Suicide rates for female veterans are more than double that of non-veteran women in the U.S – and suicide rates among female vets have also increased at a much higher rate than their male counterparts. The Sheridan VA is trying to combat those statistics by organizing more opportunities for female veterans to create community, heal and give feedback about their health care needs.
This week, the agency is hosting get-togethers in Cody, Riverton, Lander, Jackson and Casper, which aim to combat isolation through coffee, tea, painting and pizza meet-ups. Misti Bybee, the Women Veterans Program Manager at the Sheridan VA, said one of the goals is to let women who’ve served know they’re not alone.
“What does it take for somebody to get to that place where they feel like there's not a lot of hope and not a lot of other options for them? When we have community, community can carry us when maybe we don't have the energy to carry ourselves,” she said.
Prior to her role as the Women Veterans Program Manager, Bybee worked in outpatient mental health and as the Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Coordinator for the agency. She said that while MST happens to both men and women, the prevalence is much higher for women.
“When somebody goes through a trauma, an interpersonal trauma, it can really have a profound impact on their ability or their want to trust or connect with others,” she said.
According to the VA, roughly one in three female vets have experienced sexual harassment or assault while in the military. That type of trauma, along with combat-related injuries and the difficulties of adjusting to civilian life, can be a lot to carry – especially alone.
Bybee said she’s heard from female veterans about their feelings of loneliness and how challenging it can be to find connection with other women. So, her hope with the programming is to create a supportive place to foster that sense of camaraderie and resiliency.
“What can we do to create an environment where they can reconnect with other people and know that it's safe, that they will have a community who will value them and love them and accept them for who they are?” she said.
The gatherings are open to all female vets, regardless of whether they currently receive care from the VA. Bybee said another one of the goals of the programs is to dispel the myth that the VA is just for male vets and to hear from women about what health care services they’re looking for.
“It's a lot easier to talk about your needs if you're doing something,” she said. “It takes away the social awkwardness.”
The Sheridan VA recently added a dietician to their women’s health team and medical providers receive gender-specific treatment training, especially for addressing musculoskeletal injuries for female vets. Bybee said another one of their strengths is their robust mental health program, which offers both in-person and telehealth options to address the rural areas of the state.
“I want to communicate to our women veterans that we don't just see a diagnosis or an illness, but we see them as a whole person,” she said. “We are really hoping to not just say that we're here for our veterans, but really, literally show up.”
In late July, the Sheridan VA will host a virtual town hall to share more about gender-specific services for female veterans across the state. At the start of August, the Sheridan VA will combine forces with the Cheyenne VA to host an all-day “Promoting Our Women Warriors” event in Casper, where female veterans from all around the state can network and connect.
