For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
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Substance abuse program to target homeless vets
Question: What is the latest on how the Department of Veterans Affairs is handling the homeless veterans' problem?
Answer: Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson is committed to placing 30 substance abuse counselors in communities around the country to take substance abuse counseling directly to homeless provider sites. The closest facilities to Hawaii that will receive these new counselors are Long Beach, Calif.; Los Angeles; San Francisco, and Las Vegas. For information on homeless veterans, contact the VA Medical Clinic, 433-0600.
Q: What is the VA doing for veterans who need help with weight control?
A: The VA has designed a weight management program to reduce the high rates of illness among VA's patients caused by obesity. Seventy percent of the veterans VA cares for are overweight and one in five has diabetes, both of which increase the risk of many diseases. The MOVE program-- "Managing Overweight Veterans Everywhere" -- not only encourages veterans enrolled in VA care to get in shape but also offers information to family members and anyone trying to lose weight through an Internet link. Primary care teams at all VA medical centers stay in touch with participants to track their progress. Anyone can log onto www.move.va.gov, where a questionnaire helps identify personal barriers to weight control. The questions link to about 100 informational materials on the site. For more information on the MOVE program, you can contact the VA Medical Clinic at 433-0600 or 433-7676.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran, call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049 or visit the VA Web site at
www.va.gov/hawaii or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.