VA Publishes Final Regulation to Aid Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange - Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to access quality health care and qualify for disability compensation under a final regulation that will be published on August 31, 2010 in the Federal Register by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The new rule expands the list of health problems VA will presume to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposures to add two new conditions and expand one existing category of conditions. (8/30/10)
VA Secretary Addresses Traumatic Brain Injury Conference - Recognizing the longstanding, integrated collaboration shared by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki gave the keynote address Monday at the fourth annual Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Military Training Conference here. (8/30/10)
VA/NIH Award $6 Million for Substance Abuse Research - The Department of Veterans Affairs is partnering with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to award $6 million in grants for research examining the link between substance abuse and military deployments and combat-related trauma.
(8/26/10)
Veterans with Disabilities to Learn Life-Changing Skills at Summer Sports Clinic in San Diego - The National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic is an event like no other, uniquely designed to teach recently-injured Veterans how to surf, kayak, sail, cycle and enjoy other sports. The 3rd National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will be held September 19 - 25 in San Diego.
(8/26/10)
Veterans with Disabilities to TEE Off in Iowa - Nearly 200 military Veterans are registered to tee-off in a unique golf tournament in Riverside, Iowa, September 6 - 9, 2010, proving that having a visual impairment or other disability does not mean they cannot lead a full and rewarding life. (8/25/10)
Indianapolis VA Medical Center Launches Health Information Exchange - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced a new pilot in the Indianapolis region that will improve the delivery of Veterans health information. The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis will partner with the Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE), the largest health information exchange organization in the United States, to securely exchange electronic health record (EHR) information using the Nationwide Health Information Network. (8/24/10)
VA Reaches Out to Homeowners Affected by Gulf Oil Crisis - Veterans in the Gulf States impacted by the recent oil spill may qualify for delayed mortgage payments if their mortgages are already guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). (8/20/10)
VA Research Finds Possible Link Between Head Trauma and Chronic Traumatic Encephalomyopathy - Researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) at Boston University School of Medicine have provided the first pathological evidence of a link between repeated head injuries—such as those experienced by athletes in contact sports such as boxing, football, and hockey—and a disease (chronic traumatic Encephalomyopathy) that resembles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The results will appear in the September issue of the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.
(8/19/10)
