Colorado is home to more than 46,000 Women Veterans, one of the fastestgrowing veteran populations in the state [VA Data]. Yet many still report feeling unseen in traditional veteran spaces. For Women’s History Month, this article aims to help Women Veterans find care, resources, and a community. With women being the fastest growing veteran population, the Rocky Mountain Regional VA in Aurora is expanding programs and increasing research in service-related diseases in women.
The Women Veterans Health Care at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA connects veterans with genderspecific primary care, gynecology, maternity care coordination, mental health services, and traumainformed support. Dedicated coordinators help women navigate benefits, access Military Sexual Trauma, and Intimate Partner Violence services, and find confidential counseling.
For information, call or text the Women Veterans Call Center at 1-855-829-6636.
A growing national effort is expanding how women Veterans are represented in the future of medical research. The VA is home to the Million Veteran Program, one of the largest genetic research programs with a renewed interest in increasing participation for women. Including women veterans in large-scale research is essential because medical research has been historically based on men, leaving gaps in understanding of diseases like PTSD, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, and heart disease.
Women’s History Month is a reminder that honoring service means more than recognition—it means ensuring access to care, community, and opportunity. Colorado women Veterans have earned equitable, high-quality care and it is long overdue that the VA fully delivers that promise.
Resources:
https://www.data.va.gov/stories/s/b8q4-uxgx/
https://news.va.gov/145373/womens-history-month-million-veteran-program/
https://www.newsweek.com/million-veterans-healthcare-boost-women-11167340
