NEWS
Advocating for Former Service Members
Senator with Vets: Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema hosted a roundtable discussion with Arizona Veterans Service Organizations about the veteran community’s greatest challenges and priorities so that she could better represent and advocate for them. (Submitted photo)
Senator discusses priorities, concerns with organizations BY ALLISON BROWN Sound of Freedom Staff Writer
S
en. Kyrsten Sinema hosted a roundtable discussion with Arizona Veterans Service Organizations about the community’s challenges, priorities and partnership opportunities. “Hearing directly from Arizona’s veteran community allows me to effectively advocate on their behalf in Washington and continue holding the VA accountable,” says Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “I’m grateful to continue my partnership with Arizona Veterans Service Organizations, ensuring our veterans receive the care and benefits they’ve earned.” At the meeting, she discussed several priorities for the veteran community. One of those key points she discussed with the Arizona Veterans Service Organizations was the VA’s Family Caregiver Program. Sinema says the
program serves as a lifeline for Arizona veterans and their caregivers. It offers enhanced clinical support for family caregivers of eligible veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria. She was also excited to relay the VA’s late March announcement that it will halt the discharge of legacy participants in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Sinema shares how she and her team have repeatedly heard about concerns from Arizona veterans and their caregivers on how they will get by if they are removed from the program. According to reports, about 90% of legacy participants could have been discharged from the program before it stopped to reassess eligibility criteria. Participants at Sinema’s roundtable also noted the need for more open communication between the VA and Caregivers Program participants to ensure proper and appropriate planning. This wasn’t Sinema’s first conversation about the issue, though. In fact, earlier this year she called on the VA to improve its Caregivers Program for Arizona veterans by better communicating with veterans and their families as changes to the Care-
givers Program are implemented. Sinema also requested the VA to soften eligibility criteria and provide more support to those seeking to reapply. At the meeting, the Arizona Veterans Service Organization representatives voiced the need for increased resources for veteran health care, especially for veterans in rural and remote areas. Sinema says she is strongly in support of improving access to the VA as well as increasing mental health services for veterans. The senator also talked about her work to get an ATLAS Pod in Arizona, which will save veterans hours of unnecessary transportation to the nearest VA clinic. In the interest of serving Arizona veterans to the fullest extent possible, Sinema pledged to continue working with VSOs on promoting other vital telehealth services. Sinema also heard concerns about the VA’s recent recommendations to the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission. She pledged to continue working with the Veterans Integrated Service Networks, the VA and partners on the ground to ensure the recommendations are right for Arizona veterans and result in a transparent process. MAY/JUNE 2022 |
Sound of Freedom
43
