SR 46 — A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

371 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RESOLUTION Session of No.

46903 2023THE INTRODUCEDGENERAL BYASSEMBLY PENNYCUICK,OF FARRY,PENNSYLVANIA BOSCOLA,SENATE HUGHES,RESOLUTION HUTCHINSON,Session CAPPELLETTI,of COLLETT,No. SCHWANK, BARTOLOTTA, ROBINSON, BAKER, COMITTA, FEBRUARY 24, 2023, J.

WARD,46 MASTRIANO, BROWN AND REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 AINTRODUCED CONCURRENTBY RESOLUTIONPENNYCUICK, DirectingFARRY, theBOSCOLA, JointHUGHES, StateHUTCHINSON, GovernmentCAPPELLETTI, CommissionCOLLETT, toSCHWANK, establishBARTOLOTTA, theROBINSON, TaskBAKER, ForceCOSTA, onMUTH, WomenPHILLIPS-HILL, Veterans'J. Health Care.

WARD, MASTRIANO, BROWN AND COMITTA, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 SENATOR MASTRIANO, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AS AMENDED, JUNE 19, 2023 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION <-- Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care.

and WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau estimates that the percentage of female veterans between 2010 and 2040 will <-- increase from 9% in 2010 to MORE THAN 17% in 2040;

and <-- WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as of September 2022, this Commonwealth was home to approximately 720,000 veterans, including 615,000 wartime veterans from World War II through the PERSIAN Gulf War;

<-- and WHEREAS, Females comprise approximately 60,000 of the wartime veterans;<-- veterans MORE THAN 63,000 OF THE WARTIME VETERANS IN THIS <-- COMMONWEALTH;

and WHEREAS, Ensuring the availability of specialized services <-- for physical health, such as obstetrics and gynecological care, cancer screenings, family planning and infertility treatments, as well as mental health, including, but not limited to, treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma and alcohol and substance abuse, tailored to the specific needs of women veterans is essential to ensure that our returning women veterans receive proper and adequate care;

and WHEREAS, EstablishingENSURING aTHE taskAVAILABILITY forceOF toSPECIALIZED studySERVICES the<-- issuesFOR facingPHYSICAL womenHEALTH veteransAS andWELL toAS makeMENTAL recommendationsHEALTH toSERVICES, theTAILORED GovernorTO andTHE theSPECIFIC GeneralNEEDS AssemblyOF willWOMEN provideVETERANS, much-neededIS informationESSENTIAL andTO insightENSURE fromTHAT thoseRETURNING whoWOMEN addressVETERANS theRECEIVE issuesPROPER onAND aADEQUATE dailyCARE; basis;

thereforeAND beWHEREAS, itSPECIALIZED RESOLVEDSERVICES (theFOR HousePHYSICAL ofHEALTH RepresentativesMAY concurring),INCLUDE: That the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania direct the Joint State Government Commission to establish the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care;

and(1) beOBSTETRICS itAND furtherGYNECOLOGICAL RESOLVED,CARE; That the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care consist of the chair of the State Veterans' Commission and representatives from:

(1)(2) theCANCER healthSCREENINGS; care provider community in this 20230SR0046PN0371 - 2 - Commonwealth that has experience in providing health care to returning women veterans;

(2)(3) theFAMILY mentalPLANNING; health care provider community of this Commonwealth that has experience in providing mental health care treatment to returning women veterans;

(3)(4) theINFERTILITY substanceTREATMENTS; abuse and addiction treatment provider community of this Commonwealth that has experience in providing substance abuse and addiction treatment to returning women veterans;

(4)20230SR0046PN0903 a- Commonwealth2 advocacy- group(5) thatPREGNANCY representsCARE; the interests of sexual assault victims with experience in providing services to women veterans who have suffered military sexual trauma, including harassment or abuse;

and(6) (5)MISCARRIAGE aCOUNSELING countyAND veteran'sCARE; court;

(7) REPRODUCTIVE CARE;

(8) AGING AND GERIATRIC CARE;

(9) PAIN MANAGEMENT;

AND (10) TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS, MENOPAUSE, URINARY INCONTINENCE, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES AND MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES;

AND WHEREAS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MAY INCLUDE TREATMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE;

AND WHEREAS, Establishing a task force to study the issues facing women veterans and to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly will provide much-needed information and insight from those who address the issues on a daily basis;

therefore be it RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the <-- General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, THAT THE <-- SENATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA direct the Joint State Government Commission to establish the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care consist of the chair of the State Veterans' Commission and <-- representatives from OR A DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE AND:

<-- (1) the A health care provider community in this <-- Commonwealth that has experience in providing health care to returning women veterans;

(2) A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IN THIS COMMONWEALTH THAT HAS <-- EXPERIENCE SERVING AS A MEDICAL OFFICER AND IS A VETERAN OF 20230SR0046PN0903 - 3 - THE ARMED SERVICES ADVOCATING FOR ACCESS TO WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE IN THE LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY;

(2) the (3) A mental health care provider community of <-- IN this Commonwealth that has experience in providing mental <-- health care treatment to returning women veterans;

(3) the (4) A substance abuse and addiction treatment <-- provider community of IN this Commonwealth that has <-- experience in providing substance abuse and addiction treatment to returning women veterans;

(4) a (5) AN INDIVIDUAL FROM A Commonwealth advocacy <-- group that represents the interests of sexual assault victims with experience in providing services to women veterans who have suffered military sexual trauma, including harassment or abuse;

and <-- (5) a (6) A JUDGE THAT SERVES ON A county veteran's <-- court;

AND <-- (7) AN INDIVIDUAL FROM TRANSITIONING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, CHILD CARE, FINANCIAL PLANNING AND PEER- TO-PEER SUPPORT, FOR RETURNING WOMEN VETERANS;

(3) adequacy and availability of appropriate women veterans' health care within the Federal Veterans Affairs health care system and this Commonwealth, as well as the 20230SR0046PN0903 - 4 - interaction and recognition of the needs of women veterans by private health care providers;

20230SR0046PN0371 - 3 - and be it further RESOLVED, That the Task Force on Women Veterans' Health Care identify other needs relating to the provision of women veterans' health care services;

20230SR0046PN0903 - 5 - (2) Report findings and recommendations within 18 months from the adoption of this resolution, to the Governor, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

20230SR0046PN0371 - 4 - (i) improve the delivery of health care services, including preventative, maintenance and acute care, as well as mental health services to women veterans;

and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of the report required under this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, <-- the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the presiding officers of <-- each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.

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