Women Veterans
Hines VA is committed to meeting the unique needs of Women Veterans by delivering the highest quality comprehensive health care to each woman, while offering her privacy, dignity and sensitivity to gender-specific needs. The Medical Director for the Women's Veterans Program and the Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) oversees the quality of the health care you are provided and are ready to assist you in getting timely access to your health care.
Hepsi Kalapala, M.D.
Medical Director
Women Veterans Program
Women’s health care is also provided at our Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Aurora, Hoffman Estates, LaSalle, Kankakee, Oak Lawn and Joliet.
Eligibility
Each Veteran is unique. Call 1-800-827-1000 or 708-202-8838, for help determining your individual eligibility status.
Tiny Boots Child Care Program
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and VA have partnered to connect Illinois Veterans to quality child care at no cost while attending scheduled medical and counseling appointments, as well as job interviews. The program, called Tiny Boots, is funded through a grant from the IDVA Vet Cash Grant Program that is part of the Illinois Lottery. The Vet Cash ticket launched in 2006 as the first lottery game in the country to designate 100-percent of net proceeds to Veterans.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Must be an Illinois Veteran
- Have a verifiable medical appointment or job interview
- Notify the YWCA of appointments at least 1 week in advance
Veterans can contact the YWCA at 630-580-3199 or via email at wecareforourvets@ywcachicago.org and apply at www.ywcachicago.org.
The Women's Health Center offers a range of co-located services
- Comprehensive primary care.
- Urogynecology – a complete range of treatment options for women with urinary incontinence (leakage), bowel incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and fistula. We offer pelvic physical therapy, nonsurgical options, and also minimally invasive surgical approaches including robotic-assisted surgery and vaginal surgery.
- Gynecology services including major and minor surgeries provided onsite.
- robotic-assisted minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
- sterilization by tubal ligation or Essure® procedure.
- colposcopy (investigation of abnormal pap smears).
- cone (LEEP) procedures (treatment of cervical abnormalities).
- endometrial ablation (treatment of abnormal bleeding).
- evaluation of chronic pelvic pain.
- a full range of reproductive health options (including IUDs, birth control pills, NuvaRing®,Implanon®, sterilization).
- menopausal care including hormone replacement therapy.
- Acupuncture.
- Mental health services.
- Nutrition services.
- Social work services.
- Homeless program triage services: linking at-risk and homeless women veterans to resources in the community and within the Hines Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program.
- PharmD services.
- Monthly newsletter and brochures.
For Women Veterans, VA is Here
VA welcomes women Veterans. We are committed to providing high-quality services in a sensitive and safe environment at all VA facilities. Women Veteran Program Managers are available at each VA medical center to assist women Veterans with questions and coordinate services (see contact information on this page).
Each woman Veteran is assigned a Women’s Health Primary Care Provider. These experienced providers are trained to deliver comprehensive primary care, as well as routine women’s health care. You will be at the center of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) where a provider, nurse, and others will work with you to manage your health care:
- Primary care: general medical care for acute and chronic conditions, such as chronic pain, high blood pressure, and diabetes
- Preventive care: immunizations and cancer screenings (breast and cervical), osteoporosis screening and management
- Gender-specific care
- Birth control, family planning, and preconception counseling
Learn more about the gender-specific services VA has to offer
- Women Veterans Health Care
- Health and Wellness
- Telehealth
- Maternity Care
- Infertility
- Military Sexual Trauma
Women Veterans Call Center
The Women Veterans Call Center provides women Veterans information about VA services and resources, benefits, and eligibility. The toll-free line is available Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. ET and on Saturdays 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. ET. Please see our Women Veterans Call Center website or call 855-VA-WOMEN (855-829-6636). Call, chat, or text are all available.
