Director's Message December 30, 2022

First, some prescription medications should not be mixed with alcohol. As you head to your New Year’s Eve parties, please check the labels on your prescriptions to see if it’s safe to mix them with alcohol. Remember: it can be very dangerous to skip a dose of your medication. Ask your doctor before you change the way you take your medications. If your medication shouldn’t be taken with alcohol, the smart thing to do is to take the medication and stick with sparkling cider for your New Year’s toast.

Additionally, it’s very important to have a plan for how to get home on New Year’s Eve. If you do decide to drink, please make sure to have a designated driver or have a ride planned. Drinking and driving is dangerous anywhere, but in the islands, where many people live in rural areas without streetlights, it’s even more perilous. Twisting mountain or coastal roads are hazardous enough during the day, but they can become deadly when driving at night. If you’re going to go out,  have a plan in mind for getting home.

Finally, we might be done with COVID-19, but it’s not done with us. If you are going to a large gathering, please think about gathering outdoors when possible, and masking indoors. Flu season is also in full swing, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is spreading in the community. These viruses are still causing hospitalizations and deaths, so it’s important to keep taking precautions.

VA Benefits PACT Act Event

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) would like to invite you to a Veteran’s Benefits Administration (VBA) event on Saturday, January 14, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Oahu Veterans Center, located at 1298 Kukila St. in Honolulu HI, 96818. This event will be a chance for veterans to meet with benefits councilors and discuss possible eligibility for new benefits under the PACT Act. If you have questions, please come, and talk with someone from VBA and get your questions answered. You can also always call 1-800-214-1306 and make an appointment.

As we talk about PACT Act events, I want to thank everyone who was involved in our recent PACT Act Community Calls in Guam, American Samoa, and Hawaii . In American Samoa alone we served 300 veterans, and all our events were a success. Enrolling new veterans under the historic PACT Act will allow us to expand our care to folks who always deserved it. To meet the new demand, we will be doing a lot of hiring, so please remember to check our job listings regularly and encourage others to do the same.

Women’s Health at VA

As we expand VA services, one important demographic is women veterans, and VAPIHCS has a wide variety of services for this growing population. Within the catchment area of VAPIHCS, there are 5,837 enrolled women veterans, and 5,424 of those are actively receiving care from VA. These veterans are spread across the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

Women veterans have unique needs, and it’s important that we recognize this. As an example, women veterans may need support for birth control, infertility and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment, disorders and diseases more common in or specific to women, maternity, and menopause support. VA provides women health services within each Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) to address these needs.

There are also more programs yet to come. VA has been approved to add services like breastfeeding classes to help women veterans with all aspects of their health care journey. In addition to this, clinics try to include the whole health principles that are applied across VA. Whole Health is about asking the veteran what is most important to them, and then suggesting programs and services that will help them achieve their goals. For example, a veteran may have the goal of being able to get down on the floor to play with their children or grandchildren. In this case, VA would want to offer classes in movement like Tai Chi to assist with flexibility and mobility overall.

If you know a woman veteran who has been hesitant to enroll for VA services, reach out to them. Let them know that new programs are available, with more programs in development to meet their needs. It is very important to me personally that every veteran feels welcome here at VAPIHCS. We’re not doing our job right unless every person who has worn the cloth of our nation can walk through our doors and receive safe, compassionate, quality care that meets their specific needs.

Transitional Work Program

VAPIHCS does many things to help safeguard the minds, bodies, and sprits of those who have worn the cloth of our nation. One of our programs that deserves to be highlighted as the year ends is called “Transitional Work.” This program works to get veterans back on their feet after physical and mental challenges prevented them from being employed. Transitional Work is currently looking for departments within the VA as well as external employers to join the program and offer jobs to the veterans who need it.

If you know of an employer who may be interested in partnering with Transitional Work, please contact Kimberly Graves at (808) 940-2577 or email Kimberly.Graves2@va.gov.  Partnering with Transitional Work is a wonderful way to help veterans in your community and to help keep people employed; something that is essential to their self-worth and happiness.

Mental Health

Those who have worn the cloth of our nation have made many sacrifices. Some of those sacrifices are easy to see, like a damaged limb or a scar. However, there are also invisible wounds from war. These moral injuries can make occasions that are joyous for most more challenging for veterans. The holiday season, in particular, can be a uniquely challenging time for veterans and their families. That is natural after these years of isolation, and the added stress and anxiety of too many losses from the pandemic. Remember that if you are struggling, it’s important to Reach Out. You can always call the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 & press 1, text to 838255, or chat). And we are here for you, too. You can always get in touch with Mental Health Services and make an appointment.

Thoughts From Chaplain Richie Charles

With 2023 being less than a handful of days away, we are presented with a new year, and the prospect of making resolutions in the various dimensions of our lives. But many increasingly view the idea of resolutions with less optimism, as they look back and notice that their resolutions never seem to last. With years of failed promises, many conclude that their pledges for future change are as good as ropes of sand. But while there are several practical strategies one can implement to increase the likelihood of a given resolution succeeding, such as focusing on smaller, realistic goals, making goals specific and measurable, having a system of accountability, and more, Amy Morin, LCSW, offers an additional insight that can assist in our quest to reach success. In an article she authored, she observes that resolutions can fail when a calendar date becomes the primary reason for change rather than internally being ready to make those changes. She observed that we tend to change when we’re truly ready, and sometimes, the calendar date may not coincide with where we are internally. When we develop a strong enough “why” and decide that the prospect of change outweighs the cost of staying the same, change can become more likely. Let’s approach this new year with optimism for the possibilities it holds.

Wishing you and your ohana a safe, prosperous, and Happy New Year!

One Team, One Ohana!

Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN

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