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

Trump Under Fire for Endorsing the Bible, Urging Americans to Pray

Whistleblower Claims Stormy Daniels 'Hush Money' Scheme Cooked Up by Michael Cohen to Extort Trump before 2016 Election

Speaker Johnson Announces He'll Invite Netanyahu to Address Congress

Federal Appeals Court Rules Pennsylvania Must Only Count Mail Ballots With Dates, Signatures

Illegal Alien Charged with Murdering a Michigan Woman Was Deported Under Trump But Snuck Back into US Under Biden's Watch

President Trump to Join Wake Honoring Slain NYPD Officer, While Biden Attends Fundraiser

Woke Disney Surrenders!

Illegals Using Fake Skimmers at Self-Checkouts to Drain Consumers' Bank Accounts; Here's How to Guard Yourself

Elon Musk to Pay Embattled Doctor's Legal Fees after Speaking Out against COVID Lockdowns

Safety of Women Hangs in Balance after Oral Arguments on Abortion Pill Regulation

New Federal Gun Grab Law Would Criminalize Shooting Ranges, and Even Private Security

Treasury Sec. Yellen: Biden Has NO Plan to Save Social Security

Maryland Governor Says 'Keep on Praying' for Families of Missing Workers after Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Chick-fil-A Abandons Long-Held 'No Antibiotics' Pledge on Chicken

The War in Myanmar: Karenni Resistance Fighters Ask for Prayer and Practical Help

The World Is Facing a Major Population Crisis by 2075 If Birth Rates Keep Falling

FDA Admits COVID Vaccines Cause Seizures in Toddlers

'Hamas Is Celebrating' after US Abstains from UN Security Council Ceasefire Vote: Netanyahu Cancels Visit

Kamala Harris Won't Disclose Why Biden Campaign Is Active on TikTok Despite Security Worries

Special Counsel Report Reveals University of Delaware Misled Courts to Hide Biden's Senate Records That Likely Hold Sexual Assault Complaint Filed by Tara Reade



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