March 26, 2015

Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Corrine Brown Introduces Legislation for Expanding Counseling Services for Women Veterans

Washington D.C.- Congresswoman Corrine Brown, the Ranking Member on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced H.R. 1575, a bill to make permanent a successful psychiatric and psychological counseling pilot program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for newly returned women veterans.

The bill’s introduction follows the release of a report by the Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) showing that this limited 2-year pilot program, run by the Readjustment Counseling Service, has measurably helped returning women veterans.  “I am particularly impressed by this program since I have read in various surveys that the participants reported experiencing a marked decrease of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms.  Moreover, they have dramatically increased their coping skills, including understanding how to develop support systems and how to access available resources at VA and in their communities as they reenter civilian life,” said Congresswoman Brown. 

VHA has run six week-long retreats in two years, in which post 9/11 women veterans (mostly combat veterans) are brought together in groups of about 20 in outdoor settings.  Their transportation expenses are paid for.  Sessions were held in California, Colorado, New Mexico and Connecticut, and the veterans, most of who are coping with the effects in their lives of severe PTS (some as a result of sexual trauma while in the military), participated in trust building exercises and worked with counselors and psychological educators to build peer support.  Other services offered on an as needed basis are financial and occupational counseling and conflict resolution training.

“The legislation I introduced provides VA with permanent authority to extend the program using the same measurements and eligibility requirements. And its expansion will mean an increase in the number of sessions and locations for the program; however, the program will remain exclusively for returning women veterans,” added Congresswoman Brown. 

The VA must submit a report to Congress every two years on the program.