also told lawmakers that the department will soon release results of a survey on women’s reproductive health conducted by the RAND Corporation, which reveals a lack of knowledge among service members regarding contraceptive options. 

“It’s the first time that has been done in 30 years,” Mullen said. “It’s given us quite a bit of information … includ[ing that there’s] a lack of education about women’s options around contraceptives, which are free in our MTFs. All active-duty service members get free contraceptives within the MTFs and in our retail pharmacies.” 

Right now, Mullen said, there is a small copay for active-duty service members to get contraceptives, but congressional legislation might change that — making contraception totally free to service members and their families. 

“We also … have an app called ‘Decide and Be Ready’ that men and women can use to go through their contraceptive options to decide what’s best for them,” she said. “We also have those walk-in clinics that are … being expanded this year, as well. But … it’s sort of astonishing how our young men and women really don’t fully know of what their reproductive rights and health care consists of, and we need to do a better job.”

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USA Veteran News

New 988 suicide prevention hotline gives vets, troops an easier option for emergency care

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The new 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which launched this weekend, isn’t aimed specifically at veterans, but advocates are hopeful that the resource will provide an easier venue for veterans and military members facing mental health emergencies.

“The new shorter number directly addresses the need for ease of access and clarity in times of crisis, both for veterans and non veterans alike,” Dr. Tamara Campbell, acting Executive Director for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, said in a press event on Friday.

“[VA officials] are working to update materials and communications with the new number to spread the word to veterans, their supporters and our community partners.”

The new three-digit dialing code, mandated by Congress two years ago, is designed to give an alternative to the 911 emergency call line for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or other mental health issues.

The hotline went live nationwide on Saturday, although officials noted that some states still may need a few more weeks and months to get their systems aligned with the new service.

For Veterans Affairs officials, who have prioritized suicide pervention as a key health care goal in recent years, the new number does not replace any staffing or procedures related to their long-estalbished Veterans Crisis Line.

That service, which has been in operation for 15 years, receives about 2,000 calls per day on average, as well as nearly 400 text and chat exchanges.

And while the Veterans Crisis Line number — 1-800-273-8255 — will still work, officials anticipate that the new 988 hotline will be easier to remember, allowing more individuals to reach out for help when they need it.

As a result, Veterans Affairs officials are anticipating call volume to jump over the next year to as high as 1.7 million, nearly 2.5 times higher than last year’s total.

Dr. Matthew Miller, Executive Director for VA Suicide Prevention, said officials have been preparing for the switch for the last few years, and hired more than 460 new staffers to handle an increased volume of calls.

“We’re building our capacity as quickly as possible, yet also as validly and thoroughly as possible,” he said. “It’s one thing to answer the call quickly. But what happens after the call matters too.”

Miller said officials are preparing for a 60% increase in requests for consultations with veteran suicide prevention coordinators in the next two years and as much as a 150% increase in current levels by the third year of 988 operations.

“We’ve analyzed projected demand and supply around the nation with suicide prevention coordinators and dedicated resources to ensure that local facilities are supported in this,” he said. “We’re also addressing outpatient mental health staffing in bolstering and augmenting resources and support to local facilities.”

VA officials are emphasizing that despite all those coming, the core services and response behind their Veterans Crisis Line operations will not be altered.

“It’s the same VCL that veterans have come to trust, and that veterans and the American public expects the highest standards from,” he said. “This is a new option for reaching the same services.”

Veteran suicide fell to its lowest level in 12 years in 2019, down more than one-death-a-day from the previous year’s levels, according to data released by VA officials last fall. That translated into about 17 veterans a day who die as a result of suicide. When factoring in active-duty military, reservists and other associated groups, the total is closer to 20 a day.

But even with the decrease, the rate of suicides among veterans remains almost double that of the rest of the American public, accounting for more than 32,000 deaths from 2015 to 2019.

Veterans who call the new 988 hotline or the old 1-800-273-8255 number can select option 1 after connecting to reach a VA staffer. In addition, Veterans, troops or their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.

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