Milwaukee VA marks 100th anniversary of health care for female Veterans
PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2023
Milwaukee , WI — The Milwaukee VA Medical Center is marking the 100th anniversary of VA health care for female Veterans with a Women’s Health Resource Fair.
The event will be noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in the Matousek Auditorium of the hospital, 5000 W. National Ave.
A variety of services available to female Veterans will be on display at the event, ranging from mammogram coordination and gynecology to community care and social services. Non-VA organizations also will be taking part, including Disabled Veterans of America, American Legion Auxiliary, Meta House and others.
Speakers will include Katie Wisniewski, Milwaukee VA Women’s Health program manager, and Darcie Greuel, Post 9/11 Military to VA Case Management program manager, who will speak on the evolution of VA health care for women.
On Sept. 14, 1923, the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (the Veterans Health Administration’s origins) approved the first hospital spaces for female Veterans. At the time, there were approximately 52,000 female Veterans, 25 percent of whom were disabled and eligible for care.
The Milwaukee VA was one of the first two Veterans hospitals to admit female Veterans when a floor was reserved for them in Milwaukee’s tuberculosis hospital. Around the same time, a separate building at the Danville, Ill., branch was reserved for female Veterans who required general medical treatment.
Over the years, VA continued to invest in improving access and quality of care for female Veterans. Services now include gynecological care, breast and cervical cancer screenings, contraceptive counseling and menopause management, among others. Moreover, VA recognizes the unique challenges faced by female Veterans in terms of military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and is focused on enhancing mental health support to address these issues effectively.
Female Veterans make up the fastest-growing segment of the Veteran population, with over 2 million female Veterans living in the United States today.
“Their service and sacrifice deserve our utmost respect, appreciation and unwavering commitment to their well-being,” said Katie Wisniewski, Women Veterans Program Manager at the Milwaukee VA. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to further improving health care delivery for female Veterans.”
Milwaukee VA Public Affairs, https://www.va.gov/milwaukee-health-care/
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