In this episode of the health equity podcast, Dr. Tiffany Lange, a clinical psychologist and LGBTQ+ Veteran program manager at the Hampton VA Medical Center in Virginia, shares how she developed the “PRIDE in All Who Served” health education group.

LGBTQ+ Veterans designed this 10-week program for other LGBTQ+ Veterans. The program provides health education resources to help LGBTQ+ Veterans. The program also recently expanded to include a virtual telePRIDE option due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alongside the VA Innovation Network and Hampton VA leadership, Dr. Lange has trained and consulted with more than 24 VA medical centers (and counting) to launch the PRIDE program at their sites.

Transgender Army Veteran shares her story

In this episode, you will also hear from Teri King, a retired Army combat Veteran of 28 years who has used the PRIDE program. She shares her transgender identity story and how the PRIDE program has provided her with a framework to understand her identity as well as a sense of fellowship with other LGBTQ+ Veterans… and ultimately a feeling of being seen for who she is.

She also highlights how the PRIDE program provides a safe and confidential space where she and others can learn about and relate to other departments and programs within VA designed to help LGBTQ+ Veterans live their best and healthiest lives.

More information about the PRIDE program can be found on this press release detailing the VHA Innovators Network’s participation or by contacting your local VA’s LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator.

Information about the podcasts

Interested in learning more? We invite you to check out the Veterans Health Equity podcast web page on all your favorite places to listen to podcasts. You can also visit Patient Care Services website to learn more about VA’s Health Equity information, research, topics, training and more.

Topics in this story

diversityequityLGBTQ+VA PodcastVeteran Health Equity Podcast

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One Comment

  1. Dennis Murray December 5, 2021 at 10:12

    You need to do a national story about how the Vietnam and Vietnam Era Veterans are still fighting for there disability benefits after 60 years and how so have many die not getting their benefits simply because the VA has a milit- laid denial process that keeps the Veteran tied up a unnecessary paperwork with denial after denial.

    Then it takes years after you hear from them only to be denied you again or to ask for for information or have lost your documents when you have gave them everything. Or been told year after year that they are working on your case as you get sicker filled with medications.

    I personally was 20 years old when I first applied for benefits and now I am 67 years old still fighting for benefits I should have gotten in 1977.

    Tell that story because its thousand of us who are dead before getting their benefits and thousand of us that will be dead before the VA makes us hold.

    Thank you

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