Veterans' Bills Now Law

OMNIBUS VETERANS’ BENEFITS BILL NOW LAW 10/10/08. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today regarding enactment of S. 3023, the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008. U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Sweeping Veterans' Mental Health Bill Now Law 10/10/08. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today regarding enactment of S. 2162, the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008. U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Coordinated Care

Departments Create Care Framework for Families 10/09/08. The Defense Department, in conjunction with the military services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, has created a framework to help wounded, ill and injured servicemembers not only survive, but also thrive as they transition from military service back into their communities. DefenseLink.mil

Domiciliary Audit

Audit of the Veterans Health Administration’s Domiciliary Safety, Security, and Privacy 10/09/08. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit to assess the effectiveness of safety, security, and privacy of veterans residing in VA domiciliaries. The audit objective was to determine if the safety, security, and privacy issues identified at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) domiciliaries we randomly selected for review were corrected. VAOIG

Enlistment Bonus Bill

Bill Gives Wounded Bonuses Back 10/09/08. Former Army Pfc. Jordan Fox, 21, of Mt. Lebanon is one signature away from ensuring the Defense Department never tries to get enlistment bonuses or other incentives back from combat-wounded soldiers. Military.com

Calming the Mind

Samurai Techniques Prep Warriors for Battle 10/08/08. Warriors have long used mediation practices to improve concentration and relaxation - dating back more than 1,000 years to the techniques of the samurai. At Camp Lejeune and a few other U.S. military bases, such meditation now comes with a name: Warrior Mind Training. AP via Military.com

Compassion meditation may improve physical and emotional responses to psychological stress 10/07/08. Data from a new study suggests that individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammatory and behavioral responses to stress that have been linked to depression and a number of medical illnesses. The study's findings are published online and in the medical journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. Charles L. Raison, MD, clinical director of the Mind-Body Program, Emory University's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is a lead author on the study. Emory University via Eurekalert!

Scalp Psoriasis Research

Scalp Psoriasis - Dermipsor Signs Strategic Drug Development Collaboration With VA Boston Research Institute, Inc 10/07/08. Dermipsor Ltd, a clinical-stage leading drug development company focusing on novel therapies for the dermatology market, announces signing a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the VA Boston Research Institute, Inc. Medical News Today

AbilityOne

AbilityOne Provides Jobs for Disabled Vets 10/07/08. WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2008 – The Defense Department is a strong supporter of the federally managed AbilityOne program, which works with private and public groups to provide goods and services to the government and jobs for the blind and other people who have severe disabilities, including wounded veterans. DoD

Bionic Arm Technology

The bionic arm is the future of prosthetics, and it's here today 10/07/08. Alberta Health Services' Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is pioneering a major advancement in upper-limb amputation surgery and rehabilitation with the Canadian debut of the Targeted Muscle Reinnervation procedure, or bionic arm. University of Alberta via PhysOrg.com

Compensation & Benefits Handbook

DoD Develops Compensation & Benefits Handbook 10/06/08. The handbook was compiled in cooperation with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and the Social Security Administration. Additionally; there are references to assistance provided by other governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations. DoD and TurboTap.org

Chemical-Biological Warfare Exposures

DoD Launches Web Site on Chemical-Biological Warfare Exposures 10/06/08. WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2008 – The Defense Department has launched a new Web site to educate the public about chemical and biological testing conducted from the early 1940s through the mid-1970s. DoD and
Force Health Protection & Readiness Policy & Programs

Veterans Health Bill

CQ's Carey Discusses Passage of Mental Health Parity Legislation, Veterans' Bills, Other Extensions of Health Programs 10/06/08. Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses passage of mental health parity legislation as part of the financial bailout of Wall Street firms, President Bush's approval of a stopgap resolution to keep the government operating and a wide-ranging package of veterans' health bills in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ." Kaisernetwork.org

ALS Registry

Congress votes to set up registry for ALS sufferers 10/05/08. Congress recently voted to establish the 1st ever national patient registry of people with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which will be administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Government Health IT