Latest news with #U.S.VeteransAffairs
UPI
21-05-2025
- Health
- UPI
VA to use $50M for veteran suicide prevention projects
1 of 2 | "Reducing Veteran suicide starts with reaching Veterans when and how it's most convenient for them," U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins (pictured Monday in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C.) said Wednesday as the VA opened grant requests for community-based groups for Veteran suicide prevention. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo May 21 (UPI) -- More than $50 million in federal grant money will be available to local groups to provide suicide prevention and other services for America's at-risk veteran population, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday. "Reducing veteran suicide starts with reaching veterans when and how it's most convenient for them," said U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Around $52.5 million in federal money via the VA's Staff Sgt. Parker Gordon Fox suicide prevention grant program will be directed to local organizations at a community-based level that provide an array of clinical or other emergency services for U.S. veterans, particularly suicide prevention. In December, the Biden administration's Veterans Affairs Department noted that military veteran suicides were slightly down but remained steady. It said in 2022 nearly 18 U.S. veterans died every day that year from suicide. On Wednesday, Collins said one of the "best ways" to see a reduction in veteran suicide rates is to reach them where they are by working hand-in-hand with community-based groups and support other evidence-based organizations in all 50 states. "We look forward to ensuring these funds are put to use helping veterans in need across the nation," the VA secretary stated. The VA's Staff Sgt. Fox suicide prevention program -- named for the U.S. Army Infantry School sniper instructor at Fort Benning, Ga., who died by suicide in 2020 at age 25 -- was the topic of a congressional reauthorization hearing at the end of April after its second reauthorized round of grant funding in March 2023. It was authorized under the 2019 Cmdr. John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which became law nearly five years ago but must be reauthorized by Congress. Veterans Affairs officials noted since the Fox grant program's 2022 launch that it had diverted more than $157 million throughout 43 states, U.S. territories and tribal nations to some 95 organizations to financially support veteran services. The VA said Wednesday that U.S. organizations may now apply for grant funding up to $750,000 and may further opt to renew year-to-year throughout the grant's existing timeline. Meanwhile, grant applications are due July 18 by 4:59 p.m. EDT. Grantees will be picked by September 30, according to VA officials. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Breast cancer is becoming less deadly for younger women, US study finds
London: Young U.S. women with breast cancer are not dying from the disease as often as a decade ago, researchers reported at the American Association for Cancer Research 2025 meeting in Chicago. From 2010 to 2020, breast cancer deaths among women ages 20-49 declined significantly across all breast cancer subtypes and racial and ethnic groups, with marked declines starting after 2016, according to an analysis of data from the national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Overall, the breast cancer death rate in this age group fell from 9.70 per 100,000 women in 2010 to 1.47/100,000 in 2020. The decline was sharper after 2016, likely due to advancements in treatment options, greater uptake of precision medicine, and expanded access to care and screening in women ages 40-49, study leader Adetunji Toriola of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said in a statement. While breast cancer mortality declined in every racial and ethnic group, non-Hispanic Black women had the highest rate in both 2010 (16.56/100,000) and 2020 (3.41/100,000). Non-Hispanic white women had the lowest rates in 2010 (9.18/100,000) and 2020 (1.16/100,000). "We have made tremendous advances in reducing mortality from breast cancer in young women but there are still opportunities for improvements, especially in relation to eliminating disparities," Toriola said. "We must continue to perform impactful research to ensure further reduction in breast cancer mortality, including research into understanding the tumor biology and molecular mechanisms driving carcinogenesis and treatment response in younger women." GLP-1 DRUGS MAY CURB ATRIAL FIBRILLATION GLP-1 drugs that are used to treat diabetes and have become wildly popular for weight loss, may also be useful for controlling the common heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation, researchers reported at the Heart Rhythm 2025 meeting in San Diego. Researchers looked at more than 2,500 patients with type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation and obesity at 170 U.S. Veterans Affairs medical centers. Those who were receiving a GLP-1 drug experienced a 13% reduction in major AF-related events during a median follow-up of three years, compared to patients receiving other medications for their diabetes. AF-related events included hospitalizations for the disorder, need for electroshock therapy to reset the heart rhythm, and ablation procedures to heat heart tissue in order to create scars that interrupt the electrical signals causing the arrhythmia. Researchers did not identify the drugs being taken but common examples of GLP-1 medicines for diabetes include Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Rybelsus and Victoza, and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Trulicity. Because patients were taking low doses of GLP-1 drugs, rather than higher doses used for weight loss, the results suggest the arrhythmia benefits are independent of any weight-loss benefit, the researchers noted. The study was not designed to prove the GLP-1 drugs caused the reduction in AF events. But study leader Dr. Varun Sundaram of the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University said, "given the growing obesity epidemic and the rising prevalence of atrial fibrillation," it lays the foundation for a new approach to treating AF if larger trials confirm the potential benefits.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
VA Secretary defends plans for massive workforce cuts during Howell meeting with vets
HOWELL — U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins confirmed to Howell-area veterans Monday that he plans to cut the department by 80,000 employees, including some who are veterans, while pledging to improve health care and other services. Collins asked veterans gathered at the American Legion Post 141 near Howell to hold him accountable if service improvements don't happen. "We've got a lot of change coming up; it's putting the veteran first," said Collins, a former Georgia congressman who is also an attorney and military chaplain, and who was sworn in Feb. 5 as a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet. "Motion causes friction," said Collins, who took friendly questions from the crowd of about 50 people and received a brief standing ovation at the end of his remarks. "There's going to be a lot of friction." He said to remember that his department "is not an employment agency," but instead is about providing services. It can do that much better than it has been, but not if it keeps doing things the same way, he said. Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which is not an actual federal government department, has prompted cuts of at least 2,400 VA employees and recommended firing about 80,000 more. Collins, joined by freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, is touring Veterans Affairs facilities in Michigan and meeting with veterans. Barrett, who is chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, wrote to Collins in early March, expressing concern about the potential impact of the workforce cuts and seeking assurances that only those who have "truly underperformed and not met the expectations of their assignment" will lose their jobs. Asked whether those are the criteria as the department attempts a 15% workforce reduction, Collins suggested the government is looking more at job function than individual performance. He said the government is looking at areas of the workforce that are not supporting the department's primary mission of providing health care and veteran benefits. Collins said the previous administration added positions such as publicists and "yoga instructors" who don't support the core mission. "Where do we need help and where do we not need?" Collins told reporters. "That's really the criteria for what we're doing right now." Asked whether Collins had given him satisfactory assurances about the concerns he raised in his letter, Barrett said he and Collins share a mission of delivering benefits to veterans in the most efficient way possible. "That's going to take collaborative effort," and discussions between him and Collins continue, he said. Collins told the veterans that cutting 80,000 people from the department is a goal. "If we get there, great," he said. "But we may not get there." Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: VA Secretary defends massive workforce cuts during Howell speech
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
VA Secretary: Tennessee Valley Healthcare System is a model for veterans care
When I became U.S. Veterans Affairs secretary, I promised to ensure every veteran receives the high-quality care they deserve. To meet that pledge, I'm visiting VA facilities across the country to see firsthand what's working, what's not and how we can best serve Veterans. On March 17, I visited the VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System. It serves approximately 140,000 veterans across Middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Georgia. That number continues to rise, with nearly 5,000 new veterans enrolling in the past year. To keep pace with this growth, VA is partnering with the Department of Defense to expand care options and improve coordination for transitioning service members and veterans. In partnership with Fort Campbell's Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, VA and DOD opened two new clinics this year. This partnership will expand care to more than 3,000 local Veterans. At the same time, we're modernizing several VA facilities like the Nashville and Alvin C. York VA Medical Centers. We're also planning to open a new Bowling Green, Kentucky, clinic in July 2028 to serve rural veterans. By 2030, VA will open three more Tennessee clinics in Clarksville, Nashville, and Cookeville, respectively. This will improve access and convenience for thousands of veterans. These investments are about expanding access and making sure Veterans receive the highest quality care. That commitment to excellence was evident when I stepped into the Nashville VA Medical Center − the only VA medical center that offers stem cell, liver, kidney, and heart transplants, the only one with a psychiatric medical inpatient unit, and the only medical center performing all aspects of stem cell and CAR-T cell therapy in house. What I witnessed was phenomenal. Dr. Salyka Sengsayadeth and her team are transforming lives; their work exemplifies VA's commitment to innovation and excellence. Great VA employees throughout the Tennessee Valley Health Care System are empowering innovation, greater health care access, and cutting-edge medical advancements. Abey Lissane is one example. Abey's a nurse whose compassion recently made a life-changing difference for a veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The veteran arrived at a clinic overwhelmed and anxious, but instead of just treating his symptoms and sending him on his way, Abey took the time to listen and connect him with the critical mental health services and resources he needed. Opinion: Celebrate Tennessee National Guard team that beat 'Big Army' for top tank crew Abey's story is a reminder of how VA employees go above and beyond to provide veterans treatment as well as unwavering support, and I was honored to thank her during my visit. At the Nashville Vet Center, a dedicated team provides mental health counseling, group therapy, and transition support to more than 300 veterans, service members, and their families each year. The Nashville Vet Center stands as a model of how strong partnerships, innovative services, and a dedicated team focused on mental health can save the lives of veterans. Providing this level of care across the department requires a workforce that can meet veterans' growing needs. That's why VA aligns staffing with evolving needs to ensure we are best positioned to serve veterans − now, and in the future. And our commitment goes beyond staffing; it extends to resources, innovations, and systems that position VA to be a leader in health care. That commitment is why VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System stands out − where world-class care, groundbreaking innovation, and a dedicated team come together to serve those who served us. Because at VA, our mission is the veteran. Doug Collins (@SecVetAffairs) is the 12th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. If you are veteran who needs VA assistance, please call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411). This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Veterans Affairs Sec: TN Valley Healthcare System is a model | Opinion
