Veteran's Affairs Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

VA Reminds Combat Veterans Of PACT Act Deadline Saturday

Certain combat Veterans can enroll in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.

As part of the PACT Act, veterans who deployed to a combat zone, have never enrolled in VA health care, and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and Oct. 1, 2013 are eligible for health benefits through the VA.

The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT Act, expanded health care for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.

The enrollment period allows veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits but it ends Saturday night at midnight.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 378,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care since the PACT Act was signed into law on August 10, 2022. In addition, more than 4.4 million enrolled veterans have been screened for toxic exposures.

“Even if you don’t need this care now, you may need it in the future – and once you’re in, you have access for life,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said.

Veterans are encouraged to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and sign up for VA health care before the deadline at 11:59 p.m. local time on September 30, 2023.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

House Bill Would Create Military Funeral Honor Guard Named For Woody Williams

House Bill 3254 would create a special detail of the West Virginia National Guard to be present and perform ceremonies at the funerals of eligible veterans.

The House Finance Committee passed a bill Wednesday to create a military funeral honor guard formed in remembrance of Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams.

House Bill 3254 would create a special detail of the West Virginia National Guard to be present and perform ceremonies at the funerals of eligible veterans. The program would be created and run by the state’s adjutant general.

These ceremonies would include the folding and presenting of the American flag to the dead’s next of kin and the playing of Taps, either by a bugler or electronically if one isn’t available.

Eligible veterans include those from West Virginia who had either died in combat or had been honorably discharged.

Del. John Hardy, R-Berkeley, recommended the bill pass to the House floor.

“With [veterans organizations] VFW and American Legion, as some of those members start to age out and some of our younger veterans are maybe not as involved in those organizations as much as they used to be, this will go a long way,” Hardy said.

The bill passed the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security earlier this month. It is expected to be read a first time on the House floor Friday.

VAMC Seeks Caregivers For Veterans

The Beckley VA Medical Center (VAMC) is seeking caregivers for the new Medical Foster Home Program.

Medical Foster Homes are private residences where the caregiver provides care and supervision 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

These are community-based living arrangements for veterans who cannot live independently due to physical or cognitive impairment. Their caregiver is available to help the veteran carry out activities of daily living such as bathing and getting dressed.

These homes are an alternative to traditional nursing home care by opting for a natural and therapeutic home environment. While living in a Medical Foster Home, veterans receive Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC).

VAMC rigorously assesses caregivers’ abilities and level of compassion, alongside a federal background check and a professional home inspection.

A Beckley VA Medical Foster Home coordinator will make monthly visits, while the HBPC team provides routine in-home care for veterans.

If you are interested in becoming a caregiver in the Medical Foster Home program, please contact the Medical Foster Home Coordinator, Brittany Henderson at 304-207-7370 or 304-255-2121 ext. 4657.

Free Care Now Available For Veterans In Crisis

Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care and veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use these benefits.

Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any Veterans Affairs or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care and do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use these benefits.

This expansion in access to care will increase access to acute suicide care for up to nine million veterans who are not currently enrolled in VA health care.

Sara Yoke is the public affairs officer for the Beckley VA Medical Center. She said West Virginia has four medical centers and several VA outpatient clinics, allowing all West Virginia veterans to use this new benefit.

“When a veteran is in crisis, they’re not completely in the right headspace to be thinking about, ‘Oh, I need to do this, then this and this,’” Yoke said. “So this expansion makes it so that any veteran, whether they’re enrolled in VA or not, can go to any health care facility, at the VA or in the community, if they’re in a suicidal crisis for free emergency health care.”

Programs such as this aim to prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing care at no cost, including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.

“I think having these ongoing programs, in addition to what we already offer, I think it’s really making a difference in reducing the number of veteran suicides,” Yoke said. “And we work really closely with our community partners, because it takes a community effort to educate on what to do if a veteran is in crisis, what someone can do, but also what programs are available.”

In September, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released its 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, which showed that veteran suicides decreased in 2020 for the second year in a row, and that fewer veterans died by suicide in 2020 than in any year since 2006.

“Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve – no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” said Denis McDonough, U.S. secretary for Veterans Affairs. “This expansion of care will save veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.”

Huntington VA Opens Third Virtual Access Site

These sites help veterans with limited internet connectivity meet virtually with VA staff. Veterans can ask questions about services like counseling, employment readiness programs, and other benefits the office provides.

The Huntington VA Regional Office, alongside the state’s Department of Veterans Assistance, recently launched a virtual access site in Ronceverte. It’s the third center of its kind to be opened in West Virginia.

Two sites are already open in Charleston and Logan County. Another site in Wheeling is set to open its doors by the end of the month. The VA plans to have 15 sites open statewide by the end of the year.

Other offices planned to be opened in the future include those in:

Morgantown
Clarksburg
Elkins
Moorefield
Martinsburg
Parkersburg
Spencer
Summersville
Beckley
Princeton
Huntington

The Ronceverte office is located at 30 Red Oaks Shopping Center, the Logan office is located at 120 Nick Savas Drive, and the South Charleston office is located at 300 Technology Drive. Each can be visited between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Veterans and claimants can also schedule an appointment to speak with a VA representative by calling 304-399-9205 or by visiting the VA’s online scheduler.

Manchin Says Senate Committee Agrees To Eliminate VA Panel

Manchin, who’s on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said there’s agreement to abolish the Assets and Infrastructure Review Commission.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said he has bipartisan support to eliminate a commission tasked with consolidating veterans health care facilities.

Manchin, who’s on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said there’s agreement to abolish the Assets and Infrastructure Review Commission.

Manchin said the commission was biased against rural states, and that West Virginia could have seen a reduction in services at three of its four VA medical centers.

He said the committee’s leadership has agreed to not fill vacancies on the commission, which require Senate approval. They’ve also agreed to end the commission in the next National Defense Authorization Act.

“We got them to agree that we’re going to kill the AIR Act by not appointing any commissioners whatsoever,” he said.

Congress passed the Asset and Infrastructure Review Act in 2018 over Manchin’s objection.