To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

"From the Battlefield to the Home Front," President Trump's New Executive Order Takes Care of America's Veterans

Aimee Herd : Jan 10, 2018  WhiteHouse.gov

"Currently, up until your Executive Order, only 40 percent of those service members had coverage in the VA to get mental health. Now, 100 percent will have that coverage." -VA Secretary David Shulkin

If you perused the internet at all in the last couple days, you may have seen news reports and videos of President Trump standing alongside service members during the singing of the National Anthem, at the CFP Championship game. (Photo: President Trump stands with service members during the singing of the National Anthem at the CFP Championship game on Monday/via Ledger-Enquirer)

America's Commander-in-Chief looked at home standing next to those who are protecting this country, perhaps because he attended military school himself. More likely, though, because of his great respect for these men and women who serve, which has been confirmed over and over in the last year; not just in words but in action as well.

Yesterday was a perfect example of that, as Trump signed a very important Executive Order aimed at helping our veterans in their transition from active duty to civilian life.

"We must ensure that our veterans are given the care and support they so richly deserve," stated the President on the White House website, "That is our unwavering commitment to those who served under the flag of the United States."

The new Executive Order signed by President Trump on Tuesday, will do the following, according to WhiteHouse.gov:

The Executive Order directs the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to:

• Within 60 days, develop and submit a Joint Action Plan to provide "seamless access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for transitioning uniformed service members in the year" following military service; and

• Within 180 days, update the President on the implementation of the Joint Action Plan and outline further reforms to increase veterans' access to mental health services.

• The status report will include the progress of reforms implemented through the Joint Action Plan and any additional reforms that could help further address problems that obstruct veterans' access to mental health treatment resources.

In addition, the White House statement noted that the Executive Order will 'modernize and expand' healthcare choices for returning vets with the following implementations:

• An expansion of the VA's "Anywhere to Anywhere" healthcare, which allows VA providers to use tele-health technology to remotely treat veterans regardless of geographic location.

• A greater adoption of VA Video Connect, an application for mobile phones and computers, which directly connects veterans and healthcare providers from anywhere in the country.

• At over 100 VA sites across the nation, a rollout of the new Online Scheduling Tool, which enables veterans to schedule appointments from their mobile devices or computers.

• A launch of the VA's "Access and Quality Tool," which allows veterans to view online both wait times at VA locations and important quality-of-care data.

President Trump has ensured continued access to care in the Veterans Choice Program by signing the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act, authorizing $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program (VCP).

• The VCP gives eligible veterans their choice of private care if they live more than 40 miles from the closest eligible VA facility, experience wait times over 30 days from the clinically indicated date, or face an excessive burden in accessing VA care.

President Trump announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs will adopt the same Electronic Health Record (EHR) as the Department of Defense (DOD).

• VA's adoption of the same EHR as DOD will ultimately result in all patient data residing in one common system, enabling the immediate availability of service member's medical records and seamless care between the departments.

And, finally, according to the statement, 'Secretary Shulkin has expanded access to urgent mental healthcare to former service members with other-than-honorable (OTH) discharges.'

[To read the full Executive Order, click here]

These changes, especially regarding mental health, are paramount to our returning service members, as the statement notes:

The suicide rate among veterans in the first year after their service is twice the average among veterans.

Veterans 3 to 12 months out of military service are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than their active duty compatriots, while those up to 3 months out of service were 2.5 times as likely, according to a study from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Approximately 18.5 percent of veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted his appreciation for Trump's Executive Order on Tuesday, saying, "@POTUS is right, we owe it to our veterans to give them the best. This Executive Order will improve veterans' access to mental health care resources and ensure they get the help they need after serving and protecting our country."

VA Secretary David Shulkin said in a USA Today report, "Currently, up until your Executive Order, only 40 percent of those service members had coverage in the VA to get mental health. Now, 100 percent will have that coverage."







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Famous Rapper Turns to Jesus: 'Christ Lives in Me'

Judge Voids Democrat Election Win Due to Fraudulent Ballots

Tucker Carlson, Michael Shellenberger blast John Kerry's 'Anti-human' COP28 speech

4 Big Moments from the Trump-Hannity Town Hall Event

Kevin McCarthy Says He Will Resign from Congress at the End of the Year

20 States Seeking to Expel Foreign Students Amid Rising Concerns of 'Terrorist Activity'

Israel Won Mankind's First Ever Space Battle by Destroying Houthi Missile Outside Earth's Atmosphere

IDF Chief Says War Entering New Phase as US 'Cowboy Volunteers' Help Fill Israeli Farming Gap

Christians Unite with Jews at Chanukah, Lighting a Candle and Praying for Miracles in Israel

Canadian Government Lawyers Try to Claim Freedom Convoy Leaders Were Overseeing an 'Occupation'

Biden Campaign Gets Fact-Checked for Fake Trump Quote...by a Left-Wing Fact Checker

BOMBSHELL REPORT: Biden Administration Pressured YouTube to Censor Americans

Congress Freezes $6 Billion for Iran in Bipartisan Vote

University of Michigan Cancels Precedent Setting Anti-Israel Vote

Doctor Treating Hostages Freed from Hamas Monsters Reveals Unprecedented Abuse: 'We Have to Rewrite the Textbooks'

Sen. Marsha Blackburn: Sen. Durbin Blocked My Request for Epstein Flight Logs: What are Democrats Trying to Hide?

Hunter Biden's Business Entity Made DIRECT Monthly Payments to Joe Biden–With Receipts! [Video]

New Animated 'JESUS' Film Announced for Worldwide Release

Christian Trucking Company Fined $700K by Biden's 'Justice' Department, Wait Till You Read Why...

Apple TV Star Condemns Progressives for Blind Support of Hamas, Shares No-Holds-Barred Opinion



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



BCN Plus

Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com