Originally published in the Reading Eagle.

By Reading Eagle

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Chester County Democrat, and 33 other members of Congress (28 fellow Democrats and five Republicans) signed a letter sent last week to the secretaries of the Army and Navy requesting that the two branches pursue full participation in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Women's Health Transition Assistance, a pilot program that is currently fully implemented by the Air Force; Houlahan is an Air Force veteran. The mission of the program is to inform women transitioning out of active duty service about the VA's services, including gender-specific care available.

Female veterans face different health-related challenges, including depression, chronic pain and obesity, compared to their male counterparts, the letter said.

The age-adjusted suicide rate for female veterans is nearly two times higher than the rate for civilian women according to the VA, yet for women using Veterans Health Administration services, there is no statistical difference with civilian women.

“With this in mind, it is especially alarming that women veterans do not connect with VA services until an average of 2.7 years after separating from the military,” the letter said.

The program is in its pilot phase. Of the nearly 300 women who have participated, 99 percent would recommend the course to others and 80 percent have agreed to post-course follow-up. Post-course survey data indicate a 56 percent improvement in awareness among participants of women's health services at the VHA. Further, there was an increase of 13.1 percent in intent to enroll in the VA, an increase of 15.6 percent in intent to use VA health care services, and an increase of 19.3 percent in intent to use VA suicide prevention services, if needed.

“As a veteran, I understand the unique challenges our servicewomen face when they are transitioning to civilian life after serving our country,” Houlahan said.