[0:10] good morning.

[0:14] My name is ed flynn.

[0:16] Boston city council I am the

[0:18] vice chair of the boston city

[0:20] council committee and veterans

[0:22] military families military

[0:22] affairs.

[0:26] Today is AUGUST 28th, 2026.

[0:29] The exact time is 10:00.

[0:32] This hearing is being recorded

[0:32] .

[0:34] It is also being live streamed

[0:39] at boston.Gov/city council tv

[0:41] and broadcast on xfinity

[0:45] channel eight rcn channel 82

[0:47] fios channel 964.

[0:50] Written comments MAY be sent to

[0:55] the committee email at seek dot

[0:57] that's at boston.Gov and will

[1:00] be made part of the record and

[1:01] available to all city

[1:01] councilors.

[1:05] Public testimony will be taken

[1:07] at the end of this hearing or

[1:11] if anyone would like to testify

[1:12] virtually.

[1:14] We'll try to get you in during

[1:15] during the hearing.

[1:17] If you have any scheduling

[1:20] related issues and you need to

[1:23] testify immediately, please let

[1:24] me know and I'll try to get you

[1:27] in to testify as we speak.

[1:31] Individuals will be called on

[1:32] in the order in which they sign

[1:34] up, and they'll have two

[1:35] minutes to testify.

[1:38] I will not cut anyone off if

[1:39] you need to speak for more than

[1:40] two minutes.

[1:42] Please take the time that you

[1:43] need.

[1:46] If you are interested in

[1:48] testifying in person, please

[1:49] add your name to the sign up

[1:50] sheet near the entrance of the

[1:52] city council chamber.

[1:54] If you are looking to testify

[1:56] virtually, please email our

[1:59] city council central staff

[2:03] liaison shane pac and shane s h

[2:06] a n a.Pack@boston.Gov.

[2:09] For the link in your name will

[2:09] be added to the list.

[2:13] Today's hearing is on actually

[2:16] two dockets docket 0273.

[2:19] It's an order for a hearing to

[2:20] discuss lung cancer rates among

[2:21] black veterans.

[2:25] And the second docket is docket

[2:27] 0274, which is an order for a

[2:29] hearing to discuss services for

[2:30] women veterans.

[2:37] Docket 0273 was sponsored by um

[2:38] by myself.

[2:42] Councilor councilor murphy and

[2:45] councilor santana and it was

[2:48] referred to the committee on

[2:49] FEBRUARY 4th 2026.

[2:52] I am joined by my

[2:53] council colleagues in order

[2:55] of arrival of arrival

[2:55] council murphy.

[3:00] Um I do want to acknowledge

[3:02] well, I do want to acknowledge

[3:04] as the vice chair I will be

[3:07] chairing this um this hearing

[3:10] today and councilor um henry

[3:13] santana does, um, express his

[3:15] respect for the veterans that

[3:16] are here in the veterans

[3:17] throughout the city of boston.

[3:19] He's just unable to be here.

[3:21] But he wanted me to know that

[3:24] he is paying close attention to

[3:26] this and want to acknowledge

[3:28] his chief of staff ana calderon

[3:31] ,who really helped set up this

[3:32] meeting as well.

[3:34] So I want to say thank you to

[3:37] ana for her support and

[3:39] commitment to veterans military

[3:42] families across the city

[3:43] of boston as well.

[3:47] Um, I do have a letter

[3:49] of absence that I do want to

[3:51] read into the record and then

[3:52] I'm going to give an

[3:53] opportunity for my

[3:54] council colleague

[3:55] councilor murphy to give an

[3:59] opening statement and then I

[4:02] and then um, I want to ask each

[4:04] panelist, um, to give an

[4:06] opening statement as well.

[4:07] But before we do that, could I

[4:11] just ask the panel maybe to um

[4:14] go go starting from

[4:15] commissioner santiago, could

[4:16] you just, um, state your name

[4:19] for the record and what

[4:21] organization um, you you were

[4:21] with?

[4:23] So let me start with that,

[4:24] commissioner santiago, please.

[4:26] Uh, good morning,

[4:26] councilor flynn.

[4:27] Councilor murphy, uh, thank you

[4:28] very much for.

[4:28] Having me.

[4:29] I am commissioner robert

[4:31] santiago, city of boston

[4:32] veterans services.

[4:33] Thank you commissioner.

[4:37] Good morning, councilor flynn.

[4:38] Councilor murphy, my name is

[4:39] craig diehl, a resident of the

[4:40] city of boston.

[4:42] And I am the state commander

[4:43] of the veterans of foreign

[4:43] wars.

[4:51] Good morning, councilor flynn.

[4:52] Councilor murphy.

[4:53] My name is mark kennedy.

[4:54] I'm with the boston.

[4:56] Public health commission.

[4:58] Good morning.

[5:00] My name is malika whitley.

[5:01] I'm with the american legion

[5:04] post 78 and I also work with va

[5:04] benefits.

[5:07] And good.

[5:09] Is this on?

[5:09] Yes.

[5:10] >> okay.

[5:10] Good morning.

[5:12] Uh, councilor flynn and

[5:13] councilor murphy.

[5:14] My name is brenda wiener.

[5:16] i am a pulmonary physician and

[5:17] researcher at the va boston

[5:20] health care system and the, uh

[5:22] ,center for health

[5:24] optimization and implementation

[5:24] research there.

[5:26] Thank you to this distinguished

[5:27] panel for being here.

[5:32] Um, thank you for testifying.

[5:34] More importantly, thank you for

[5:35] your commitment to veterans and

[5:37] military families across the

[5:39] city really across the country

[5:39] as well.

[5:41] I'm going to read a letter into

[5:42] the record that I'm going to go

[5:43] to straight to council.

[5:46] Murphy dear chair santana, this

[5:48] is from city councilor city

[5:50] council PRESIDENT Bratton I

[5:51] regret that I am unable to

[5:54] attend to tomorrow's hearing on

[5:58] docket 0273027 for hearing to

[5:59] discuss lung cancer rates among

[6:02] black veterans services for

[6:02] women veterans.

[6:06] While I am unable to attend the

[6:07] hearing, members of my team

[6:09] will be listening in to this

[6:10] critically important discussion

[6:12] and I plan to review the

[6:12] recording.

[6:15] I kindly ask that you read this

[6:15] letter into the record.

[6:16] Thank you.

[6:18] Elizabeth and city

[6:19] council PRESIDENT.

[6:22] Uh we are also joined by city

[6:25] councilor at large large rosie

[6:25] louijeune.

[6:26] Let me go to councilor murphy

[6:27] for an opening statement.

[6:28] Thank you.

[6:30] Councilor flynn and.

[6:32] Thank you to the panelists.

[6:33] Thank you.

[6:35] Commissioner santiago for all

[6:37] you do here at the city and

[6:39] obviously across the state and

[6:40] country always showing up for

[6:42] veterans as a veteran yourself.

[6:45] Um, I mean I don't want to take

[6:47] all my time just thanking

[6:48] people for being here but craig

[6:50] also and coming from like the

[6:52] va and the different posts

[6:53] across the city, we know that

[6:55] many veterans when they come to

[6:58] those places it's not just for

[6:58] socialization even though

[6:59] that's a wonderful thing.

[7:02] It's also to connect and help

[7:03] connect to the benefits that we

[7:04] know the veterans.

[7:07] Earned and in many times aren't

[7:08] always aware of what's out

[7:09] there for them.

[7:11] And when we have subgroups like

[7:12] this I think it's very

[7:12] important.

[7:13] >> that.

[7:14] We're talking about and thank

[7:16] you for uplifting these

[7:18] concerns about the lung

[7:19] cancer rates among our black

[7:20] veterans and making sure our

[7:22] women veterans are getting

[7:23] everything they need while

[7:25] they're enlisted but also when

[7:26] they come home making sure that

[7:27] they're supported.

[7:30] So as a veteran mom, I know

[7:32] it's important that we always

[7:33] support our veterans.

[7:35] But as a councilor I think it's

[7:36] also important that we're

[7:37] making sure and there's no

[7:39] groups around the city who are

[7:39] feeling as though they're not

[7:40] getting what they need.

[7:42] So just happy to be here and

[7:43] also public health commission

[7:44] in the va.

[7:47] My pop up papa jack, my step

[7:49] dad 92 now and he's getting a

[7:51] lot of support from the va and

[7:53] the senior home health care and

[7:55] it's just wonderful to see full

[7:56] circle, you know, spending your

[7:58] life giving and then when

[8:00] you're near the end people

[8:01] showing up for you and it's

[8:01] just great.

[8:03] So thank you for all you do.

[8:05] And thank you councilor murphy

[8:05] .

[8:06] I do want to give

[8:07] council louijeune an

[8:08] opportunity for an opening

[8:09] statement louijeune.

[8:11] Good morning everyone and thank

[8:12] you for being here.

[8:13] I want to thank you,

[8:13] councilor flynn for your

[8:14] leadership and for your service

[8:15] to our country.

[8:17] I also want to thank all of our

[8:18] panelists for your leadership

[8:19] and your service to our

[8:19] country.

[8:21] And uh, I want to thank you,

[8:22] starting with the commissioner

[8:24] for all the incredible work

[8:25] that you do in the office

[8:26] of veterans services to make

[8:28] sure that our veterans in the

[8:29] city have the resources that

[8:31] they need, uh, once they come

[8:34] home, um, to thrive and to

[8:36] really, uh, be thanked for the

[8:37] work that you've done.

[8:40] I know you're celebrating, uh,

[8:41] a lifetime of service this year

[8:43] and it is a well-deserved one.

[8:45] And uh, to everyone who is

[8:48] here, uh, doctor wiener to um

[8:50] uh and all of the panelists I'm

[8:51] really, really appreciative

[8:53] of the work that you do at the

[8:54] post.

[8:57] Um, uh, george is that I'm

[8:57] sorry.

[8:58] Craig.

[8:59] Craig.

[9:01] Craig I'm sorry craig and uh

[9:02] and mark craig and mark, thank

[9:03] you for being with us today.

[9:05] Um, we there are a lot of race

[9:07] based health gaps in this

[9:08] country.

[9:09] um, and that is also true for

[9:11] our veterans when it comes to

[9:12] lung cancer and other types

[9:12] of cancer.

[9:14] So just know that in me and in

[9:16] the city council you have

[9:17] allies and people who are

[9:18] committed to making sure that

[9:19] we're doing everything we can

[9:20] to close those gaps.

[9:22] So thank you and we look

[9:23] forward to continuing working

[9:24] with you and partnering with

[9:24] you.

[9:25] Thank you.

[9:26] Thank you, councilor louijeune

[9:26] .

[9:28] I'll give an opening statement

[9:29] then I'll go right to our

[9:30] panel.

[9:32] Um, hopefully I only take two

[9:32] minutes.

[9:35] Woman veterans are one of the

[9:36] fastest growing populations

[9:37] within the united states

[9:39] military and the department

[9:40] of veterans affairs.

[9:42] Yet many continue to face

[9:44] barriers after leaving the

[9:44] service.

[9:48] Women veterans make up nearly

[9:51] 20% of those serving military

[9:53] personnel and about 10% of the

[9:54] veteran population.

[9:56] But many struggle to access

[9:58] gender specific health care,

[10:00] mental health services,

[10:02] childcare, housing employment.

[10:05] Approximately 25% of women

[10:07] experience military sexual

[10:09] trauma, which can increase the

[10:11] risk of ptsd, depression,

[10:13] substance use suicide.

[10:16] Some women also avoid va

[10:17] services because returning to a

[10:20] military environment can cause

[10:20] anxiety.

[10:22] The va has taken steps to

[10:24] improve care through efforts

[10:25] such as the deborah sampson

[10:27] act, which expands primary care

[10:29] in counseling services for

[10:30] women veterans.

[10:34] Other legislation including um

[10:36] ,the coding the brave act and

[10:38] other pieces of legislation

[10:40] focus on maternity and mental

[10:41] health needs.

[10:44] Massachusetts also supports

[10:45] women veterans through the

[10:48] women veterans network which

[10:50] provide information resources

[10:50] support.

[10:53] However, more gender specific

[10:54] health care counseling

[10:56] childcare career transition

[10:57] programs are needed.

[11:01] The va should also work to fill

[11:02] counseling positions and

[11:04] increase the number of women

[11:05] providing care.

[11:07] Veterans also face serious

[11:09] health risk including lung

[11:10] cancer.

[11:12] Military exposure such as a

[11:15] dose can increase veterans risk

[11:16] of developing the disease.

[11:19] African american veterans face

[11:23] additional disparities in lung

[11:24] cancer diagnosis, treatment and

[11:27] survival, improving access to

[11:29] early screening and quality

[11:31] treatment is especially

[11:32] important for those communities

[11:33] .

[11:35] In boston, organizations such

[11:37] as the va health care system

[11:38] and the veterans outreach

[11:41] center at harvard street

[11:42] neighborhood health center

[11:43] provide veterans with health

[11:46] care in other resources.

[11:48] Expanding these services can

[11:50] help address the racial gap,

[11:52] gender disparities ensure

[11:54] veterans receive the support

[11:57] they need after their military

[11:57] service.

[11:59] We must continue to work

[12:01] together to provide all

[12:03] veterans with access to the

[12:06] critical care and services they

[12:06] earned.

[12:08] Before I go to council,

[12:11] fitzgerald uh for an opening

[12:12] statement I do want to

[12:14] acknowledge the incredible work

[12:16] uh, commissioner santiago

[12:19] of your team um of you of your

[12:22] dedication and support of women

[12:24] veterans, of support

[12:27] of veterans of color and also

[12:31] working closely to ensure lgbtq

[12:32] plus veterans are treated with

[12:34] the dignity and respect that

[12:35] they have earned.

[12:38] Um, so having said that, I

[12:39] wanted to give

[12:40] councilor fitzgerald an

[12:41] opportunity for an opening

[12:41] statement.

[12:43] Uh thank you chair.

[12:44] Uh, I appreciate it and thank

[12:46] you all for being here today.

[12:48] Uh, in regards to this matter,

[12:50] um, really here to learn more

[12:52] about uh what sort of some

[12:53] of the, uh, deficiencies MAY be

[12:55] where we can be better how we

[12:57] can help, uh, strengthen those

[13:00] uh, going further, um, and

[13:01] really look to you guys have

[13:01] the answers.

[13:03] So, uh, I just here for you to

[13:05] educate us on how we can be

[13:06] more, uh, supportive of you

[13:06] all.

[13:08] Um, and as always, thank you

[13:10] for everything that you guys do

[13:11] not just for our city but for

[13:11] our country as well.

[13:13] So thank you, councilor flynn,

[13:13] I appreciate it.

[13:15] Thank you, councilor fitzgerald

[13:15] .

[13:17] Um, at this time I do want to

[13:18] ask the panel if they would

[13:20] like to provide an opening

[13:22] statement on women veterans on

[13:26] how we're able to support, uh,

[13:27] veterans of color.

[13:29] Um, I know there's two specific

[13:31] dockets, but we can combine

[13:32] them into one if that's okay

[13:33] with everybody.

[13:36] And, um, I don't necessarily

[13:38] have any time um, that I'm

[13:39] putting the panelists on.

[13:41] So take the time that you need

[13:43] to make sure your message gets

[13:45] out to the public.

[13:46] I'd like to do.

[13:48] These hearings because the

[13:50] public does watch these and I'd

[13:52] like to educate the public

[13:54] about what we're doing here in

[13:56] city hall and to ensure that if

[13:58] veterans are watching they know

[14:00] who to contact if they are in

[14:00] need of services.

[14:02] So let me start with

[14:04] commissioner santiago and we'll

[14:05] go right down the right down

[14:07] the line and take the time you

[14:09] need to discuss whatever is

[14:09] important to you.

[14:11] Uh thank you.

[14:11] Chair flynn.

[14:12] Good morning.

[14:13] >> chair flynn.

[14:14] Councilor murphy,

[14:15] councilor louijeune

[14:16] councilor fitzgerald, thank you

[14:17] for, um for having us here.

[14:19] Um, I do just want to touch on

[14:19] something.

[14:20] I wanted.

[14:21] >> to thank.

[14:22] The city council.

[14:23] I know, um.

[14:26] You know, it's it says a lot

[14:28] about, um, your actions.

[14:30] And, um, in your passion for

[14:31] our veterans here in the city

[14:33] of boston by showing up not

[14:35] just on memorial day or

[14:36] veterans day but also year

[14:37] round for our veterans.

[14:38] And that is definitely

[14:40] something that, uh, that I see

[14:41] on a daily basis and as a

[14:42] veteran and as a commissioner

[14:44] um, I do thank you.

[14:46] Um, I also just want to thank

[14:47] my fellow panelists who are

[14:47] here today.

[14:49] Uh, my fellow veterans who are

[14:51] watching advocates and

[14:51] neighbors.

[14:52] Um, this is an important

[14:53] hearing.

[14:56] Um, and one thing that I love

[14:57] about having this hearing is

[14:59] that it's more of just a

[15:00] hearing is also a conversation

[15:01] about what we could do best for

[15:03] our veterans when it comes to

[15:04] the topics that we are talking

[15:05] about today and sometimes it

[15:07] rears into other topics as well

[15:08] which is also welcomed.

[15:10] Uh but today we're talking

[15:12] about lung cancer uh rates

[15:13] amongst african-american

[15:15] veterans and uh our support

[15:16] of our women veterans.

[15:19] Uh, lung cancer is not simply a

[15:20] medical issue and going to hear

[15:21] a whole lot more about that a

[15:22] little bit later on from uh,

[15:24] doctor wiener who is here from

[15:24] the va.

[15:27] Uh, it's an issue that as far

[15:28] as I'm concerned and many of us

[15:30] are concerned um, is a racial

[15:32] equity issue of access trust

[15:34] early detection and whether

[15:35] veterans receive the care that

[15:37] they earned through their

[15:37] service.

[15:40] Many veterans face elevated

[15:42] risks because of smoking

[15:44] secondhand smoking uh, asbestos

[15:46] especially those like myself

[15:48] who have served on older navy

[15:48] ships.

[15:50] Uh, those who served in burn

[15:51] pits around burn pits.

[15:53] Uh airborne hazardous chemicals

[15:55] and other toxic exposures that

[15:56] are encountered through

[15:56] military service.

[15:59] Yet exposure alone does not

[16:00] determine an outcome.

[16:01] Timely screening.

[16:03] Early diagnosis.

[16:06] Access to specialists, reliable

[16:08] transportation and trust in the

[16:09] health care system can

[16:10] determine whether cancer is

[16:11] found when it is treatable or

[16:12] after it has also progressed.

[16:15] Va research indicates that

[16:17] fewer than 10% of the

[16:18] approximately 1.

[16:19] >> million eligible.

[16:20] Veterans studied have received

[16:22] lung cancer screening, with

[16:24] screening rates even lower

[16:25] amongst black veterans.

[16:25] The research.

[16:26] The research.

[16:29] Also indicates and identifies

[16:31] barriers including limited

[16:34] awareness, mistrust, stigma,

[16:35] unequal relationships with

[16:37] their providers and adverse

[16:38] social determinants of health.

[16:41] These are not failures of our

[16:41] veterans.

[16:44] These are warnings that our

[16:48] systems must do a better job

[16:49] of reaching the people that

[16:49] they were created to serve.

[16:52] There is also encouraging

[16:53] evidence studies that found

[16:54] that when black veterans

[16:55] receive care within an

[16:57] integrated va system, their

[16:58] lung cancer treatment and

[17:01] outcomes can be comparable and

[17:02] sometimes better than those

[17:03] of their white veteran

[17:04] counterparts.

[17:06] That tells us something that's

[17:06] very important.

[17:09] Disparities are not.

[17:11] Inevitable when care is

[17:13] accessible and it's coordinated

[17:16] ,culturally responsive and

[17:16] equitable.

[17:20] We can save lives and our women

[17:20] veterans.

[17:22] As the councilor has mentioned,

[17:24] our fastest growing segment

[17:25] of the veterans population with

[17:27] more than 2.1 million women

[17:28] veterans in the united states

[17:29] today.

[17:32] Approximately 20% of veterans

[17:34] women veterans are black and

[17:36] 42% of women using va health

[17:39] care system belong to race, a

[17:39] racial or.

[17:40] Ethnic minority group.

[17:42] Yet women veterans are still

[17:45] too often overlooked, mistaken

[17:47] for military spouses or made to

[17:49] feel that veteran programs and

[17:50] facilities were designed

[17:51] primarily for their male

[17:52] veteran counterparts.

[17:54] Women veterans.

[17:56] Need comprehensive and

[17:57] respectful care that includes

[18:01] primary care, cancer screening,

[18:02] reproductive and maternal

[18:02] health care.

[18:03] Mental health.

[18:06] Treatment support following

[18:06] military sexual.

[18:07] Trauma.

[18:09] >> menopause care toxics

[18:10] exposure evaluations as well.

[18:12] Homelessness prevention and

[18:14] assistance navigating

[18:15] disability claims and benefits.

[18:18] They also need providers who

[18:20] understand how systems, risk

[18:21] factors and treatment

[18:22] experiences are different for

[18:23] them as women.

[18:26] I want to recognize the

[18:27] outstanding work of the women

[18:29] veterans care center within the

[18:30] va boston health care system

[18:32] and its program manager carolyn

[18:34] mason holly, whom I spoke with

[18:35] yesterday.

[18:37] This program here in boston

[18:39] provides women veterans with

[18:40] comprehensive coordinated care

[18:42] in an environment where their

[18:44] service, their experiences and

[18:45] individual health care needs

[18:47] are understood and also

[18:47] respected.

[18:50] Its specially trained providers

[18:53] offer primary care gynecology,

[18:54] maternal and postmortem

[18:56] support, mammograms and other

[18:57] preventive screenings,

[18:59] menopause care mental health

[19:00] counseling, support for

[19:01] survivors of military sexual

[19:03] trauma and also.

[19:04] Family planning services.

[19:07] Just as importantly, the

[19:08] programs help women veterans

[19:11] navigate the va health care

[19:12] system and it connects them

[19:13] with the specialists and

[19:15] resources that they have earned

[19:16] because of their service.

[19:18] The center reflects an

[19:20] important promise that women

[19:22] veterans should never feel

[19:25] invisible or like an

[19:26] afterthought within the system

[19:28] that they serve to defend.

[19:30] They deserve timely,

[19:31] compassionate, gender specific

[19:33] care and a place where they are

[19:35] recognized first and foremost

[19:36] as veterans.

[19:39] Also available to our women

[19:40] veterans is the veterans call

[19:43] center, which provides women

[19:44] veterans with information about

[19:46] va services and resources,

[19:47] benefits and eligibility.

[19:48] It's a toll free hotline which

[19:49] is available monday through

[19:52] friday from 8 A.M. To 10 P.M.

[19:54] Eastern standard time and on

[19:56] saturdays from 8 A.M. To 6:30

[19:57] P.M. Eastern standard time.

[20:00] The phone number is 855 va

[20:06] women or (855) 829-6636 and

[20:07] I'll repeat it again.

[20:12] (855) 829-6636 and if you

[20:13] wanted to contact the boston

[20:18] office you can call

[20:19] (617) 981-9277.

[20:21] Also here in the commonwealth

[20:23] of massachusetts the primary

[20:25] program for women veterans as

[20:25] was mentioned by

[20:27] councilor flynn within the

[20:28] massachusetts executive office

[20:29] of veterans services or any

[20:31] of us is a massachusetts

[20:33] women's veterans network which

[20:35] acts as a central resource peer

[20:36] group an advocacy body

[20:38] dedicated to empowering women

[20:41] who have served in the military

[20:41] since nine.

[20:44] Since 2019, the mayor's office

[20:45] of veterans services here in

[20:46] the city of boston has hosted

[20:48] an annual women veterans

[20:50] retreat roundtable which has

[20:51] provided women veterans with a

[20:53] welcoming and trusted space to

[20:55] share their experiences, learn

[20:57] about available benefits and

[20:58] healthcare resources and speak

[21:00] directly with the leaders and

[21:02] organizations that serve them.

[21:04] Most importantly, the

[21:05] roundtable ensures that women

[21:06] veterans help shape the

[21:09] programs and policies intended

[21:10] to meet their needs.

[21:12] It reinforces a simple but

[21:13] essential message that women

[21:15] veterans are not invisible.

[21:17] They served, they sacrificed

[21:19] and the voices must be heard.

[21:21] Also here in the city of boston

[21:23] we host an annual black

[21:25] veterans appreciation brunch

[21:26] recognizing the extraordinary

[21:28] service, sacrifice and

[21:30] continuing contributions of our

[21:31] black veterans throughout

[21:32] boston's history.

[21:34] It is also an opportunity to

[21:35] connect veterans and their

[21:37] families with benefits, health

[21:38] care and community resources

[21:40] while creating honest

[21:41] conversations about the

[21:43] disparities that they have and

[21:45] MAY encounter by celebrating

[21:46] their achievements and

[21:48] listening to their experiences.

[21:50] We affirm that honoring black

[21:52] veterans requires more than

[21:52] recognition.

[21:55] It requires sustained advocacy,

[21:57] equitable access and meaningful

[21:58] action.

[22:00] Here in boston, we are

[22:01] fortunate to have the va health

[22:03] care system which is one of the

[22:05] best in the country and the

[22:07] world which includes campuses

[22:09] in west roxbury and in jamaica

[22:09] plain.

[22:11] We also have world class

[22:12] hospitals and cancer centers.

[22:13] We have the boston public

[22:14] health commission which we're

[22:15] going to hear from here very

[22:16] shortly.

[22:17] We have community health

[22:19] centers, the massachusetts

[22:20] executive office of veterans

[22:21] services with secretary eric

[22:23] grinnell and deputy secretary

[22:25] andrea gail bennett at the

[22:25] helm.

[22:26] We also have the massachusetts

[22:28] women's veterans network led by

[22:30] director jessica frost.

[22:32] Veterans organizations like the

[22:33] vfw, like the american legion

[22:35] and the dav and trusted

[22:36] neighborhood leaders.

[22:38] And of course our partnerships

[22:39] with our fellow city

[22:40] departments like the boston

[22:42] public health commission, h

[22:43] strong, the office of food

[22:45] justice, the mayor's office

[22:46] of housing and neighborhood

[22:47] services just to name a few.

[22:49] We all work together to help

[22:50] connect veterans and their

[22:51] families with.

[22:51] Health care.

[22:53] And wellness resources,

[22:55] nutritious food, food access

[22:57] programs, housing assistance,

[22:59] transportation benefits

[23:00] advocacy, mental health support

[23:02] and services for our older

[23:02] veterans.

[23:04] By working across agencies, we

[23:07] can and continue to address the

[23:07] social and.

[23:09] Practical barriers that too

[23:11] often prevent veterans

[23:12] especially women veterans,

[23:13] black veterans and all the

[23:15] veterans and those facing

[23:16] financial hardships from

[23:17] receiving the care and support

[23:19] that they have earned.

[23:21] My hope is that this hearing

[23:23] here today will lead to greater

[23:25] awareness, measurable and

[23:27] measurable action where more

[23:28] veterans are screened.

[23:31] More cancers are detected early

[23:31] .

[23:33] More women veterans receiving

[23:34] the care designed around their

[23:36] needs and life saved.

[23:38] Lastly.

[23:40] >> as part of our continuing

[23:42] commitment to honor service and

[23:44] sacrifice and as our nation not

[23:46] only marks the 250th

[23:48] anniversary of our country but

[23:51] also here in a couple of weeks

[23:53] the 25th anniversary

[23:55] of SEPTEMBER 11th 2001

[23:55] terrorist.

[23:57] Attacks we must never forget

[23:59] the nearly 3000 innocent lives

[24:00] taken that day.

[24:02] The first responders who ran

[24:04] toward danger and all those who

[24:06] continue to live with this

[24:07] lasting effects.

[24:09] SEPTEMBER 11th forever changed

[24:11] our country and redefined

[24:13] service for an entire

[24:13] generation.

[24:15] And in the days and years that

[24:16] followed, americans step

[24:17] forward to serve.

[24:17] In our.

[24:18] >> armed.

[24:18] Forces.

[24:20] >> in our fire and police

[24:22] departments, in our emergency

[24:24] service and in our communities

[24:25] united by shared commitment to

[24:27] defend our nation well more

[24:28] importantly to care for one

[24:28] another.

[24:31] We especially honor the post

[24:33] 9/11 veterans who answered that

[24:35] call, including those who never

[24:36] returned home and those who

[24:38] still carry the visible and

[24:39] invisible wounds of war.

[24:42] 25 years later, our

[24:43] responsibility remains clear.

[24:45] Remember every life lost.

[24:48] Honor every person who served

[24:50] our country and ensured that

[24:52] their sacrifices are never

[24:53] forgotten.

[24:54] The city of boston will never

[24:54] forget.

[24:57] This year we're also going to

[24:59] host our annual recognition

[25:01] ceremony on SEPTEMBER 18th in

[25:01] city hall plaza.

[25:03] We will gather with veterans,

[25:05] families, community members and

[25:07] the state leaderships of the

[25:08] vfw, dav and the american

[25:10] legion to reaffirm that our

[25:11] prisoners of war and our

[25:13] missing personnel will never be

[25:14] forgotten.

[25:16] We also invite everyone to join

[25:17] us for boston's veterans day

[25:18] parade on NOVEMBER 9th, where

[25:20] we will recognize veterans

[25:21] of every generation including

[25:24] the post 911 veterans who

[25:26] answered our nation's call

[25:27] during these past 25 years.

[25:29] together, these observances

[25:31] remind our veterans that boston

[25:34] remembers their service, boston

[25:36] honors their sacrifices and

[25:38] boston remains committed to

[25:39] supporting them and their

[25:40] families.

[25:42] Thank you to the council for

[25:43] bringing attention to these

[25:44] critical issues and for your

[25:45] continued commitment to our

[25:47] boston veterans and their

[25:47] families.

[25:49] And I'm looking forward to the

[25:49] conversation here today.

[25:52] Commissioner santiago, thank

[25:54] you very much for the um for

[25:55] your testimony for your

[25:56] leadership.

[25:58] I do want to make one one

[25:59] change to what I mentioned

[26:00] earlier.

[26:01] I know we were going to go

[26:02] straight down the line.

[26:05] Uh, commander meredith tuitt is

[26:07] a member of the american legion

[26:10] in the court of post and I know

[26:11] she's going to the american

[26:12] legion post convention now.

[26:15] Um, I do want to take her out

[26:16] of order.

[26:18] Give her the opportunity to

[26:18] speak.

[26:20] Uh, provide an opening

[26:21] statement.

[26:22] Um, because I have great

[26:25] respect for her as a as a

[26:27] veteran as a as a as a woman

[26:29] veteran, a veteran of color but

[26:31] also um, a member of the court

[26:31] opposed.

[26:33] So I have to take care of my

[26:33] commander as well.

[26:34] All right.

[26:37] Um, so could we ask, uh,

[26:40] commander to it to um if we

[26:41] could bring up sir?

[26:43] Oh good morning, commander.

[26:43] It's good to be with you.

[26:44] Good morning.

[26:46] morning, CHAIRMAN.

[26:47] And morning everyone.

[26:51] Um, I do appreciate you, um,

[26:53] chair and the committee pulling

[26:54] me out of turn.

[26:56] As you know, I am out running

[26:58] errands getting ready to head

[26:59] to louisville, kentucky for the

[27:01] national american legion

[27:01] convention.

[27:02] So I appreciate.

[27:04] You pulling me out of turn.

[27:06] Um, also I want to, um, thank

[27:07] commissioner santiago for all

[27:08] the work that he does.

[27:09] >> for.

[27:10] The veterans here in the city

[27:12] of boston and all the other

[27:13] panelists that are going to be

[27:13] speaking.

[27:15] Um thank you.

[27:17] That will be we all have to

[27:17] continue.

[27:18] Our service.

[27:19] For veterans veterans of color.

[27:22] Um, and also for female

[27:23] veterans.

[27:24] I am district.

[27:26] Seven suffolk county

[27:27] council commander for the

[27:28] american legion.

[27:30] So I have about 20 posts under

[27:31] me and then also commander

[27:32] of the carter post in mattapan

[27:33] .

[27:35] So I'm always speaking with my

[27:36] veterans veterans of color

[27:37] female veterans.

[27:41] I'm part of the vn, um and and

[27:43] many other organizations.

[27:46] Um first I want to say I, I

[27:48] applaud and I appreciate the

[27:51] doctors and the um the

[27:52] advocates from the va who have

[27:53] been working around the

[27:55] screening of lung

[27:57] cancer especially for african

[27:59] american veterans and how

[28:01] indigenous um veterans here in

[28:04] the city of boston they have

[28:06] been doing um screening and

[28:08] going to different locations,

[28:09] different posts over the past

[28:11] uh, say two years or more.

[28:14] Um, to be able to screen as

[28:17] many of our comrades as they

[28:20] possibly can to um, you know,

[28:21] get them assistance and get

[28:23] them help for those that um are

[28:25] detected or and also to make

[28:27] sure that those that don't have

[28:29] a no they don't have but the

[28:31] problem that I want to touch on

[28:34] this base is here is that even

[28:36] though they're visiting our

[28:37] communities and coming into our

[28:39] post and hello, we still lose

[28:41] and we're still missing some

[28:44] of our comrades who might have

[28:45] lung cancer.

[28:47] Our older generation who

[28:50] sometimes can't get out to be

[28:51] screened or at these locations

[28:52] .

[28:54] So how do we improve upon that

[28:54] ?

[28:55] And I'm going to throw that on

[28:56] your desk, commissioner

[28:57] santiago.

[28:58] I'm going to throw it on the

[29:01] desk of our va um, doctor

[29:03] because we need to be able to

[29:05] work with our, um our system

[29:07] and how we are doing the

[29:08] screenings to be able to

[29:11] accommodate our elders who

[29:12] don't come out when they.

[29:14] When there's a screening

[29:15] because one they don't.

[29:17] Follow social media to they

[29:19] might not see a flier.

[29:21] Um and ah we we've done

[29:22] barbershops.

[29:23] We've done all sorts

[29:24] of different locations when we

[29:26] were doing it at the um carter

[29:27] post but we still MISS It.

[29:29] So I just wanted to put that

[29:30] out there was still missing a

[29:32] lot of our comrades that should

[29:32] .

[29:33] Be able.

[29:34] >> to get screened.

[29:34] Right.

[29:37] But I do applaud them for what

[29:38] they have been doing.

[29:41] Um, let's talk about service

[29:43] for, um, female veterans.

[29:44] A lot of times I have veterans

[29:46] that say we shouldn't say

[29:47] female veterans.

[29:48] A veteran is a veteran.

[29:51] Yes, but female veterans health

[29:53] care is different.

[29:58] We we, um you know, we give

[29:59] birth.

[30:02] We we carry children so we need

[30:04] that um, again we need that

[30:07] that that ob doctor to to deal

[30:09] with and it took a while for

[30:11] when the ob doctor left jamaica

[30:12] plain it took them.

[30:12] >> almost two years.

[30:14] Before they found another one

[30:16] and I I applaud carolyn for all

[30:17] of the hard work she does to

[30:19] make sure that we do have

[30:20] doctors within.

[30:20] The the.

[30:22] Women's clinic and the new

[30:24] clinic that they opened up

[30:25] focused on.

[30:27] Um menopause I think it's in um

[30:31] in the bedford location but men

[30:34] don't think about those things

[30:35] women do.

[30:37] So we have perimenopause, we

[30:37] have menopause.

[30:40] We have we have um carrying

[30:42] children, we have our fibroids.

[30:44] We have all these things that

[30:48] men don't have that are crucial

[30:51] to our livelihood and and our

[30:53] health and our our mental

[30:55] health is also something else

[30:57] that is a different you know,

[30:59] we we struggle with depression

[31:02] in a different way because not

[31:03] only depression about.

[31:04] Our service.

[31:06] especially women who have msi

[31:08] and our military sexual trauma

[31:10] and those that have the post

[31:13] trauma, you know, um, and so

[31:13] on.

[31:15] But at many times we are all

[31:17] focused on our children and and

[31:19] taking care of our household

[31:22] and and keeping our jobs and

[31:24] you know, and being looked as

[31:26] if we you know, as we are being

[31:28] too aggressive and to this and

[31:28] to that.

[31:31] So the the the mental health

[31:33] for female veterans is

[31:33] different.

[31:37] So that's something that we we

[31:37] could do better.

[31:40] You know um I have a lot of my

[31:42] sister uh sister veterans who

[31:44] say to me sometimes when they

[31:45] go to a therapist that they

[31:47] don't think the therapist is

[31:48] really listening to them

[31:50] because some therapists say, oh

[31:52] ,you know, you could you can

[31:53] handle it.

[31:53] You got.

[31:55] Your strong you know, sometimes

[31:57] we don't want to hear that, you

[31:59] know and um those are things

[32:01] that we need to be able to have

[32:03] that cultural competency that

[32:07] that um mental competency, that

[32:08] environment that we're in.

[32:10] So those are the things that we

[32:12] we need to focus in that I

[32:13] don't know if it's more

[32:15] training or or how do we do it,

[32:17] but those are the that I hear a

[32:19] lot about from my sister um

[32:21] comrades and I want to say um

[32:26] for myself I went through um a

[32:28] traumatic loss of like my

[32:30] second mother uh, about a year

[32:31] and a half ago.

[32:34] And I want to tell people I

[32:37] went to therapy because that

[32:39] loss put me in a depression

[32:41] that I didn't even realize i

[32:42] could experience it.

[32:44] And I'm always out here telling

[32:46] my sisters go get help, go

[32:47] going talk going this.

[32:49] And I finally had to say to

[32:50] myself go and get help.

[32:53] Go and talk to someone because

[32:53] it.

[32:54] >> was very.

[32:56] Hard and when I walked out my

[32:57] door I still had to put on that

[32:59] face that strong face because I

[33:00] was working with veterans,

[33:02] working with women and trying

[33:03] to get things done.

[33:03] But internally.

[33:05] I was screaming.

[33:08] But I was able to talk to a

[33:10] therapist that was able to get

[33:10] me through that.

[33:13] So a lot of times we have to

[33:13] think.

[33:15] About women's depression.

[33:17] Women's mental health is

[33:19] impacted in different ways, you

[33:22] know, um, also again I want to

[33:23] thank commissioner santiago for

[33:24] bringing it up.

[33:26] A lot of times female veterans

[33:27] are looked at as just the

[33:31] spouse of a veteran and I've

[33:32] been you know, talking about

[33:35] you know, ways that we can

[33:38] acknowledge that women served

[33:39] you know, if it's a license

[33:40] plate or whatever, I'm going to

[33:42] have to go back and rally this

[33:44] year to see if we can get some

[33:45] legislation around that because

[33:48] my veteran's plate on my car

[33:50] people think it's my husband's

[33:50] plate.

[33:53] I don't have a husband yet, you

[33:55] know, but those are things we

[33:58] we um we work we talk.

[33:59] About um.

[34:02] Within the the female veterans

[34:04] community it being acknowledged

[34:05] not we used to be invisible.

[34:07] We are now we're still in a

[34:09] little bit in the saddle but

[34:10] we're coming coming out you

[34:14] know and um but it's not it's

[34:15] not done.

[34:16] We have more.

[34:17] Work to do.

[34:17] Right.

[34:20] >> and a lot of times too.

[34:21] Now what I'm having a lot of my

[34:22] sister um.

[34:24] Veterans talk about.

[34:26] Is how they get looked at say

[34:26] they go.

[34:27] >> through a.

[34:28] Divorce and there's child

[34:29] custody issues and.

[34:30] So on.

[34:33] A lot of times because they're

[34:35] female veterans, they're being

[34:37] treated a certain way in the

[34:39] court system because of the

[34:41] they have female veteran or

[34:43] they might have messed they

[34:44] might have ptsd, it might have

[34:45] this and.

[34:46] >> the judges are.

[34:48] Using that that because the

[34:49] spouse that the.

[34:50] The uh um battling.

[34:52] With is using that against

[34:52] them.

[34:54] So those are things that I want

[34:56] to put out there so we can

[34:57] figure out how are we going to.

[34:58] Work with our.

[34:59] Systems to.

[35:01] >> help our sisters that help

[35:02] my sisters help my.

[35:05] Sister comrades and I never you

[35:07] know I'm not going to leave um,

[35:09] my my veterans of color.

[35:11] I serve as a.

[35:14] Commander at, uh, long stand at

[35:17] 107 year old um post that was

[35:18] strongly, um.

[35:19] Veterans of color.

[35:20] Um.

[35:26] We we are treated differently.

[35:28] And that's another thing when

[35:29] you think about how different

[35:30] ways.

[35:32] That veterans are treated, you

[35:33] know, and then you have to.

[35:33] Think about.

[35:35] When you are a veteran of color

[35:36] and an indigenous.

[35:38] Veteran and or also on how.

[35:39] >> people look at you if it's

[35:42] not your medical claim, if it's

[35:42] not.

[35:43] Your housing, if it's.

[35:46] Not your mental health and and

[35:46] so on.

[35:48] People think that oh we're

[35:50] making this up but no we are

[35:50] treated.

[35:53] Differently in all of these

[35:53] avenues.

[35:54] Because of the pigmentation.

[35:56] Of our skin.

[35:56] You know.

[35:59] And is that fear?

[36:02] No, because we all served when

[36:03] we're on the.

[36:05] Field together we don't see

[36:07] skin color anymore like they

[36:09] used to do back in the days

[36:10] because when I went in they

[36:11] still saw it.

[36:13] But here we are now.

[36:15] We're still going through.

[36:17] Things because we are veterans.

[36:19] And military attached of color

[36:19] .

[36:22] And so I want to say that

[36:23] commissioner santiago's.

[36:26] Office does as much as they can

[36:31] um, comrade flynn, as a fellow

[36:33] sailor we know that.

[36:34] There are.

[36:34] Still struggles.

[36:35] Out there.

[36:37] And we and that's what I

[36:39] appreciate when you have these

[36:40] hearings so we can.

[36:40] Talk about.

[36:42] What has.

[36:43] Been done.

[36:45] Good and what still needs.

[36:46] >> to be worked on.

[36:49] and um, I know I'll get beaten

[36:51] up by by haywood fanelli and

[36:53] some of my other comrades if I

[36:53] don't talk.

[36:55] About the veterans that are

[36:55] still.

[36:57] >> on the streets.

[37:00] Still homeless, still looking

[37:03] for a single room somewhere or

[37:04] our.

[37:04] Veterans that.

[37:06] >> are on the street because

[37:07] they don't take their meds and

[37:08] they're off their meds.

[37:10] I have one of my comrades right

[37:12] now who we can't even find him

[37:13] on the streets.

[37:13] He.

[37:15] Um stopped his meds.

[37:17] He lost his apartment.

[37:18] We know he's on the streets.

[37:20] We know he's checking into pine

[37:22] street but we haven't seen him

[37:22] in months.

[37:24] And we're still trying to.

[37:24] Find him.

[37:25] You know?

[37:27] So these are things we need to

[37:27] do.

[37:28] Maybe we need to put together.

[37:31] A group where we can go out and

[37:31] .

[37:33] Look for those that we know.

[37:35] Are on the streets.

[37:36] And their families are worried

[37:37] about them and so on.

[37:39] So those are things that I'd

[37:40] like to get on.

[37:42] >> to the the um onto.

[37:44] The table onto a piece

[37:44] of paper.

[37:46] Somewhere so we can do more

[37:46] work.

[37:47] And maybe pull some.

[37:48] Types of.

[37:49] >> meetings together to talk

[37:51] about how do we do this, how do

[37:53] we walk the corridor and find

[37:54] our missing homeless.

[37:56] Veterans that are out there?

[37:57] and I want to thank you for

[37:57] the.

[37:58] Time that you.

[37:59] >> gave me counselor.

[38:00] Um.

[38:00] >> I want to thank the.

[38:01] Committee for.

[38:03] Allowing me to, um, join you

[38:05] today and speak and also again

[38:06] thank you to everyone.

[38:07] Else who is going to be

[38:07] speaking.

[38:09] Behind me on the.

[38:10] Panels and thank you,

[38:12] commissioner santiago for the

[38:13] work that you do.

[38:14] And um.

[38:17] I'm going to enjoy louisville,

[38:18] kentucky for you guys.

[38:19] Thank you so much.

[38:20] Well thank.

[38:20] >> you.

[38:22] Thank you commended to it and I

[38:25] know I speak on behalf of my

[38:26] council colleagues in for the

[38:27] panel, but we have a tremendous

[38:30] amount of respect for you for

[38:30] the work you do.

[38:33] So safe travel and um enjoy the

[38:35] conference and we'll talk when

[38:35] you get back.

[38:36] Thank you.

[38:36] Committed to it.

[38:41] Um, let us let us continue.

[38:42] Uh, commander.

[38:45] Good morning, councilor flynn.

[38:47] Councilor murphy

[38:47] council fitzgerald.

[38:48] Um.

[38:50] There's not many people that I

[38:52] would let, uh, hop the line in

[38:54] front of of myself, but, uh, my

[38:55] comrade commander and good

[38:57] friend uh, the commander to it

[38:59] uh, she's definitely one that I

[39:01] would yield waved for so yeah.

[39:02] Yeah.

[39:02] Enjoy.

[39:03] Louisville commander.

[39:06] Uh, again my name is craig

[39:07] dealed.

[39:09] I am, uh, resident of the city

[39:10] of boston and live in south

[39:11] boston.

[39:13] Uh, I'm a member of the boston

[39:17] police post vfw 1018 uh, and I

[39:19] currently serve the vfw as the

[39:21] state commander uh, in that

[39:24] role um overall responsible for

[39:26] 146 posts across the

[39:29] commonwealth, uh, between our

[39:30] combat veterans and our

[39:32] auxiliary members, brothers and

[39:34] sisters, uh, there's over

[39:36] 20,000 of us across the

[39:37] commonwealth and just here

[39:39] within the city of boston we

[39:40] have four vibrant posts that

[39:42] are out advocating for our

[39:44] veterans, advocating for our

[39:45] neighborhoods every single day.

[39:48] Um, so there is always a

[39:50] presence of our veterans and

[39:53] I'm not here only on behalf

[39:55] of the state organization of of

[39:57] the vfw but also again as a

[39:59] resident of the city of boston

[40:01] and uh, to speak on uh on

[40:03] behalf of our four vibrant post

[40:03] here in the city.

[40:08] Um overall the the lung

[40:10] cancer rates with our our black

[40:13] veterans is alarming and a lot

[40:15] of it goes back to uh, a darker

[40:18] time within the defense

[40:19] department, department of war,

[40:20] whatever you want to call it,

[40:22] uh, where there was significant

[40:25] ,uh, segregation of different

[40:26] types of people in different

[40:28] types of units and doing

[40:28] different work.

[40:31] Uh, as commissioner santiago

[40:33] mentioned before there there's

[40:35] folks that would be, you know,

[40:36] serving in the navy that would

[40:37] always be below decks.

[40:39] They'd never see the light

[40:41] of day and they're in

[40:43] environments where there's

[40:45] going to be a substance in that

[40:47] environment and breathing in

[40:49] fumes from the engine rooms

[40:50] they're around hazardous

[40:52] materials is just you know, the

[40:55] part and parcel of uh, being on

[40:58] the navy a navy ship, uh, you

[40:59] know, the land forces they're

[41:01] they're always going to be

[41:04] again, uh, toxic exposures the

[41:06] ,uh between the burn pits

[41:09] again being in hazardous uh,

[41:12] locations of uh even being in a

[41:13] in a tank in an armored vehicle

[41:15] and infantry fighting vehicle

[41:17] you're around those uh, you

[41:17] know.

[41:20] Those fumes you're around the

[41:21] the fluids and those

[41:23] environments are inherently

[41:23] hazardous.

[41:26] Uh, I mean, we all understand

[41:27] when we raised our right hand,

[41:29] uh, enjoyed the service, uh, as

[41:31] a volunteer that we were going

[41:33] to be putting ourselves into

[41:35] these situations and for the

[41:36] benefit of our communities

[41:38] of of our country and in for

[41:40] the world in general.

[41:40] Uh, overall.

[41:43] Know we don't go into the

[41:46] service um broken.

[41:47] Yeah.

[41:49] But a lot of times will come

[41:50] out of the service in that

[41:53] state uh, again you know, it

[41:55] might not be due to a

[41:55] combat injury.

[41:57] It could be just regular

[41:59] occupational hazards within uh,

[42:01] our our nature of our service.

[42:03] But the the cancer rates within

[42:06] our african-american, uh, black

[42:07] comrades.

[42:08] Uh.

[42:10] >> is something that needs to

[42:11] be continue to look at looked

[42:15] at by by not only the va but as

[42:17] as part of the overall health

[42:19] care system that we're you

[42:20] know, we're involved with it.

[42:22] Uh, you know, I've had the you

[42:23] know, the honor and pleasure

[42:25] of working at uh both brigham

[42:27] and women's and dana-farber uh

[42:30] ,for cip for many years and I

[42:33] know firsthand and used to see

[42:35] the the outstanding effects

[42:38] that our health care system has

[42:40] for not only our black veterans

[42:41] but, you know, every anybody

[42:43] within the city of boston in

[42:44] the world at large.

[42:46] Boston is a medical mecca

[42:46] of the world.

[42:47] You know there's no better

[42:49] place to get sick or be hurt

[42:51] now than that within the city

[42:53] of boston between uh, the

[42:55] pre-hospital care that boston

[42:57] ems provides right through uh

[42:59] through the va hospitals and

[43:02] our uh our great, uh, you know,

[43:03] health care system here in the

[43:03] city.

[43:05] Uh, what we're looking at

[43:07] though is making sure that all

[43:09] veterans and especially our

[43:11] black veterans within uh, this

[43:15] subset, uh, do have that access

[43:15] of care.

[43:17] Uh, we need to make sure that

[43:18] we have between our

[43:20] partnerships with, you know,

[43:21] through the vfw, the

[43:23] commissioner's office and the

[43:25] through the va that we need.

[43:28] To make sure that when I have a

[43:29] veteran come to me saying hey,

[43:32] I've got this stuff going on,

[43:32] where can I go?

[43:34] Uh, you.

[43:36] Know, the vfw is there to be

[43:36] able to.

[43:36] Help.

[43:39] >> uh, steer the veterans in

[43:41] the right direction to get that

[43:43] care be it uh, city service

[43:44] going back through that through

[43:45] the va.

[43:48] Uh, we have a an incredible

[43:51] network of veterans service

[43:53] officers who assist uh, any

[43:55] veteran not just vfw members,

[43:59] any veteran with filing their

[44:01] va, uh, disability claims and

[44:02] we'll take them right through

[44:05] the initial intake and if they.

[44:07] Need if they get denied

[44:08] initially we'll help them

[44:09] through the appeals process

[44:11] even though going as far as to

[44:12] a hearing in front of an

[44:13] administrative judge and we'll

[44:15] take them through that whole

[44:18] process free of charge to that

[44:18] veteran.

[44:20] Uh, we don't look for anything

[44:20] in return.

[44:21] We don't put any membership

[44:22] requirements on anything.

[44:25] We'll if you will help any

[44:27] veteran uh, so that that's

[44:28] important that's an important

[44:30] distinction that, uh, we want

[44:31] and need to make sure.

[44:34] That through that process the

[44:38] the vfw uh, in their power

[44:39] of power of attorneys through

[44:42] the veterans that receive va

[44:43] benefits, uh, since the start

[44:45] of the federal fiscal year this

[44:49] past OCTOBER 1st have brought

[44:51] $87 million back directly back

[44:53] into the economy of the

[44:55] commonwealth of massachusetts.

[44:56] That doesn't get filtered to

[44:58] any other attorneys that goes

[45:00] directly into the pockets

[45:03] of our veterans, um, that are

[45:05] within our our commonwealth.

[45:06] You know, the numbers are a

[45:08] little skewed because some

[45:10] of the south coast does get

[45:11] pulled into the providence

[45:11] numbers.

[45:14] Uh, but that's you know, that's

[45:15] fine as long as where those

[45:16] veterans are being taken care

[45:17] of.

[45:18] Uh, if we extrapolate the

[45:21] numbers, we're looking at $105

[45:23] million directly into the

[45:25] pockets of veterans, uh, with

[45:25] across the commonwealth.

[45:28] Uh, I wish I was able to then

[45:30] break out what the what comes

[45:31] back directly into the city

[45:32] of boston?

[45:33] Uh, I'm sure it's a very

[45:34] impressive number.

[45:37] Uh, but again through the vfw

[45:40] and our service officers, um,

[45:43] that economic impact that we're

[45:45] making is huge and that does go

[45:47] towards the access of care.

[45:50] You know, if they're secure and

[45:51] financially they're going to be

[45:53] a little bit more secure in

[45:54] themselves, you know, seeking

[45:54] the medical help.

[45:56] They feel like they're going to

[45:58] be able to to go and seek that

[45:58] help.

[46:00] Uh so we get to get better to

[46:02] get that at home so they get

[46:02] that care through.

[46:05] Uh and from start to finish.

[46:09] Um uh transitioning to uh

[46:09] women's veterans.

[46:12] Uh, I had the.

[46:14] I entered the service and uh I

[46:17] got commissioned in 1991 uh,

[46:19] over the years the the nature

[46:22] of our military has has changed

[46:23] quite drastically.

[46:26] We have women serving in uh in

[46:28] the air force in combat, uh,

[46:30] equipped jets and strike

[46:30] fighters.

[46:34] Uh, we have uh, women sailors

[46:36] serving on um armed combat and

[46:39] ships and uh, the submarines

[46:41] uh, we have women in the army

[46:42] in the marine corps serving in

[46:43] infantry billets.

[46:45] Uh, there's they're doing the

[46:47] same thing that the men are

[46:47] doing.

[46:48] uh.

[46:49] We we.

[46:52] Need to look at you know, again

[46:53] embracing overall our women

[46:55] veterans and we try to do that

[46:57] by through the vfw.

[46:59] We're encouraging our women

[47:01] veterans that are members to

[47:03] take on leadership positions

[47:05] within our post, you know, to

[47:06] so we can uplift their voices

[47:08] to get another different point

[47:10] of view than just the old boy

[47:13] network of, you know, the smoky

[47:17] uh, cave of a vfw or american

[47:19] legion post of the days

[47:19] of yore.

[47:20] And those who thankfully don't

[47:23] exist anymore uh, as uh,

[47:25] commander tuitt had mentioned

[47:28] uh uh, how you know, she's had

[47:30] experiences where as somebody

[47:32] has come up to to her and you

[47:33] know, didn't recognize her as

[47:35] the as the veteran.

[47:36] Um.

[47:38] >> you know, we make I try to

[47:41] make my own personal point if I

[47:42] have a couple come in front

[47:43] of me.

[47:44] Uh, I'll start with the with

[47:47] the woman in front of me and

[47:49] ask her where did you serve?

[47:52] And oh, great, I served here I

[47:54] served there or oh, I'm not the

[47:56] veteran my my husband is well

[47:58] still she's part of the veteran

[48:00] family and that's important as

[48:03] well that we embrace you know

[48:04] not just the veteran the

[48:07] service member but the entire

[48:08] veteran and service members

[48:09] family because they're serving

[48:09] as well.

[48:11] They're going through hardships

[48:13] just as much as the service

[48:14] member does is what, you know

[48:16] when they go deploy and do

[48:17] their jobs.

[48:19] Uh, so it's very important that

[48:21] again, we're uplifting our our

[48:23] feet and women veterans making

[48:25] sure their voices are heard uh

[48:27] for uh expanding their the

[48:28] leadership.

[48:31] Uh of of our service

[48:32] organizations to reflect the

[48:34] true nature and the

[48:36] demographics of our military

[48:36] service.

[48:39] Uh, you know, finally at the uh

[48:41] at the police post we have our

[48:43] we currently have our first

[48:45] female or woman uh, command

[48:46] post commander and lisa venus,

[48:48] she's retired or soon to be

[48:50] retired uh, boston police

[48:53] sergeant, uh, army veteran and

[48:54] uh she is our post's first

[48:56] female commander and uh and

[48:58] we're excited she's she's been

[48:59] a hard charger coming up

[49:01] through the ranks and uh, we're

[49:03] looking forward to some great

[49:04] opportunities with her uh,

[49:06] through this year and going

[49:06] forward.

[49:09] Uh, so there is a changing

[49:10] of the of the scenery, you

[49:13] know, throughout the veteran

[49:13] service organization.

[49:15] So you know, I applaud you know

[49:17] commander to it and there are

[49:19] commanders here that know again

[49:21] they're taking that leadership

[49:23] role and their voices matter.

[49:23] You know.

[49:25] >> without their voices nothing

[49:26] will change across our our

[49:28] service organizations to

[49:31] reflect the true nature of our

[49:32] environment right now.

[49:34] Um.

[49:36] Uh, last I'd like to mentioned

[49:39] as uh commander tuitt mentioned

[49:42] the uh uh our homeless

[49:42] veterans.

[49:42] Yeah.

[49:44] They count they're out there.

[49:46] You know, it doesn't matter

[49:49] that you know there are part

[49:50] of any of our organizations

[49:51] they served there.

[49:53] They deserve our respect,

[49:54] deserve our support.

[49:57] Uh, the vfw will do everything

[49:58] that we can to make sure that

[50:00] across the board and through

[50:02] our partnerships with, uh, the

[50:05] with commissioner santiago and

[50:07] his department that we do look

[50:09] out and look after these

[50:09] veterans.

[50:10] Uh.

[50:12] >> and the veterans of foreign

[50:14] wars has a a national home.

[50:16] Oh, meeting rapids michigan

[50:18] that, uh, has been around for

[50:20] over 100 years and they help

[50:23] support uh servicemen service

[50:25] members, their families that

[50:27] are looking for a little, you

[50:28] know, not a handout but a hand

[50:28] up.

[50:30] You know, they can go they move

[50:31] their family there.

[50:34] They stay rent free utilities

[50:35] free for a number of years to

[50:37] get back on their feet so

[50:39] they're able to move on back to

[50:41] you know, their communities

[50:43] that you know that they're

[50:46] looking to join or rejoin and

[50:47] uh that might be something that

[50:49] we can look at to uh within the

[50:51] city there's a lot

[50:52] of opportunities out there.

[50:54] There's a lot of great

[50:56] organizations that are doing

[50:58] incredible things in their own

[51:00] little of uh, their own lands.

[51:03] But again, you look across the

[51:05] table and across the room here

[51:08] uh, it does take a village to

[51:10] uh to support the veterans

[51:12] community and all of our

[51:12] communities.

[51:13] Yeah.

[51:15] This is not an individual

[51:15] sport.

[51:17] uh, we can't do it by

[51:17] ourselves.

[51:19] It does take a team and then

[51:20] we've got a great team here

[51:22] and, uh, we I do applaud the

[51:23] the the city councilor.

[51:25] Councilor flynn.

[51:26] Councilor murphy.

[51:28] Uh, councilor fitzgerald, I do

[51:29] appreciate you taking the time

[51:30] on.

[51:30] >> a.

[51:32] On a friday morning at the end

[51:34] of AUGUST, uh, as the waning

[51:35] days of summer are closing in

[51:36] on us.

[51:38] Uh, I do appreciate that you

[51:38] guys.

[51:40] You're all taking the time to

[51:40] listen to us.

[51:43] Uh, I would implore that you

[51:45] take the time, um, in your busy

[51:48] days to go visit our posts not

[51:49] just when they're having a, uh,

[51:52] a chicken bake or any type of,

[51:55] um, you know, a fundraiser or

[51:57] anything like that, you know,

[51:58] reach out to the post, go to.

[51:59] One of.

[51:59] >> their meetings.

[52:02] Um, that's when you're going to

[52:04] have the one on one

[52:05] conversations with our veterans

[52:06] and you're going to find out

[52:07] really what's on their mind.

[52:09] So you got to take that with a

[52:10] grain of salt that you might

[52:11] not want to hear everything

[52:12] that's on their mind.

[52:15] But the you know, the veteran

[52:17] is going to be able to give

[52:20] you, uh, a true perspective on

[52:21] the ground what they're dealing

[52:23] with and it's going to be that

[52:25] one on one interaction that is

[52:27] going to really bring it home

[52:27] to you.

[52:30] Uh, when you're making your

[52:31] deliberations, you're having

[52:33] your your discussions, uh, in

[52:35] matters not only dealing with

[52:36] veterans but across the city

[52:36] that.

[52:37] You know.

[52:40] Veterans are a small subset

[52:41] of our society.

[52:44] But you know, it's a very

[52:46] diverse and distinctive group

[52:47] that has already dedicated

[52:49] their lives to public service.

[52:51] Uh, they've raised their right

[52:51] hand.

[52:53] They've served uh they've given

[52:56] their blood, sweat, tears, uh,

[52:59] body parts and some of them um,

[53:00] part of their minds to the

[53:02] defense of our country and the

[53:03] betterment of our society.

[53:06] So again, thank you for your

[53:07] support and I look forward to

[53:08] any questions that you might

[53:08] have.

[53:09] Thank you.

[53:10] Thank you commander.

[53:13] Um, we have uh, mr kennedy from

[53:14] the boston public health

[53:16] commission, sir.

[53:17] Thank you for being with us.

[53:19] And I want to give you an

[53:21] opportunity to, um, give an

[53:23] opening statement again.

[53:25] Uh, want to make sure we you

[53:27] take the the amount of time

[53:29] that you need to make sure that

[53:31] your message gets out because I

[53:32] do know a lot of veterans watch

[53:35] this program on television and

[53:36] want to give you an opportunity

[53:37] for your opening statement.

[53:39] Mr kennedy, uh, thank you for

[53:39] being here.

[53:41] Excuse me.

[53:41] Uh.

[53:43] Thank you, councilor flynn.

[53:43] .

[53:44] >> and of course, uh,

[53:45] councilor murphy.

[53:46] >> and fitzgerald as well.

[53:47] Uh.

[53:47] >> if I MAY.

[53:48] for just.

[53:48] >> one second.

[53:51] Um, it was a real pleasure to

[53:53] hear from, uh, matter to it.

[53:54] I worked with her quite a bit

[53:55] in the past while she was.

[53:56] With state rep gloria fox.

[53:57] Okay.

[53:57] Yeah.

[53:59] I was just a real pleasure to

[53:59] hear from her.

[54:00] Um.

[54:01] >> again, my.

[54:02] >> name is mark kennedy.

[54:03] Thank you so much for having

[54:03] me.

[54:04] It's my pleasure and honor to.

[54:05] >> be here.

[54:07] I'm a senior program manager in

[54:08] the chronic disease prevention

[54:10] and control division at the

[54:11] boston public health commission

[54:11] .

[54:13] And I'm leading the creation

[54:15] and implementation.

[54:16] Of the commission's first

[54:16] chronic.

[54:17] Disease and cancer.

[54:18] Early detection initiative.

[54:21] The mission of the boston

[54:22] public health commission is to

[54:23] work in partnership with

[54:24] communities to protect and

[54:26] promote the health and

[54:27] well-being of all boston

[54:29] residents, especially those

[54:30] that have been impacted by

[54:32] racism or systemic inequities.

[54:33] To put my comments.

[54:35] About lung cancer among

[54:36] african-american veterans in

[54:36] that.

[54:37] Context.

[54:39] >> let me start by highlighting

[54:40] the city of boston and the

[54:41] boston public health

[54:43] commission's first population

[54:45] health equity agenda, which we

[54:48] refer to as live long and well

[54:50] to live longer well agenda is

[54:50] about.

[54:51] Convening partners across

[54:53] sectors to address the three

[54:54] leading causes of premature

[54:57] mortality in boston unintended

[55:00] drug overdoses, cardiometabolic

[55:02] disease and yes preventable

[55:03] cancers.

[55:05] Major cancers including lung

[55:07] cancer are referred to as

[55:08] preventable because there's a

[55:08] screening.

[55:10] Guideline associated with them

[55:11] that can help to.

[55:13] Detect these cancers early when

[55:14] they can be treated with the

[55:15] with the best chance

[55:15] of survival.

[55:18] Nationally.

[55:21] ,statewide and in boston, lung

[55:21] cancer is the top cause

[55:24] of cancer related mortality in

[55:26] boston, lung cancer is the

[55:28] deadliest and most frequently

[55:29] diagnosed fatal cancer for both

[55:30] men and women.

[55:32] For black men.

[55:34] Low I'm sorry lung

[55:37] cancer causes more death than,

[55:40] colorectal and prostate cancers

[55:40] combined.

[55:42] Overall.

[55:43] >> when we look at trend data

[55:45] mortality from lung cancer has

[55:45] trended.

[55:47] Downward but of course not for

[55:47] everyone.

[55:50] Massachusetts is near the top

[55:52] nationally for early diagnosis

[55:54] ,surgical treatment.

[55:56] And overall survivorship but

[55:58] total incidence which includes

[56:00] new cases is higher than the

[56:01] national average.

[56:03] This could be due to increased

[56:03] screening.

[56:04] But new cases are.

[56:06] Not necessarily.

[56:07] >> cases where the cancer was

[56:08] diagnosed early.

[56:11] we'll continue to.

[56:11] Track local.

[56:13] Data on age and stage of.

[56:15] Diagnosis to quantify that.

[56:15] Finding more.

[56:18] >> new cases early leads to.

[56:20] Less mortality.

[56:22] Meanwhile, boston's black

[56:23] population has a lower

[56:24] incidence of lung cancer than

[56:24] the.

[56:25] National average.

[56:27] Nationally, black individuals

[56:28] with lung cancer.

[56:30] >> were 13%.

[56:31] Less likely.

[56:32] To be diagnosed early.

[56:34] They were 19%.

[56:36] Less likely to receive surgical

[56:38] treatment, 11% more likely to

[56:39] not receive.

[56:42] Any treatment and 13% less

[56:42] likely to survive.

[56:43] Five years.

[56:45] When you compare to white

[56:45] individuals.

[56:49] All that said, lung cancer is

[56:50] the leading cause of cancer

[56:52] related death among U.S.

[56:52] Veterans.

[56:54] Veterans have a higher.

[56:55] Rate of.

[56:56] >> lung cancer and a lower rate

[56:58] of survival than the general

[56:58] population.

[57:01] African american veterans face

[57:03] higher risk to military related

[57:05] exposures like asbestos,

[57:07] according to the us department

[57:08] of veterans affairs, veterans

[57:12] have a 25 to 76% higher risk

[57:14] of lung cancer and asbestos

[57:16] exposure remains a significant

[57:18] contributor to salivated risk,

[57:20] which exacerbates risk for.

[57:21] Black men.

[57:23] African american veterans

[57:25] experience disparities in

[57:26] diagnosis.

[57:27] Treatment and.

[57:28] survival rates compared to

[57:28] other groups.

[57:31] The U.S. Department of veterans

[57:33] affairs diagnosis it treats

[57:34] approximately.

[57:36] 8000 veterans for lung cancer.

[57:37] Each year.

[57:40] >> veterans have a higher risk

[57:40] for lung cancer due to.

[57:41] Older age.

[57:43] Smoking and.

[57:44] Environmental exposures during

[57:46] and after military service.

[57:48] Smoking is the primary cause

[57:49] of lung cancer, with many

[57:50] veterans reporting that.

[57:52] They started using tobacco

[57:53] after.

[57:54] Entering military service.

[57:56] Exposure to radon gas is the

[57:57] second leading cause.

[57:59] I want you to note here.

[58:01] If you would, that in addition

[58:02] to these risk factors that

[58:04] contribute to incidents, not

[58:07] getting screened is also a

[58:08] significant risk factor and

[58:10] that contributes to mortality

[58:11] because for lung cancer.

[58:14] And any other cancer catching

[58:15] and treated it.

[58:18] Early exponentially increases

[58:18] survivorship.

[58:21] Systemically black veterans

[58:21] have lower odds of completing

[58:23] lung cancer screening than

[58:24] white veterans, particularly

[58:26] due to loss between referral

[58:28] and the connection with

[58:28] screening programs.

[58:30] Let me conclude.

[58:33] By saying this for lung

[58:34] cancer veterans and the

[58:34] general.

[58:36] Population would benefit

[58:38] tremendously from changes.

[58:38] To the.

[58:39] >> screening guidelines that

[58:40] would further.

[58:43] Expand access to screening in

[58:44] 2021, the U.S. Preventive

[58:47] services task force expanded

[58:48] access to lung cancer screening

[58:50] to catch lung cancer earlier in

[58:52] high risk groups, particularly

[58:54] women as well as black adults

[58:55] who adults who often develop

[58:57] lung cancer with lower smoking

[58:57] exposure.

[59:00] The task force the task force

[59:02] and talk expanded access by

[59:04] lowering the starting gate from

[59:06] 55 to 50 and from reducing the

[59:08] pack history requirement from

[59:09] 30 pack using a to 20 pack.

[59:12] Use it here a year I'm

[59:14] sorry you do still have to be a

[59:15] current smoker or have quit

[59:17] within the past 15 years to be

[59:17] eligible.

[59:21] In 2023, the american

[59:22] cancer society went further and

[59:24] eliminated 15 years since quit

[59:25] criteria.

[59:27] But lung cancer screening is

[59:29] still tied strictly to tobacco

[59:31] use for veterans who are

[59:33] exposed to radon and or

[59:34] asbestos.

[59:36] For individuals who work in

[59:38] occupations such as firefighter

[59:42] construction, hair salons, etc.

[59:43] For general public city

[59:44] dwellers they were exposed to

[59:46] elevated levels of automobile

[59:48] exhaust and other environmental

[59:50] carcinogens on a daily basis.

[59:52] Lung cancer screening

[59:53] eligibility needs to be

[59:56] expanded beyond just tobacco

[59:56] use.

[59:59] Also, systemic changes need to

[1:00:00] be made so that veterans who

[1:00:02] are referred to or referred to

[1:00:03] screening don't fall through

[1:00:04] the cracks.

[1:00:05] I'll conclude there and again

[1:00:07] thank you for allowing me an

[1:00:09] opportunity to speak and I look

[1:00:09] forward to any questions that

[1:00:10] you might have.

[1:00:12] Thank you, mr kennedy.

[1:00:14] Uh, we have with us now um,

[1:00:16] doctor whitley who is also a

[1:00:18] veteran and a member of the

[1:00:19] american legion post.

[1:00:20] Okay.

[1:00:20] >> thank you.

[1:00:21] Thank you.

[1:00:23] Councilor flynn murphy

[1:00:23] fitzgerald.

[1:00:27] I didn't write anything.

[1:00:28] Um, because, um.

[1:00:32] One of the things that you know

[1:00:35] happened to me yesterday was I

[1:00:37] attended a debate and my

[1:00:38] question was.

[1:00:41] What laws or what funding.

[1:00:45] Would you implement for high

[1:00:48] denial cases denied among black

[1:00:50] men?

[1:00:53] And that question wasn't quite

[1:00:53] answered.

[1:00:55] So then I thought about.

[1:00:58] When then I thought about.

[1:01:02] When councilor murphy was um.

[1:01:05] She she was campaigning for

[1:01:06] her, um, you know, to compete

[1:01:09] become a city councilor at

[1:01:09] large.

[1:01:11] And I stopped her and she was

[1:01:13] in hyde park and I was having

[1:01:16] this trouble with my claims and

[1:01:17] I said to her, well, what do.

[1:01:18] >> I do?

[1:01:20] >> I need a 5 to 6 0995 and she

[1:01:21] was like, give me your number

[1:01:24] and then I have someone call

[1:01:26] me um a via cell to walk

[1:01:28] me through those um claims.

[1:01:30] But I started to think about

[1:01:33] when I wrote my dissertation

[1:01:35] and why I became a doctor

[1:01:36] of education.

[1:01:39] So one of the things that I

[1:01:40] noticed and I started to study

[1:01:42] black women so that made it,

[1:01:43] you know, kind of limited too

[1:01:44] to black women veterans.

[1:01:46] I one of the.

[1:01:50] things I thought about years

[1:01:53] ago because I just I just um

[1:01:54] retired JUNE 1st.

[1:01:56] I spent many years in the

[1:01:56] military.

[1:02:00] I had trouble navigating the

[1:02:04] system and so I am happy.

[1:02:07] With the statistics.

[1:02:11] The lung cancer, the nasty.

[1:02:16] But when I will press the

[1:02:18] participants for my my study.

[1:02:22] At all the 70 black women that

[1:02:25] in that ten participant the

[1:02:26] data exaggerated.

[1:02:28] And one.

[1:02:29] >> of the things they said to

[1:02:31] me and you know we talked about

[1:02:33] the va and how great the

[1:02:35] healthcare was and um, women

[1:02:37] the women trauma center they

[1:02:38] said.

[1:02:40] How how.

[1:02:41] >> do I get there?

[1:02:43] How do I navigate?

[1:02:48] So with the.

[1:02:50] Programs and all the great

[1:02:52] things that we have, how do we

[1:02:54] get our women black women vets

[1:02:56] to go for screening.

[1:03:00] If it's a high number of denial

[1:03:03] for claims maybe not the fault

[1:03:03] of.

[1:03:03] >> them.

[1:03:05] Themselves, maybe they just

[1:03:06] don't know how to write the

[1:03:08] claims or maybe they.

[1:03:08] >> need.

[1:03:09] Help with the claims that maybe

[1:03:11] they MISS A part after they

[1:03:12] hear the claim closes.

[1:03:14] So I think about.

[1:03:17] In the community.

[1:03:22] We need to implement of if.

[1:03:23] We're at the post.

[1:03:23] That someone.

[1:03:25] Can walk in and say you know

[1:03:27] how do I do you know, how do I

[1:03:30] complete a um claim if I'm able

[1:03:31] to walk into the municipal

[1:03:32] building in hyde park?

[1:03:33] how do I.

[1:03:34] Complete a claim as a vet?

[1:03:36] So one of the things that I

[1:03:38] want to say is that if I was.

[1:03:39] If I was.

[1:03:40] Watching this and I was just

[1:03:44] out of the military and um or

[1:03:45] msd, a trauma happened to

[1:03:46] me because I served 30 years

[1:03:47] ago.

[1:03:50] How would I do it?

[1:03:52] How would I navigate through

[1:03:52] this?

[1:03:55] So I oftentime just think about

[1:03:56] that were to navigate.

[1:03:58] Through the system and that.

[1:03:58] Was that was.

[1:04:00] >> my dissertation um black

[1:04:03] women veteran navigating the

[1:04:05] mental health system after

[1:04:06] trauma.

[1:04:09] So you know, I think I thank

[1:04:10] you guys all for um the

[1:04:11] statistics.

[1:04:13] But I think that.

[1:04:18] We need to focus on how do we

[1:04:20] get them into the va.

[1:04:22] What do we do on a city level?

[1:04:23] What do we do.

[1:04:24] On a community level?

[1:04:27] To bring them in?

[1:04:27] What if we.

[1:04:28] >> want to talk?

[1:04:30] You know what if we want to.

[1:04:32] Say hey I want to do a claim.

[1:04:33] Where do they go.

[1:04:36] If they've never been to the va

[1:04:38] or maybe denied for the va?

[1:04:39] So.

[1:04:42] >> thank thank you doctor.

[1:04:45] Um important recommendations I

[1:04:47] know we'll we'll be discussing

[1:04:48] them in a couple of minutes.

[1:04:49] So thank you for bringing

[1:04:50] bringing that information

[1:04:51] forward.

[1:04:52] Thank you for your service.

[1:04:58] Um, doctor wiener um, from the

[1:05:01] va the center for health

[1:05:04] optimization implementation

[1:05:04] research.

[1:05:05] Um, doctor europe.

[1:05:07] Thank you so much.

[1:05:10] Um good morning everyone and

[1:05:11] thank you to the council for

[1:05:13] the opportunity to participate

[1:05:14] today and such an important

[1:05:14] hearing.

[1:05:17] And I want to also thank the

[1:05:19] veterans who are present for,

[1:05:21] uh, your service to the country

[1:05:21] .

[1:05:24] Um, my name is brenda wiener

[1:05:26] and as I've already mentioned,

[1:05:28] I'm a pulmonary physician and a

[1:05:29] researcher at the va boston

[1:05:31] health care system and it's

[1:05:32] been my great honor and

[1:05:34] privilege to take care

[1:05:34] of veterans with lung

[1:05:36] conditions for more than 20

[1:05:38] years, including lung cancer,

[1:05:39] and to engage in research to

[1:05:41] try to address some of the

[1:05:43] issues that we're talking about

[1:05:43] today.

[1:05:45] How do we improve veteran

[1:05:46] health?

[1:05:48] How do we improve access to

[1:05:51] care and uh, and improve

[1:05:51] equity?

[1:05:55] Um, in addition to my roles as

[1:05:57] a physician and researcher, I

[1:05:58] also am the deputy chief

[1:06:00] consultant for the national

[1:06:01] center for lung

[1:06:02] cancer screening for the

[1:06:03] veterans health administration.

[1:06:05] And I'm a professor of medicine

[1:06:07] at the boston university

[1:06:09] chobani and and avid dc school

[1:06:09] of medicine.

[1:06:11] I have also been a physician at

[1:06:13] boston medical center.

[1:06:16] So um I'm speaking from those

[1:06:18] various perspectives but I do

[1:06:20] need to also disclose that, um,

[1:06:22] the perspectives I'll share in

[1:06:23] this hearing are my own views

[1:06:25] and don't necessarily represent

[1:06:27] the positions or policy of the

[1:06:28] department of veterans affairs

[1:06:29] or U.S. Government.

[1:06:32] So I'm here today because.

[1:06:34] Veterans in our city,

[1:06:35] especially black veterans are

[1:06:38] dying from lung cancer and many

[1:06:39] of these are needless deaths.

[1:06:41] We are so fortunate that the

[1:06:44] greater boston area is home to

[1:06:45] some of the most active lung

[1:06:47] cancer screening programs in

[1:06:49] the country, including at the

[1:06:49] boston va.

[1:06:51] And if we were reaching more

[1:06:53] veterans for screening we could

[1:06:54] be saving more lives.

[1:06:56] You've heard that lung

[1:06:58] cancer is a critical issue

[1:06:59] facing veterans.

[1:07:02] Uh, and that 8000 veterans are

[1:07:03] diagnosed with lung

[1:07:04] cancer every year.

[1:07:07] And just take a moment to think

[1:07:08] about that and how many

[1:07:10] families are affected by this

[1:07:10] disease.

[1:07:13] You've also heard that, uh,

[1:07:14] veterans have higher rates

[1:07:16] of lung cancer than others and

[1:07:18] the us population due to um

[1:07:20] military exposures among other

[1:07:21] issues.

[1:07:24] But perhaps more dire still is

[1:07:25] this.

[1:07:26] So I.

[1:07:27] Testified before this

[1:07:29] council about a year and a half

[1:07:31] ago and during that time

[1:07:34] approximately 7500 veterans in

[1:07:35] this country have died from

[1:07:36] lung cancer.

[1:07:38] It's an average of 15 veterans

[1:07:39] every single day.

[1:07:43] In fact, lung cancer is far and

[1:07:44] away the leading cause

[1:07:45] of cancer deaths among veterans

[1:07:46] .

[1:07:48] But again, many of those deaths

[1:07:49] could have been prevented.

[1:07:51] catching cancer early when it's

[1:07:55] still treatable is critical to

[1:07:57] improving lung cancer outcomes

[1:07:57] .

[1:07:59] Early detection through lung

[1:08:00] cancer screening followed by

[1:08:03] timely treatment represents our

[1:08:05] best hope to improve outcomes

[1:08:06] for veterans and others at risk

[1:08:07] of lung cancer.

[1:08:09] Lung cancer screening means

[1:08:11] getting a simple cat scan

[1:08:13] of the chest takes just a few

[1:08:13] minutes.

[1:08:15] It's painless and having a

[1:08:17] screening cat scan every year

[1:08:18] can reduce lung cancer deaths

[1:08:19] by 20%.

[1:08:22] One of the hard truths we've

[1:08:24] already begun to hear about is

[1:08:26] that black veterans and black

[1:08:28] men nationwide die of lung

[1:08:29] cancer more often than any

[1:08:31] other group in the us

[1:08:31] population.

[1:08:34] Um many develop lung cancer at

[1:08:36] a younger age and with a lower

[1:08:37] smoking history than white

[1:08:38] americans.

[1:08:40] And why is that?

[1:08:42] It's because they don't often

[1:08:43] know that screening is an

[1:08:45] option or how to access it.

[1:08:47] As you alluded to um and.

[1:08:48] Then they experience.

[1:08:50] Delays and gaps in every step

[1:08:52] of the pathway from diagnosis

[1:08:54] through treatment and are less

[1:08:56] likely to get the best, most

[1:08:58] effective treatments for lung

[1:08:58] cancer.

[1:09:01] The good news is that the va

[1:09:04] system breaks this pattern when

[1:09:05] black veterans.

[1:09:06] Get care through the va.

[1:09:07] >> their lung cancer survival

[1:09:09] is the same as white veterans.

[1:09:12] Va lung cancer screening rates

[1:09:14] early cancer detection rates

[1:09:16] and survival rates are equal or

[1:09:17] better across the board than

[1:09:19] those outside of the va system

[1:09:19] .

[1:09:21] And the difference here isn't

[1:09:22] biology.

[1:09:23] >> it's access to timely,

[1:09:24] equitable health care.

[1:09:27] And we're fortunate that within

[1:09:29] the va system, va bostons lung

[1:09:31] cancer screening program is one

[1:09:32] of the leaders in the nation.

[1:09:34] But many.

[1:09:35] People who are eligible for

[1:09:36] lung cancer screening veterans

[1:09:37] and.

[1:09:38] Other bostonians have never

[1:09:40] heard of screening and they

[1:09:41] don't realize that they qualify

[1:09:43] for this lifesaving test.

[1:09:46] In fact, fewer than 25%.

[1:09:47] >> of eligible americans have

[1:09:49] been screened for lung

[1:09:50] cancer and black people are

[1:09:51] even less likely to have been

[1:09:52] screened than others in the

[1:09:53] population.

[1:09:55] So let me just take a.

[1:09:56] Minute to raise awareness on

[1:09:57] some key facts.

[1:09:59] Guidelines recommend.

[1:10:00] Lung cancer screening for

[1:10:01] people ages.

[1:10:02] 50 to 80 years.

[1:10:04] Old with a significant smoking

[1:10:04] history.

[1:10:06] And regardless of whether you

[1:10:07] get it through the va or.

[1:10:08] Outside of the va.

[1:10:10] Screening is covered by

[1:10:10] insurance.

[1:10:12] >> and completely free with no

[1:10:13] co-pays for people who qualify.

[1:10:16] But sharing information.

[1:10:17] >> at meetings like this isn't

[1:10:18] enough.

[1:10:20] Our teams at va boston.

[1:10:22] >> and at our research center

[1:10:22] choir.

[1:10:25] Are actively working to improve

[1:10:26] lung cancer screening.

[1:10:28] awareness and expand access to

[1:10:28] screening.

[1:10:30] And we're doing this work.

[1:10:31] Right now here in boston.

[1:10:33] So first uh, the vet peer

[1:10:34] connect study.

[1:10:35] Um, last.

[1:10:37] >> year we partnered with black

[1:10:38] veterans and community.

[1:10:40] Groups like nab vets, the

[1:10:41] national association for black

[1:10:43] veterans and the triad veterans

[1:10:44] league led by boston's own

[1:10:45] heywood for now.

[1:10:47] To co-design a community.

[1:10:49] Outreach program by black

[1:10:50] veterans for black veterans.

[1:10:52] We partnered.

[1:10:54] Actually with with many people

[1:10:55] um, here today.

[1:10:56] We partnered with.

[1:10:58] The um office of veterans

[1:11:01] services from the city and the

[1:11:01] commonwealth.

[1:11:04] And veteran organizations

[1:11:06] including the vfw and american

[1:11:08] legion um, including

[1:11:11] specifically uh vfw post uh

[1:11:14] 1018 and the carter post.

[1:11:16] So thank you again for your

[1:11:17] support and partnership.

[1:11:18] Um.

[1:11:22] So uh we partnered with those

[1:11:22] groups to hold.

[1:11:24] Community events around greater

[1:11:26] boston trying to reach

[1:11:26] veterans.

[1:11:27] Where they.

[1:11:28] >> are and help get them

[1:11:29] connected to lung

[1:11:30] cancer screening.

[1:11:34] So we're now building on what

[1:11:34] we.

[1:11:34] Learned and vet.

[1:11:36] >> peer connects to create a

[1:11:36] sustainable program.

[1:11:37] >> with greater reach.

[1:11:40] We launched a new website and

[1:11:42] social media campaign developed

[1:11:42] together with.

[1:11:43] veterans to share their stories

[1:11:44] .

[1:11:45] About screening.

[1:11:46] And we're creating a toolkit.

[1:11:48] >> for veteran organizations.

[1:11:49] ,uh, to use with.

[1:11:50] Their own members.

[1:11:54] We're also leading a precision

[1:11:56] screening trial across 28 va

[1:11:58] medical centers, including va

[1:12:00] boston that's designed to

[1:12:02] engage veterans who have the

[1:12:02] highest benefit.

[1:12:04] From screening but haven't yet

[1:12:05] been reached.

[1:12:06] And many of these are black

[1:12:06] veterans.

[1:12:09] And finally, we're kicking off

[1:12:11] a project to connect veterans

[1:12:13] who have a history of toxic

[1:12:15] military exposures.

[1:12:18] ,um, to uh, the whole health

[1:12:18] well-being.

[1:12:22] Services at the va and also

[1:12:23] connecting them to clinical

[1:12:24] trials that will help better.

[1:12:26] Understand the relationship

[1:12:26] between.

[1:12:27] Military exposures.

[1:12:29] And lung cancer and what the

[1:12:31] role of screening might be for

[1:12:32] those veterans.

[1:12:35] And these things are working

[1:12:36] one veteran at a time.

[1:12:38] People are talking to their

[1:12:39] doctors getting screened.

[1:12:42] Regaining trust in the va and

[1:12:43] accessing the health care that

[1:12:44] they.

[1:12:45] Earned and deserve.

[1:12:47] I want to acknowledge and thank

[1:12:47] the.

[1:12:48] Many veterans, community

[1:12:49] partners.

[1:12:50] And va staff who have helped.

[1:12:52] Make this series of studies a

[1:12:54] success as well as the support

[1:12:54] of.

[1:12:55] >> the city and the

[1:12:55] commonwealth.

[1:12:57] most importantly, I want to.

[1:12:58] Thank the men and women

[1:13:00] veterans who inspire our team

[1:13:00] every day.

[1:13:02] But there is still more work.

[1:13:03] >> to do.

[1:13:04] And we.

[1:13:06] >> need the council and all

[1:13:08] of your uh, help in these

[1:13:08] efforts.

[1:13:11] First, we hope you'll help us

[1:13:12] to continue to build.

[1:13:13] >> on this momentum.

[1:13:14] The approaches that we've

[1:13:16] developed are resonating with.

[1:13:17] Boston veterans.

[1:13:18] And let's continue to sustain

[1:13:20] these partnerships and the.

[1:13:21] Trust that we've built with.

[1:13:22] Veterans and community

[1:13:23] organizations.

[1:13:25] And second, please help us to

[1:13:26] continue to get the word out.

[1:13:28] Partner with us to amplify

[1:13:30] screening awareness through the

[1:13:31] city's many channels.

[1:13:32] >> and resources.

[1:13:34] And then also as individuals

[1:13:35] tell other veterans.

[1:13:37] About lung cancer screening.

[1:13:39] These one on one interactions

[1:13:40] are.

[1:13:41] Incredibly powerful and could

[1:13:43] help save a veteran's life.

[1:13:45] I can't think of a more

[1:13:46] important goal than getting

[1:13:48] veterans the screening and.

[1:13:49] >> the health care that they

[1:13:49] earned and deserve.

[1:13:50] Especially black.

[1:13:53] >> veterans and women veterans.

[1:13:53] Who have.

[1:13:55] >> been left behind.

[1:13:57] That's not just my mission as a

[1:13:57] doctor.

[1:13:58] I really.

[1:13:59] Believe that for all of us,

[1:14:01] improving equity is a value we

[1:14:02] all share.

[1:14:04] And I'm honored to fight for

[1:14:05] that and hope you'll continue

[1:14:07] to work with us to achieve that

[1:14:07] goal.

[1:14:09] Thank you doctor.

[1:14:10] Thank you for being here.

[1:14:12] Thank you for the important

[1:14:12] work you were doing.

[1:14:16] Before I go to my colleagues to

[1:14:19] ask questions um I do want to

[1:14:22] go to public testimony and if

[1:14:24] there is anyone here I know my

[1:14:27] friend, um, donald mitchell is

[1:14:27] here.

[1:14:29] I believe he's an air force

[1:14:30] veteran.

[1:14:32] Uh, want to give him the the

[1:14:34] opportunity to to speak and to

[1:14:36] ,testify?

[1:14:40] Usually, donald, you got 2 or 3

[1:14:41] minutes, but, uh, I don't cut

[1:14:42] off any veteran.

[1:14:44] A veteran thought a veteran

[1:14:45] could speak as long as they

[1:14:46] want you.

[1:14:46] You've earned it.

[1:14:49] I also want to acknowledge our

[1:14:50] our friend that is not here.

[1:14:52] I know he's been mentioned

[1:14:54] heywood finnell a wonderful

[1:14:57] advocate in the city um for for

[1:14:58] veterans, military families,

[1:14:59] veterans of color.

[1:15:01] But donald um, would love to

[1:15:02] hear your testimony.

[1:15:04] Uh, my name is thomas you I'm

[1:15:06] the PRESIDENT And ceo of don

[1:15:07] foundation, which is a

[1:15:09] nonprofit organization that

[1:15:13] helps veterans to, uh, with the

[1:15:16] resources that they need to get

[1:15:19] housing, uh, a rent housing,

[1:15:20] uh, furniture.

[1:15:22] So, uh, certifications to help

[1:15:25] them get jobs in the industry.

[1:15:26] Uh, key to uh, key.

[1:15:28] Problem with veterans or people

[1:15:30] who are homeless is the fact

[1:15:33] that they, uh, when come out

[1:15:34] of incarceration or out there

[1:15:36] they feel they you don't have

[1:15:41] the the housing and employment

[1:15:43] which is key to for their

[1:15:44] salvation.

[1:15:45] We help them out.

[1:15:47] I organization will help them

[1:15:49] out to uh find these resources

[1:15:52] to to pay for some of these

[1:15:53] things that they need.

[1:15:57] Um um uh friends with my

[1:15:58] brother here.

[1:16:00] Uh, robert here we go back and

[1:16:01] forth here.

[1:16:04] Uh, cousin friend we just had a

[1:16:05] roundtable veterans roundtable

[1:16:07] ,uh, obviously delivered.

[1:16:08] Um, getting ready to prepare

[1:16:10] for a stand down, uh, SEPTEMBER

[1:16:13] 11th so we could do free, uh,

[1:16:16] resources, um, uh, and research

[1:16:18] on what the veterans needs are

[1:16:19] what their complaints are and

[1:16:20] and and their concerns.

[1:16:23] Um, we just sent, uh, through

[1:16:26] just the, uh, roundtable we

[1:16:27] just sent, uh, gentleman named

[1:16:30] uh, brian mullen, uh, to one

[1:16:32] of the partners that we met at

[1:16:35] the uh, uh, roundtable and he's

[1:16:37] been um, assisting because he's

[1:16:40] had multiple uh, situations

[1:16:42] that he's he's had problems.

[1:16:44] So, our goal is to help our

[1:16:45] veterans out.

[1:16:48] Uh, I've been a, uh, veteran.

[1:16:52] Uh, it was the um also on the

[1:16:57] um uh uh retired uh local four

[1:17:00] uh uh local four uh operator

[1:17:03] and also uh within a half was

[1:17:05] uh some uh civil engineering

[1:17:05] construction.

[1:17:08] So the construction part of it

[1:17:11] is is part the other part of um

[1:17:13] a company is called damage and

[1:17:15] the soldiers uh llc, which

[1:17:18] helps to find employment for

[1:17:20] those, uh, people who who work

[1:17:21] who needs, uh, plumbing.

[1:17:24] So we'll be working there to

[1:17:24] try to find.

[1:17:27] The resources with these uh, uh

[1:17:30] ,veterans, uh, who want to uh,

[1:17:31] I'm aware of uh.

[1:17:33] Um.

[1:17:38] Cosmo flynn and san diego um,

[1:17:40] just coming to get involved and

[1:17:42] I think I know mr kennedy.

[1:17:44] We met uh, come to us.

[1:17:45] >> so I going to be contacting

[1:17:47] you in the future to try to

[1:17:49] figure out how we could further

[1:17:50] help our veterans on out.

[1:17:53] Thank you.

[1:17:53] Donald.

[1:17:55] Thank you for being here.

[1:17:57] Thank you for your testimony

[1:17:58] and thank you for your

[1:18:01] commitment to, um, supporting

[1:18:04] veterans across our across our

[1:18:05] commonwealth.

[1:18:07] Um, I'm going to go to my

[1:18:08] colleagues.

[1:18:09] I'm going to start with

[1:18:10] councilor murphy then go to

[1:18:11] council fitzgerald.

[1:18:12] I'm going to give each

[1:18:14] councilor uh, maybe ten

[1:18:16] minutes, um, to ask questions.

[1:18:18] I know there's a lot of people

[1:18:20] on the panel that might want to

[1:18:23] weigh in to so um, if the

[1:18:24] council goes over ten minutes,

[1:18:25] that's that's fine.

[1:18:26] We'll, um we'll just continue

[1:18:28] the conversation.

[1:18:29] Councilor murphy europe.

[1:18:29] Thank you.

[1:18:32] >> thank you for your.

[1:18:33] Testimony, everyone.

[1:18:36] One of the things I kept

[1:18:40] hearing from all of you is the

[1:18:40] screening.

[1:18:41] >> and the.

[1:18:43] Statistics are trending in.

[1:18:43] >> a good way.

[1:18:44] We are.

[1:18:46] Fortunate to live here where we

[1:18:47] have such great health care.

[1:18:49] But at the same time, even

[1:18:49] though nationally.

[1:18:50] Our numbers MAY.

[1:18:52] look good when we zone in on

[1:18:55] you know, boston the state you

[1:18:56] know specifically.

[1:18:59] That we're still seeing that

[1:19:00] more black women and men are

[1:19:02] just not getting the care they

[1:19:03] need.

[1:19:06] So how do we make sure that you

[1:19:07] know, because without the

[1:19:09] screening they're not going to

[1:19:11] get the support the health

[1:19:12] support they need.

[1:19:13] So what.

[1:19:15] What should we do?

[1:19:16] What can.

[1:19:18] >> we do not just as a

[1:19:18] council just.

[1:19:20] >> as a city like to make sure

[1:19:22] and as a medical doctor like.

[1:19:24] Do you.

[1:19:27] Do enough do you think to make

[1:19:28] sure that you don't have to.

[1:19:29] >> ask.

[1:19:30] For it right that if a.

[1:19:32] Doctor knows while you were in.

[1:19:34] The navy we know you were on

[1:19:35] the ship, you were in the

[1:19:37] military, you probably were

[1:19:39] exposed because many times

[1:19:41] people you know aren't aware to

[1:19:42] even ask for.

[1:19:42] >> the.

[1:19:43] Help and obviously you've said

[1:19:45] it yourself and others saying

[1:19:45] that too.

[1:19:48] So what can we do from you

[1:19:49] know, the medical side but also

[1:19:52] all of you who are advocating

[1:19:54] and working alongside our

[1:19:55] veterans every day.

[1:20:00] I'll say from.

[1:20:02] The uh the medical standpoint

[1:20:05] at the va we have implemented

[1:20:06] um.

[1:20:07] Systems to.

[1:20:10] Help doctors on the front line

[1:20:12] identify when um, the veterans

[1:20:13] that they're seeing or.

[1:20:15] Eligible for a lung cancer.

[1:20:17] Screening and flag them to

[1:20:18] remind them to make sure that

[1:20:19] they offer it.

[1:20:21] And I know that's the case and

[1:20:23] um, in many health care

[1:20:25] settings outside of the va as

[1:20:25] well.

[1:20:30] Um, that said, uh especially

[1:20:33] primary care um, clinicians who

[1:20:36] are handling so many issues um,

[1:20:37] in a brief visit sometimes they

[1:20:39] don't get to it.

[1:20:43] So um I think it is also

[1:20:45] important um, to raise

[1:20:47] awareness uh, among the.

[1:20:47] Public.

[1:20:49] >> um, about lung

[1:20:50] cancer screening and and

[1:20:54] empower uh, folks to ask their

[1:20:55] doctors about it.

[1:20:57] Most insurance not cover it if

[1:20:59] you don't qualify because when

[1:21:00] you say qualify would the

[1:21:02] doctor have to kind of say you

[1:21:04] you smoke or there's reasons to

[1:21:06] believe it it wouldn't

[1:21:07] automatically be covered if a

[1:21:08] doctor referred it.

[1:21:12] So uh, insurance companies do

[1:21:12] cover.

[1:21:15] >> for people who meet uspstf

[1:21:15] eligibility.

[1:21:17] Criteria and there's no charge

[1:21:19] for that and that's inside

[1:21:20] outside the va system.

[1:21:24] Um, but as mr kennedy alluded

[1:21:26] to, uh, those criteria don't

[1:21:29] catch everybody, um, who could

[1:21:30] benefit from screening.

[1:21:32] That's one of the things that

[1:21:33] we are studying in that trial

[1:21:34] that.

[1:21:34] I mentioned.

[1:21:37] We are doing precision uh, um,

[1:21:40] approaches to predict who would

[1:21:40] benefit from.

[1:21:41] Screening.

[1:21:41] .

[1:21:43] Including people who fall

[1:21:45] outside of the us preventive

[1:21:46] services task force criteria

[1:21:48] and offering screening to those

[1:21:48] veterans.

[1:21:51] Um, that's a clinical trial.

[1:21:54] So it's not, you know, for

[1:21:55] everybody but uh, hopefully we

[1:21:57] will be able to reach uh

[1:21:59] veterans in uh va boston as

[1:22:01] well as the 27 other va sites

[1:22:04] that are participating in that

[1:22:04] trial.

[1:22:05] Thank you.

[1:22:07] Um.

[1:22:10] I don't have any other really

[1:22:11] specific questions other than.

[1:22:14] You know, it was said people

[1:22:16] just don't always know that

[1:22:17] there are services out there

[1:22:18] and how do we connect them.

[1:22:20] And it's never at a loss of.

[1:22:22] Hard work and.

[1:22:24] Advocacy from your commission.

[1:22:26] It happens I think.

[1:22:27] For every department across the

[1:22:29] city we often hear like well

[1:22:30] how do I get that fixed?

[1:22:32] Who should I have called or so.

[1:22:33] Do you.

[1:22:35] >> um is.

[1:22:37] >> there some sort of like ad.

[1:22:37] >> or.

[1:22:38] Campaign or support?

[1:22:41] Uh, you know, thinking of the

[1:22:44] city level how to support our

[1:22:46] veterans and advocate that way?

[1:22:50] Um, I think one of the.

[1:22:51] Uh, quickest way that we could.

[1:22:54] Uh, collectively as a as a city

[1:22:55] do it is to continue

[1:22:56] partnership with the boston

[1:22:59] health uh commission with

[1:23:00] strong uh with the office

[1:23:01] of neighborhood services.

[1:23:03] So basically pretty much um the

[1:23:05] village here in the city

[1:23:07] of boston municipality to to

[1:23:09] get together when we do go out

[1:23:10] into the community and talk to

[1:23:11] not just our veterans but our

[1:23:12] veterans families, our

[1:23:13] community members, our

[1:23:15] community leaders it's just the

[1:23:17] biggest thing that sometimes I

[1:23:20] see is that, um, they see one

[1:23:21] of our events that is just for

[1:23:23] veterans but it's open to

[1:23:24] everybody.

[1:23:25] Is open to the whole community

[1:23:26] .

[1:23:27] >> is open to even to somebody

[1:23:27] who.

[1:23:29] Who MAY not even live in

[1:23:29] boston, who.

[1:23:30] >> could just be in.

[1:23:30] >> the.

[1:23:32] Area to come by and go to to to

[1:23:33] the fair and expo that we had

[1:23:34] according park this past

[1:23:36] weekend and see what's

[1:23:37] available to our veterans, see

[1:23:38] what's available to the

[1:23:40] community as well and that's

[1:23:41] information that they could

[1:23:42] pass on to someone who they MAY

[1:23:44] know who's a veteran or someone

[1:23:46] who they MAY know is uh is a

[1:23:48] son of a veteran or a daughter

[1:23:48] of veteran.

[1:23:51] So um, all these events all

[1:23:53] these uh, communications that

[1:23:55] we MAY have or leaflets they

[1:23:56] while.

[1:23:56] From my.

[1:23:58] >> office they MAY be geared to

[1:23:59] veterans but actually they're

[1:24:00] for everybody because everyone

[1:24:02] should know a veteran or knows

[1:24:03] somebody who knows a veteran

[1:24:05] who has a person in their

[1:24:06] family who was a veteran that

[1:24:07] they could pass that

[1:24:07] information onto.

[1:24:09] So you know what I implore

[1:24:10] people who MAY be listening who

[1:24:13] who MAY be watching uh, to

[1:24:15] understand is that read these

[1:24:17] informations, come to our

[1:24:19] events, be a part of our event

[1:24:22] because it is for the benefit

[1:24:23] of the whole community.

[1:24:25] Um and part of that community

[1:24:26] is our veterans because

[1:24:28] veterans do cover all

[1:24:29] demographics here in the city

[1:24:30] of boston and we all in our

[1:24:30] community.

[1:24:33] So I think that um

[1:24:35] communicating this to to to

[1:24:36] everyone in the city and beyond

[1:24:37] is very important.

[1:24:41] I take the one of the uh,

[1:24:44] things that um, we must do is

[1:24:46] is to safeguard the resources

[1:24:48] that that uh that comes in the

[1:24:50] veterans uh, um, budget.

[1:24:53] Um, we're being cut because

[1:24:57] of ways and and we also we

[1:24:59] really help them uh, funding to

[1:25:02] do their research uh, the

[1:25:03] policies funding to do what

[1:25:04] they have to do boston helps

[1:25:06] us, which is to do what the

[1:25:09] city would be if if if you see.

[1:25:10] Uh.

[1:25:12] >> including the federal

[1:25:13] government giving all these

[1:25:14] cuts and everything are they we

[1:25:16] need to safeguard our funding

[1:25:18] that goes into our veterans,

[1:25:19] uh, pool and make sure these

[1:25:21] individuals get the resources

[1:25:22] that they need to do the work

[1:25:23] that they need to do.

[1:25:24] Thank you.

[1:25:26] >> um, I was going to mention

[1:25:27] that too when we were going

[1:25:29] through the budget cycle, the

[1:25:31] fire department who many of the

[1:25:32] members are veterans.

[1:25:34] Did not.

[1:25:36] >> receive that $1.2 million

[1:25:38] grant and many much of that

[1:25:40] grant was directly related to

[1:25:41] screening and health care

[1:25:41] support.

[1:25:44] So it is important and if we

[1:25:45] see that we're losing federal

[1:25:47] state grants like how do we on

[1:25:47] the council shift?

[1:25:49] I know that we work closely

[1:25:50] with your department to make

[1:25:52] sure we're not losing any money

[1:25:53] and if any way we can add more

[1:25:54] to your department.

[1:25:56] But thank thank you just.

[1:25:57] >> all.

[1:25:58] For being here and advocating

[1:26:01] and just know I'm a support and

[1:26:02] resource any way I can help

[1:26:04] more than I am.

[1:26:05] I'd love to thank you.

[1:26:07] Thank you councilor murphy.

[1:26:11] At this time I'm going to go to

[1:26:13] council fitzgerald

[1:26:14] councilor fitzgerald, you have

[1:26:15] ten minutes.

[1:26:16] Thank you CHAIRMAN.

[1:26:17] I appreciate it.

[1:26:18] Um.

[1:26:20] >> so thank you all.

[1:26:22] Uh, for the testimony as I was.

[1:26:24] Sort of listening to everybody

[1:26:26] I was writing down, uh, you

[1:26:26] know.

[1:26:27] The data is the.

[1:26:27] Data, right?

[1:26:28] And when so we.

[1:26:29] Know that what we're.

[1:26:31] Focusing on here today is an

[1:26:31] issue.

[1:26:33] >> and that's not being told

[1:26:34] that that is being told to us

[1:26:34] by.

[1:26:35] Boots on the ground but also

[1:26:36] through the data that we're

[1:26:36] collecting.

[1:26:38] And so I was trying to.

[1:26:39] Think of.

[1:26:40] >> uh, you know, what is the.

[1:26:41] The number one.

[1:26:44] Source of why this discrepancy

[1:26:44] exists?

[1:26:46] I'll refer to lung cancer at

[1:26:46] the moment among.

[1:26:47] Among black veterans.

[1:26:49] And you know, I started writing

[1:26:50] down a list of what.

[1:26:52] >> I think could act right just

[1:26:53] and I'm no doctor.

[1:26:54] So you guys this is why you

[1:26:55] guys are here, right?

[1:26:57] but I was like there's either

[1:26:59] genetics, there's education and

[1:27:00] awareness about it.

[1:27:02] There is the insurance, there

[1:27:04] is your personal lifestyle that

[1:27:05] can affect it.

[1:27:06] There's the work lifestyle such

[1:27:07] as where you might be where you

[1:27:08] might have served.

[1:27:10] Um and I added navigating the

[1:27:12] system and because from uh what

[1:27:13] I heard from this panel too is

[1:27:15] that just navigating the system

[1:27:15] um.

[1:27:18] Like of all the things what do

[1:27:20] we think of that sort of list

[1:27:22] might be like if we were to

[1:27:24] hone in on what would have the.

[1:27:26] Biggest impact and there MAY be

[1:27:27] others that I could add to

[1:27:27] this.

[1:27:30] List, but what would be the.

[1:27:32] The area that we would say is

[1:27:33] is it you know, hey.

[1:27:35] >> if we collected insurance a

[1:27:35] lot more.

[1:27:36] People would be covered and we

[1:27:39] could identify more early or is

[1:27:40] it hey is it the education

[1:27:41] awareness and getting.

[1:27:42] And I know it's a mixture

[1:27:42] of all.

[1:27:44] Right but what what I'm asking

[1:27:45] is if we were to prioritize it

[1:27:47] right um you can't do much

[1:27:50] about genetics uh, you know,

[1:27:50] the.

[1:27:51] Work lifestyle that's already

[1:27:53] occurred right in black

[1:27:53] veterans.

[1:27:55] And so how do we know where we

[1:27:56] can place people in the future?

[1:27:56] Sure.

[1:27:56] >> it might.

[1:27:58] >> help future generations but

[1:27:58] um.

[1:28:00] Uh, that just knowing.

[1:28:02] Where they are and making sure

[1:28:03] that certain benefits are

[1:28:05] available to them um, and then

[1:28:07] and then helping navigate the

[1:28:09] system I think that's in in any

[1:28:13] sort of large, um, you know,

[1:28:15] heavy paperwork type of setting

[1:28:17] I mean car insurance, health

[1:28:18] insurance, whatever it MAY be.

[1:28:18] Right?

[1:28:19] I think we all have trouble

[1:28:21] nabbing people walk into this

[1:28:22] building and the first thing

[1:28:24] they usually say is I'm here to

[1:28:25] help me.

[1:28:26] Navigate city hall.

[1:28:26] Where do I go?

[1:28:27] Right.

[1:28:28] Who do I talk to for this

[1:28:28] issue?

[1:28:30] So um I think that's important

[1:28:31] one but.

[1:28:33] Just trying to hone in because

[1:28:34] I feel like if you extrapolated

[1:28:35] out.

[1:28:36] Outside of veterans to that the

[1:28:38] data probably correlates right

[1:28:38] .

[1:28:40] Uh, that that uh, lung

[1:28:41] cancer among black individuals

[1:28:43] is also probably higher than

[1:28:44] white counterparts.

[1:28:45] And so that's what got me.

[1:28:47] Thinking to the other things

[1:28:49] of like well if we help one we

[1:28:49] can.

[1:28:50] Help the veterans.

[1:28:50] If we.

[1:28:51] Help the larger.

[1:28:53] Continuum then we can help the

[1:28:53] veterans.

[1:28:55] But at the same time, what can

[1:28:56] we learn from helping the

[1:28:57] veterans that can educate us

[1:28:59] that we can bring it out to the

[1:28:59] larger continuum?

[1:29:00] Right.

[1:29:01] Um.

[1:29:03] >> that you know, a lot of you

[1:29:04] guys spoke on this but I guess

[1:29:05] what I sort of.

[1:29:07] Uh, is wondering is if.

[1:29:09] We were to hone in, right?

[1:29:10] because government gets pulled

[1:29:11] in a lot of different ways and

[1:29:13] we'd love to hone in on every

[1:29:14] single one of these and but

[1:29:15] that would be all day every day

[1:29:16] and there's a lot of other

[1:29:17] people asking for our help.

[1:29:18] .

[1:29:19] >> if we could hone in, what

[1:29:21] would you think.

[1:29:23] Would be the the best parameter

[1:29:26] to sort of say let's solve this

[1:29:26] one.

[1:29:28] Let's solve education awareness

[1:29:29] and put the money towards that

[1:29:30] and put our effort towards

[1:29:30] that.

[1:29:31] Let's let's.

[1:29:33] Tackle insurance and make sure

[1:29:34] I think insurance is a sham

[1:29:36] anyway I don't know how you got

[1:29:37] you guys are the doctors but

[1:29:38] just from a guy on the outside

[1:29:40] the layman's person I think

[1:29:41] that's the biggest thing we got

[1:29:41] to tackle next.

[1:29:43] But um, you know.

[1:29:44] >> is it making sure.

[1:29:45] >> the system is more

[1:29:47] streamlined or at least more um

[1:29:49] ,you know that you.

[1:29:50] >> can.

[1:29:51] Work with it easier to

[1:29:53] understand um I don't know.

[1:29:54] >> so I put I put that all to

[1:29:55] you guys and say if.

[1:29:56] >> you had to prioritize.

[1:29:56] What would you.

[1:29:58] Think would be the the most.

[1:30:00] Impactful one to attack?

[1:30:05] And we could all have different

[1:30:05] answers.

[1:30:06] I'm sort of just wondering from

[1:30:07] personal.

[1:30:07] >> point of.

[1:30:08] >> view it's it's.

[1:30:08] >> there.

[1:30:09] Is no right answer.

[1:30:11] I'll guess I'll start counselor

[1:30:11] .

[1:30:11] thank you.

[1:30:14] Uh for for for your question

[1:30:15] and bringing that up and it's

[1:30:16] it's it's everything you

[1:30:17] mentioned, right.

[1:30:18] It's it's a little bit

[1:30:19] of everything but I think part

[1:30:21] of it has to do also um which

[1:30:23] we alluded to and incidentally

[1:30:25] myself and uh and craig here

[1:30:26] before we even came to the

[1:30:27] council hearing we actually

[1:30:28] were having a cup of coffee and

[1:30:30] talked about it talked about

[1:30:32] you know, what is the

[1:30:34] underlying reason why uh, the

[1:30:36] cancer rates are so much higher

[1:30:38] in the black veterans community

[1:30:39] and also in the minority

[1:30:40] community as a whole.

[1:30:42] And we could speak on that uh,

[1:30:43] from our experience of the

[1:30:45] veterans, it a lot of it has to

[1:30:46] do with whatever their job

[1:30:49] duties or collateral duties

[1:30:51] were given to the black

[1:30:53] veterans um in service um I

[1:30:54] could speak.

[1:30:54] >> on.

[1:30:54] On on.

[1:30:56] >> my experiences as a navy

[1:30:58] veteran where you know, um a

[1:31:01] lot of uh, minority veterans

[1:31:02] of on average sailors like

[1:31:05] myself we were told to go

[1:31:07] sandblast a void on a ship, you

[1:31:10] know, or we were working in an

[1:31:11] engine room pretty much what

[1:31:12] craig had mentioned earlier in

[1:31:13] his testimony.

[1:31:15] So, uh, you know, so a lot

[1:31:15] of the.

[1:31:18] And I'm not saying that that's.

[1:31:18] >> the.

[1:31:19] Reason why the rates are so

[1:31:19] high.

[1:31:20] I'm just you know, speaking

[1:31:22] again on my experiences and

[1:31:23] from what I've seen and talking

[1:31:25] to other veterans as well, um,

[1:31:26] that that could also be.

[1:31:27] An underlying reason why.

[1:31:29] Those numbers MAY be high is

[1:31:31] because of of also the the

[1:31:33] duties that we were given while

[1:31:34] we were uh in service.

[1:31:36] Now um, add that to the fact

[1:31:38] that when you know, we're no

[1:31:39] longer um in service and now

[1:31:41] we're veterans navigating the

[1:31:43] system, knowing the system,

[1:31:44] knowing what um is out there

[1:31:46] for us and like, uh, doctor

[1:31:47] wagner had mentioned.

[1:31:47] >> in.

[1:31:49] Her testimony at the va, um,

[1:31:50] they're doing a great job in

[1:31:51] trying to get the word out

[1:31:53] there but when it's not enough

[1:31:55] to um it there's always work to

[1:31:58] be done and that and so I guess

[1:32:00] the the educational piece and

[1:32:00] again trying.

[1:32:02] To let everybody know that

[1:32:05] these um that you know the lung

[1:32:06] cancer screenings are there for

[1:32:08] for veterans for for pretty

[1:32:09] much anybody the city of boston

[1:32:11] also has a policy for lung

[1:32:11] cancer screening.

[1:32:13] Um, you know amongst us uh

[1:32:14] municipal workers, you know,

[1:32:16] you know, go to contact your

[1:32:18] cpa and see what those are,

[1:32:19] what those MAY be.

[1:32:20] But I think as far as veterans

[1:32:22] are concerned, um, um the

[1:32:23] education piece is huge.

[1:32:27] Um, getting to those veterans

[1:32:29] and and and malika had

[1:32:30] mentioned that doctor wheatley

[1:32:32] I mentioned uh in her testimony

[1:32:34] when these service members

[1:32:37] become veterans, you know, what

[1:32:38] is the department of defense

[1:32:40] doing when service members are

[1:32:42] transitioning into becoming

[1:32:43] veteran that coming back into

[1:32:43] our communities?

[1:32:46] Are we reaching them um, in a

[1:32:46] timely fashion?

[1:32:47] Um.

[1:32:48] Once they.

[1:32:50] >> come out I know uh, that the

[1:32:52] state does what they can to

[1:32:54] notify us municipalities us uh,

[1:32:54] veteran services.

[1:32:56] Offices throughout the state to

[1:32:58] let us know who in our

[1:32:59] community is returning from

[1:33:02] service and reaching then and

[1:33:03] letting them know and also

[1:33:06] being able to be, uh, an asset

[1:33:07] to them when they transition

[1:33:08] and integrate back into the

[1:33:10] system, um back into their

[1:33:10] communities as well.

[1:33:12] So it's it's it's it's really

[1:33:16] not something that um that that

[1:33:18] uh it's going to be um taken

[1:33:20] care of immediately but it's

[1:33:21] something that we're going to

[1:33:22] be able that we have to

[1:33:23] continue the conversation on

[1:33:23] amongst.

[1:33:24] >> our.

[1:33:25] Groups and uh, advocacy groups

[1:33:27] amongst the vfw that the dvs,

[1:33:30] the american legion's um you

[1:33:32] know, don and his and his

[1:33:33] organization uh haywood and his

[1:33:35] organization um and pretty much

[1:33:36] all the veteran organizations

[1:33:38] in the community as well.

[1:33:40] And it also takes uh, the

[1:33:41] council as well that, you know,

[1:33:43] if and when you also go out

[1:33:44] into the community, you bring

[1:33:44] it up.

[1:33:45] You know what,

[1:33:46] councilor fitzgerald?

[1:33:47] You know, if you're running

[1:33:48] your community to be like you

[1:33:49] know, I was at a hearing about

[1:33:51] veterans and we talked about

[1:33:51] lung cancer here.

[1:33:52] You know, you know, lung

[1:33:54] cancer amongst veterans this is

[1:33:55] what's available.

[1:33:56] So you know, just spreading the

[1:33:57] word out there whenever we go

[1:33:59] on to the community just bring

[1:33:59] it up.

[1:34:00] Even if the subject matter MAY

[1:34:02] not be about veterans I always

[1:34:03] bring up veterans.

[1:34:03] Why?

[1:34:04] Because I am a.

[1:34:05] Veteran you know why not?

[1:34:07] But uh but you know but you

[1:34:08] know, make it part of the

[1:34:10] conversation make it part

[1:34:12] of the community conversation

[1:34:13] about veterans, you know, about

[1:34:15] lung cancer screening, about

[1:34:15] women veterans.

[1:34:17] You know, right now there's

[1:34:20] close to I believe is 940,000

[1:34:22] women that are there are

[1:34:23] enrolled in the va.

[1:34:25] But there's a there's 2.1

[1:34:26] million women veterans that we

[1:34:27] know.

[1:34:28] So you know those numbers need

[1:34:29] to go up as well so women

[1:34:30] veterans could also get the

[1:34:31] care that they need in the va

[1:34:33] system um because it's there

[1:34:34] for them.

[1:34:36] Um, how many of them actually

[1:34:37] went to the va to get that care

[1:34:39] or is it the trust thing as

[1:34:39] well?

[1:34:40] Are we talking about trust?

[1:34:42] They just don't trust the

[1:34:43] system to help them out.

[1:34:44] Just the same thing with black

[1:34:45] veterans, the same thing with

[1:34:46] minority veterans.

[1:34:47] You know that there's been that

[1:34:48] stigma for many, many years

[1:34:50] that the va is not there to

[1:34:50] help them.

[1:34:51] You know, it could be the

[1:34:53] trusting that we need a

[1:34:53] breakthrough as well.

[1:34:54] So there's a lot.

[1:34:54] >> of there's.

[1:34:57] It's it's it's it's it's a it's

[1:34:59] a big web that we're weaving

[1:35:01] here that we need to go through

[1:35:01] and break through.

[1:35:03] But I think the uh what it all

[1:35:05] comes down to is the word

[1:35:06] communication and you know,

[1:35:07] talking to the veterans,

[1:35:09] getting them out there, letting

[1:35:10] them know that the va has gone,

[1:35:11] you know, has come a long way.

[1:35:13] And you know, I'm proud to say

[1:35:14] that the boston va is

[1:35:16] definitely the best va we have

[1:35:17] in this country and it's

[1:35:18] because of the partnerships

[1:35:20] that we have with the state,

[1:35:21] the partnerships that we have

[1:35:22] with all these medical

[1:35:22] facilities.

[1:35:23] We have one of the best

[1:35:25] nonprofits like home base is

[1:35:27] located here through the mdh as

[1:35:27] well.

[1:35:30] So uh, you know all those

[1:35:31] partnerships uh getting

[1:35:32] together and communicating that

[1:35:34] hey, we're here for you and

[1:35:35] we're going to make sure that

[1:35:36] you get what you deserve.

[1:35:37] That's excellent.

[1:35:38] Thank you very much.

[1:35:39] Appreciate it.

[1:35:39] But so.

[1:35:41] Education from our point

[1:35:42] of view of what a council could

[1:35:42] do.

[1:35:44] Education awareness is where we

[1:35:44] should.

[1:35:45] Yes tackle.

[1:35:47] I just want to make sure I had

[1:35:48] I don't know if anyone else you

[1:35:50] don't have to but if anyone

[1:35:51] else would like to chime in I

[1:35:51] have other questions as well.

[1:35:55] Uh I don't.

[1:35:56] Okay.

[1:35:59] >> but um um

[1:36:00] councilor fitzgerald, thank you

[1:36:01] for the question.

[1:36:05] Um, I'm going to say from my

[1:36:07] particular lane because

[1:36:08] everybody here is bringing

[1:36:10] whether it's an experiential or

[1:36:12] a professional perspective into

[1:36:12] this.

[1:36:14] Again, as I said in my

[1:36:18] introduction, my focus is on

[1:36:20] early detection of in this

[1:36:21] particular case of course like

[1:36:23] it I've never had lung cancer.

[1:36:25] I'm not a veteran.

[1:36:27] I've never smoked.

[1:36:31] I listen to your your list

[1:36:32] of the things that could be

[1:36:34] causing this genetics was the

[1:36:35] first thing you said.

[1:36:36] I don't know if it was any

[1:36:37] particular order no particular.

[1:36:40] But I would say that family

[1:36:41] history or other genetics or

[1:36:42] issues of a lot of cancers.

[1:36:44] I think the biggest issue for

[1:36:48] lung cancer is exposure to both

[1:36:49] factors because we all have

[1:36:50] said in various ways and shapes

[1:36:52] and forms people didn't start

[1:36:54] smoking until they entered

[1:36:56] military service or some other

[1:36:57] type of position that put them

[1:36:59] in an exposure situation to

[1:37:01] something other than tobacco.

[1:37:02] A lot of that is what's driving

[1:37:04] lung cancer rates up in a

[1:37:05] particular for for black

[1:37:06] veterans.

[1:37:08] To answer your question, my

[1:37:10] single word again from my lab

[1:37:12] basically goes right back to

[1:37:13] the guidelines and let me just

[1:37:15] put some context around it.

[1:37:18] What we do at the boston public

[1:37:19] health commission at least in

[1:37:20] terms of my job because I don't

[1:37:22] provide any direct service so I

[1:37:24] don't actually do the scope.

[1:37:26] What I basically do in my role

[1:37:29] is to communicate about school

[1:37:30] okay.

[1:37:33] But I always tell myself I am

[1:37:34] doing a disservice to the

[1:37:38] public if I don't go into that

[1:37:40] job acknowledging that there is

[1:37:41] a balance.

[1:37:43] There's two dimensional chess

[1:37:44] being played here because I

[1:37:46] have to communicate something

[1:37:48] that provides a call to action

[1:37:49] to the public.

[1:37:51] But when they get into the

[1:37:53] medical system the doctor has

[1:37:56] to do what I want them to do

[1:37:57] when the patient shows up.

[1:37:58] Right.

[1:38:00] If the doctor's not going to do

[1:38:02] that, why should I tell people

[1:38:04] to go have it done if they

[1:38:05] can't actually get it done?

[1:38:07] The guideline piece I'm trying

[1:38:10] to talk about here goes to the

[1:38:13] fact that lung cancer screening

[1:38:15] is basically tied to tobacco

[1:38:18] use and a lot of the lung

[1:38:20] cancer that veterans suffer are

[1:38:22] from things other than tobacco

[1:38:23] .

[1:38:24] Okay.

[1:38:24] Gotcha.

[1:38:27] You also talk about veterans

[1:38:29] that weren't smoking before

[1:38:31] they came into military service

[1:38:33] and they began to smoke as a

[1:38:33] result.

[1:38:36] So if you think about this this

[1:38:38] this particular group and again

[1:38:40] the other context of that is

[1:38:41] I'm with the boston public

[1:38:42] health commission.

[1:38:44] But what we're talking about

[1:38:45] here is population health.

[1:38:48] It's a segment of our

[1:38:50] population I.E. Veterans are

[1:38:52] experiencing lung

[1:38:52] cancer differently than the

[1:38:53] general public.

[1:38:56] What can we hone in on and

[1:38:57] focus on with that?

[1:39:00] You talk about we've heard the

[1:39:01] tremendous work that the va

[1:39:03] hospital is doing here which is

[1:39:04] different, unique and better

[1:39:05] than what's happening across

[1:39:05] the country.

[1:39:06] Yeah.

[1:39:08] >> my hope is that there's an

[1:39:10] opportunity with local

[1:39:12] legislation engaging local

[1:39:15] payers and a strong medical and

[1:39:16] clinical institution like the

[1:39:18] V.A. Hospital to say let's

[1:39:20] let's set the tone for the rest

[1:39:22] of the country for how to get

[1:39:25] this right because we now can

[1:39:28] basically create a local closed

[1:39:31] loop that says what we do is we

[1:39:32] screen people not just for

[1:39:35] tobacco use but for exposure to

[1:39:37] the things that we ask them to

[1:39:38] do in the context of the

[1:39:41] military service get payers on

[1:39:41] board.

[1:39:44] Open up lung cancer screening

[1:39:46] to people that actually need

[1:39:48] it, not just smokers.

[1:39:51] Look at the financial benefits

[1:39:54] of that over a period of time.

[1:39:55] Look at the outcomes benefits

[1:39:57] which is reduce mortality over

[1:39:58] a period of time.

[1:40:00] Present this to the country and

[1:40:01] say look we are getting it

[1:40:04] right in massachusetts you

[1:40:06] could be doing more in wherever

[1:40:06] you are.

[1:40:07] That's not massachusetts

[1:40:09] because we've got as you said,

[1:40:12] we've got a community of local

[1:40:13] resources clinically that are

[1:40:14] probably the best in the

[1:40:16] country if not the world and if

[1:40:19] we get it right here for

[1:40:21] veterans, not only will it

[1:40:22] inform the way we treat

[1:40:24] veterans across the country,

[1:40:26] but that navigation system and

[1:40:27] everything else that's involved

[1:40:30] literally opens up cancer early

[1:40:32] detection for other cancers in

[1:40:33] other areas in a way that

[1:40:35] informs the whole system.

[1:40:36] Okay, I think we've got a

[1:40:37] unique opportunity here and i

[1:40:39] think the city council uh,

[1:40:42] local clinicians, uh advocates

[1:40:43] like myself communicators like

[1:40:45] myself can really get on board

[1:40:46] and put a plan together.

[1:40:47] But it's what boston does lead

[1:40:48] the way.

[1:40:49] So I believe that we can do

[1:40:51] that uh on that I know some

[1:40:52] other folks wanted uh, to

[1:40:54] potentially chime in.

[1:40:54] So not.

[1:40:55] >> just quickly.

[1:40:56] >> as one might go.

[1:40:57] Yes.

[1:40:58] >> yeah, we can have a.

[1:40:58] Big mouth.

[1:40:59] >> um.

[1:40:59] One of.

[1:41:01] >> the things about veterans as

[1:41:01] we.

[1:41:03] Look for community.

[1:41:04] Organizations because

[1:41:05] of brotherhood sisterhood, um,

[1:41:08] and we also lean on our faith

[1:41:09] based churches.

[1:41:10] So if.

[1:41:12] We're talking about education

[1:41:14] and you know, how would we

[1:41:15] employ that education, how will

[1:41:17] we get veterans in the door?

[1:41:17] And you.

[1:41:19] >> know, the va is a great

[1:41:20] system and we have great

[1:41:22] screening, but at.

[1:41:24] A point we need to get um our

[1:41:25] back.

[1:41:26] To the door into.

[1:41:27] Those screenings and then how

[1:41:28] do we do.

[1:41:28] >> that.

[1:41:30] Any time that we are opening up

[1:41:32] something in boston, I think

[1:41:32] that any.

[1:41:35] Community organization that

[1:41:36] vets are attached to whether

[1:41:37] it's the ymca.

[1:41:39] Or whether they go to their.

[1:41:41] Local communities um system.

[1:41:43] Uh local community.

[1:41:44] like um.

[1:41:46] Hall or the polls all of that.

[1:41:48] >> needs to be filtered down.

[1:41:49] So if I'm walking into.

[1:41:54] Any community um place that I

[1:41:56] love to visit, I should be able

[1:41:56] to know.

[1:41:58] That this is free screening

[1:41:59] because.

[1:41:59] >> we can.

[1:42:00] Offer it.

[1:42:01] But the education.

[1:42:02] Part of it.

[1:42:02] How do.

[1:42:03] >> we get them.

[1:42:04] >> to the door and I keep how.

[1:42:06] Do you how do you get us to the

[1:42:07] door because you couldn't get

[1:42:07] me through the door.

[1:42:09] Ten years ago.

[1:42:10] Um so.

[1:42:12] So how do we do that?

[1:42:13] So we really need to.

[1:42:14] Start thinking about.

[1:42:18] Where is our underserved.

[1:42:19] Communities for that?

[1:42:21] Where do they often.

[1:42:23] Visit maybe the local

[1:42:24] coffee shop.

[1:42:26] Maybe um, the va in west was

[1:42:27] always having a screening.

[1:42:29] >> why do we need to hit the

[1:42:29] local coffee shop.

[1:42:30] Down the street.

[1:42:31] At the ymca?

[1:42:33] Because I know if I can.

[1:42:35] See it and I say hey, this is a

[1:42:35] screening.

[1:42:38] You know, I MAY go and say oh

[1:42:39] maybe call this.

[1:42:40] Number for some information.

[1:42:42] So I really think about the

[1:42:44] educational piece and how we

[1:42:45] build and bring them into the

[1:42:45] door to.

[1:42:46] Get the screenings.

[1:42:47] Got to.

[1:42:49] Doctor and uh I.

[1:42:51] Completely agree with

[1:42:52] everything people have said so

[1:42:53] far.

[1:42:54] I'll add one other thing.

[1:42:56] Um I think I.

[1:42:57] >> do think that.

[1:42:59] It's uh access to health care

[1:43:01] and then the costs as well.

[1:43:03] I mentioned that the initial

[1:43:04] screening if you meet the

[1:43:05] criteria.

[1:43:07] Is free of cost no matter where

[1:43:09] you get it.

[1:43:11] But what is often a barrier is

[1:43:13] like if you need something more

[1:43:13] than just.

[1:43:15] That screening test if there's

[1:43:17] a screening detected finding

[1:43:18] that needs further workup.

[1:43:21] There is cost associated with

[1:43:23] getting the subsequent tests

[1:43:24] and that's a real barrier for a

[1:43:25] lot of people.

[1:43:29] Um, so that's something uh, you

[1:43:31] know, within the va those costs

[1:43:32] are often lower outside the va

[1:43:32] .

[1:43:33] Yeah.

[1:43:34] .

[1:43:34] That can add up.

[1:43:37] Um so I think that's something

[1:43:38] that that could be addressed.

[1:43:41] That goes a imagine that goes

[1:43:42] to the insurance right.

[1:43:43] That's yeah that's right.

[1:43:45] Uh I know I'm well over my time

[1:43:47] but just a two more if you

[1:43:47] don't mind chair.

[1:43:48] Thank you.

[1:43:52] Um what I thought about is the

[1:43:52] military doing anything.

[1:43:54] >> now when we talk about the

[1:43:55] workplace that has caused.

[1:43:55] It.

[1:43:56] >> uh.

[1:43:57] >> is the military.

[1:43:58] Doing anything now to identify

[1:44:00] those positions that say, okay,

[1:44:01] what are we.

[1:44:02] Doing to prevent if.

[1:44:03] >> I'm working.

[1:44:03] Below deck.

[1:44:05] >> in the engine room, you

[1:44:07] know, 24 seven uh, are there

[1:44:09] steps being take I don't.

[1:44:09] >> need to know.

[1:44:10] >> the.

[1:44:11] Specific steps now but other

[1:44:12] steps being taken to say.

[1:44:13] How are we.

[1:44:14] >> making that area a healthier

[1:44:16] workplace for our military?

[1:44:18] Uh, so that when they come out

[1:44:20] they do not have these issues

[1:44:21] uh post service.

[1:44:25] Thanks for that question,

[1:44:26] counselor.

[1:44:27] Uh, across the military.

[1:44:28] You know.

[1:44:29] We we did.

[1:44:31] Mention a lot of different.

[1:44:32] Environments where you know,

[1:44:33] you are in hazardous

[1:44:33] conditions.

[1:44:34] Uh.

[1:44:35] You know.

[1:44:38] Part of being commander is

[1:44:39] looking after your troops.

[1:44:41] So it behooves every commander

[1:44:43] no matter what level from your

[1:44:45] lowest level up through, um,

[1:44:47] you know, the PRESIDENT Or any

[1:44:49] of your service secretaries

[1:44:51] that you want to have your

[1:44:51] group.

[1:44:52] I guess.

[1:44:53] At the.

[1:44:55] >> end of the day your your

[1:44:58] employees you know, in the most

[1:45:00] uh, healthiest, safest

[1:45:01] environments.

[1:45:01] Yep.

[1:45:04] Um, a lot of times it's not

[1:45:06] possible due to the conditions

[1:45:08] where, uh where they send us to

[1:45:09] do our work.

[1:45:11] Uh, we're not always sent to

[1:45:13] the most, uh, lush garden spots

[1:45:13] across the world.

[1:45:18] Um, but a lot of times you want

[1:45:21] to take those necessary steps

[1:45:23] to make sure that your soldiers

[1:45:24] ,your sailors, your marines,

[1:45:27] your airmen, uh, are in the

[1:45:28] safest environments if that

[1:45:30] includes, you know, additional,

[1:45:31] uh, personal protective

[1:45:31] equipment.

[1:45:33] Uh, a lot a lot of times the

[1:45:34] you know, the guidelines within

[1:45:36] the military don't always

[1:45:37] follow osha.

[1:45:38] Uh, but they you know, they're

[1:45:40] very, very similar and

[1:45:41] sometimes they're even more

[1:45:43] more stringent, uh, to make

[1:45:46] sure that, you know, again, if

[1:45:47] you're if you're uh, service

[1:45:49] members getting sick and unable

[1:45:50] to perform their duties, then

[1:45:52] you're no longer going to be

[1:45:54] mission capable as a unit as a

[1:45:56] as a vessel, as a piece

[1:45:57] of equipment.

[1:45:59] Uh, so at the end of the day

[1:46:00] you're your biggest your

[1:46:03] greatest asset is your

[1:46:04] individual service member.

[1:46:06] So you want to make them we

[1:46:08] want to make sure that whatever

[1:46:11] means are are appropriate and

[1:46:14] uh uh for every situation you

[1:46:15] are going to take care of that

[1:46:17] service member uh, so that is,

[1:46:20] you know, top of mind for for a

[1:46:22] commander at any level is to

[1:46:23] make sure uh, your your service

[1:46:25] members are getting taken care

[1:46:26] of as best as I can.

[1:46:27] Okay.

[1:46:28] >> but as long as.

[1:46:29] We talk the military continues

[1:46:29] .

[1:46:31] To constantly review where.

[1:46:33] They're sending, uh, their most

[1:46:34] important assets and making.

[1:46:35] >> sure.

[1:46:36] That the the healthiest they

[1:46:37] hope that, um, that.

[1:46:38] >> would be.

[1:46:38] More of the.

[1:46:39] >> preventative work right is

[1:46:40] all in making sure.

[1:46:42] Absolutely and coming.

[1:46:45] Home um, you know, back in 1998

[1:46:47] 99 I served a tour over in

[1:46:49] bosnia at that point in time,

[1:46:52] uh, the air quality was not the

[1:46:54] greatest uh a lot of uh the

[1:46:55] local you know, the bosnians

[1:46:58] were burning their trash.

[1:46:59] Their trash would go into the

[1:47:00] rivers.

[1:47:03] It was a uh an environmental

[1:47:03] nightmare.

[1:47:05] Uh, one of the things that as

[1:47:07] we were redeploying, you know,

[1:47:08] back home after our tour was

[1:47:10] over was that we had chest x

[1:47:12] rays, you know, to to get a

[1:47:14] baseline of, uh, where our

[1:47:15] respiratory system was at.

[1:47:16] Um.

[1:47:18] >> you know, it was a just a

[1:47:20] few years ago but then

[1:47:22] redeploying to places like the

[1:47:23] middle east again, you're

[1:47:25] you're not in the the most

[1:47:27] healthiest environments and

[1:47:29] again as a soldier again a lot

[1:47:31] of times you're out outside

[1:47:32] you're doing things but again

[1:47:34] you can be in confined spaces

[1:47:36] such as an armored vehicle or

[1:47:38] any types of vehicles or or you

[1:47:40] can be on a ship you could be

[1:47:41] on an aircraft that again

[1:47:43] you're not always in that most

[1:47:44] healthiest environments.

[1:47:46] And again it comes down to the

[1:47:48] commanders uh to make sure that

[1:47:49] they're taking care of their

[1:47:50] service members.

[1:47:52] So we're not ending up having

[1:47:54] to visit the va afterwards

[1:47:55] after we're done.

[1:47:56] And to say thank you.

[1:47:58] Um thank you.

[1:47:59] I know well at the time.

[1:48:00] >> thank you very much for the

[1:48:01] added time to.

[1:48:02] Thank you.

[1:48:03] >> thank you.

[1:48:03] Councilor fitzgerald.

[1:48:03] Um.

[1:48:07] Just one quick thing that I.

[1:48:08] >> wanted to add also and I

[1:48:09] know mark.

[1:48:10] Has mentioned a lot about um,

[1:48:12] uh, tobacco use of being

[1:48:14] prevalent in the military and.

[1:48:15] Part of the.

[1:48:16] >> main reasons why that is is

[1:48:17] because of the stressors that

[1:48:19] military folks go through, uh,

[1:48:22] in the job um, and to to

[1:48:23] piggyback off what uh, the

[1:48:24] commander here, you know, said

[1:48:25] is uh, you know, the military

[1:48:27] they do do what they can to try

[1:48:29] to mitigate um, any dangers

[1:48:31] from their assets, which is the

[1:48:33] main asset which is which is a

[1:48:33] service member.

[1:48:35] Um, and I know that they do

[1:48:36] have uh, you know, one of the

[1:48:39] highest uh, uh, funded

[1:48:40] cancer researchers in, you

[1:48:43] know, in the world um, but uh,

[1:48:44] they they do what they can but

[1:48:45] of course there's there's

[1:48:46] always more that could.

[1:48:47] >> be done.

[1:48:49] Could I make one other comment?

[1:48:50] Um, I.

[1:48:51] >> just want to.

[1:48:53] Make sure that, uh, people who

[1:48:54] have served veterans are aware

[1:48:57] that, um, if they have had

[1:48:58] military toxic exposures at

[1:49:00] something the va is now

[1:49:02] routinely screening everyone

[1:49:04] enrolled for and uh, adding

[1:49:06] them to registries to

[1:49:06] understand what the health

[1:49:08] effects are and that uh,

[1:49:10] veterans who develop lung

[1:49:12] cancer a number of other

[1:49:13] cancers, other respiratory

[1:49:15] conditions as a result of um,

[1:49:17] uh well, they don't need to

[1:49:19] approve it's considered a

[1:49:20] presumptive condition.

[1:49:23] Um, that entitles them to

[1:49:25] benefits uh, from the va, um,

[1:49:27] health care and benefits.

[1:49:29] So yeah, that's all part of the

[1:49:30] pact act that was signed by

[1:49:31] PRESIDENT Biden.

[1:49:33] Great.

[1:49:34] >> excellent.

[1:49:35] >> um thank you.

[1:49:36] Thank you, councilor fitzgerald

[1:49:37] .

[1:49:40] Also give myself ten minutes.

[1:49:42] But before I do that, um.

[1:49:47] I have another absence that I

[1:49:48] just want to read it into the

[1:49:48] record.

[1:49:52] Uh, dear chair santana, I

[1:49:53] regret to inform you that I MAY

[1:49:55] be unable to attend today's

[1:49:55] meeting.

[1:49:58] Uh, committee on veterans

[1:50:01] military families, um, to

[1:50:03] discuss lung cancer rates among

[1:50:04] black veterans services for

[1:50:04] women veterans.

[1:50:06] I will follow up with

[1:50:08] additional questions upon

[1:50:10] reviewing my staff's notes in

[1:50:10] watching the recording.

[1:50:12] Please do not hesitate to

[1:50:13] contact my staff with any

[1:50:13] questions.

[1:50:15] Sincerely and vk pep and

[1:50:17] counselor boston city

[1:50:20] council district five um I'm

[1:50:20] going.

[1:50:21] >> to give.

[1:50:22] >> myself five minutes all I

[1:50:23] made ten minutes so.

[1:50:31] Um okay so I want to say thank

[1:50:34] you to the panel for the

[1:50:35] important testimony you

[1:50:38] provided in the exceptional

[1:50:41] answers and thoughts you you

[1:50:43] responded to from from my

[1:50:43] colleagues.

[1:50:47] Um and I do want to ask um.

[1:50:49] Two maybe.

[1:50:51] >> two specific questions if i

[1:50:55] may and I want to ask um both

[1:50:56] both.

[1:50:58] Doctors a question if that's

[1:50:58] okay.

[1:51:03] Um so and I listen closely to

[1:51:06] to your testimony um maybe I'll

[1:51:07] start with doctor whitley if

[1:51:08] that's okay.

[1:51:11] Um so so doctor whitley, as as

[1:51:12] it relates.

[1:51:15] To women veterans or black

[1:51:18] veterans or both and I, I

[1:51:20] listened about claims.

[1:51:21] Related issues.

[1:51:24] And and some of you points

[1:51:25] about that which which I

[1:51:26] certainly agree with.

[1:51:31] So a woman veteran for example

[1:51:35] that has a claim maybe it's for

[1:51:37] military sexual trauma, maybe

[1:51:38] it's for other military women

[1:51:40] related health issues.

[1:51:44] Um how challenging is.

[1:51:44] >> it.

[1:51:48] To to speak to someone at a vso

[1:51:48] .

[1:51:49] Or the va.

[1:51:51] That when they're submitting

[1:51:53] their claim that they can talk

[1:51:57] to a woman that can understand

[1:51:58] some of the challenges that

[1:52:00] they are going to but also when

[1:52:05] they go to the c and p exam um

[1:52:07] ,before the va that.

[1:52:08] They're able to speak.

[1:52:10] To a woman health care provider

[1:52:13] because I think having a woman

[1:52:15] health care provider or a woman

[1:52:18] at the vso or at the va can

[1:52:19] better understand some.

[1:52:20] >> of the issues.

[1:52:22] A a woman veteran is going

[1:52:24] through and that MAY.

[1:52:28] Because of because of that you.

[1:52:29] >> might see the.

[1:52:31] Percentage is lower than male

[1:52:32] veterans.

[1:52:34] Which which is totally totally

[1:52:35] unfair.

[1:52:38] Um in terms of success of a

[1:52:40] claim but just wanted to get

[1:52:42] what you get your thoughts

[1:52:43] might be on that doctor.

[1:52:45] So um, thank.

[1:52:46] >> you for that question

[1:52:47] because actually that question

[1:52:48] um came up.

[1:52:50] One of the things um.

[1:52:51] ,with the vso.

[1:52:52] Um.

[1:52:54] >> we don't have.

[1:52:55] >> as many vs.

[1:52:58] O's as you know, 1st MAY think

[1:52:59] and.

[1:53:00] Obviously it's about hard.

[1:53:01] Around the clock.

[1:53:02] You know.

[1:53:06] So when if a woman walks in.

[1:53:07] And a lot of times mst.

[1:53:10] Is is an old.

[1:53:11] Claim that you know.

[1:53:12] They never.

[1:53:14] Got any counseling maybe

[1:53:15] they're ready to file that

[1:53:18] claim and um they're sitting in

[1:53:19] front of uh.

[1:53:19] >> you know.

[1:53:22] A male vso sometimes it's hard

[1:53:23] to get out exactly.

[1:53:24] >> what happened and it goes.

[1:53:25] Back to shame.

[1:53:26] Like I'm I'm ashamed it's

[1:53:28] happened to me and I was.

[1:53:29] >> supposed.

[1:53:29] To be.

[1:53:29] >> a.

[1:53:30] You know, strong soldier.

[1:53:34] So a lot of times when, you

[1:53:35] know, I talk to women.

[1:53:37] That's that's the first thing

[1:53:38] that they say is that when.

[1:53:39] >> I did my.

[1:53:39] Comp and pin.

[1:53:41] Um, a male.

[1:53:41] Showed up.

[1:53:42] >> yeah.

[1:53:42] And I wasn't.

[1:53:44] Given you know, I wasn't given

[1:53:44] an.

[1:53:45] Opportunity to talk to.

[1:53:47] talk to a female.

[1:53:50] And a lot of times, you know, I

[1:53:52] felt that you know, his face

[1:53:52] was.

[1:53:54] Looking at me like that.

[1:53:56] I can't believe that.

[1:53:56] >> that.

[1:53:57] Happened to you or maybe it

[1:53:57] didn't happen.

[1:53:58] >> to you.

[1:54:01] So it can be quite difficult to

[1:54:01] get a.

[1:54:02] Female vso.

[1:54:03] It's not.

[1:54:05] Impossible and maybe the wait

[1:54:06] might be a little longer.

[1:54:07] Or maybe the, um wait might.

[1:54:08] Be longer.

[1:54:09] For, you know, comp.

[1:54:11] And pin you know, with the

[1:54:11] male.

[1:54:13] So how do we reduce that?

[1:54:13] I think.

[1:54:15] That females that should have

[1:54:16] an.

[1:54:17] Opportunity and.

[1:54:19] Not a long wait to talk to a

[1:54:20] vso.

[1:54:21] Who's a female.

[1:54:23] But again I go I go back to um.

[1:54:25] Commissioner santiago if you

[1:54:28] call his office he could put.

[1:54:28] You in.

[1:54:30] >> touch with um someone who on

[1:54:31] how to work a claim and.

[1:54:32] >> a female.

[1:54:33] >> to know how to.

[1:54:33] >> work a claim.

[1:54:34] But sometimes.

[1:54:35] Often when you call for a vso.

[1:54:37] You MAY have a male vso.

[1:54:38] I had a male vso.

[1:54:40] When it was time to work.

[1:54:41] My client.

[1:54:43] I didn't get a choice and for a

[1:54:43] comp and.

[1:54:46] Pin I had a female, you know.

[1:54:48] Physician but that.

[1:54:48] >> could.

[1:54:49] Be difficult and that's one

[1:54:50] of the reasons.

[1:54:50] Why.

[1:54:52] >> um, someone MAY.

[1:54:53] Give up and they MAY get a

[1:54:54] denial because they MAY not

[1:54:56] give enough information.

[1:54:57] On, you know, the.

[1:54:58] Claim or exactly what happened

[1:54:58] to.

[1:55:00] So I think that.

[1:55:02] Sometimes that's a 5050 what do

[1:55:03] you think?

[1:55:04] Um um.

[1:55:09] So um so um and thank you and

[1:55:10] thank you council for bringing

[1:55:11] up that question which does

[1:55:13] come up uh, quite a bit and I

[1:55:15] had known some cases where a

[1:55:16] woman veteran when.

[1:55:16] >> she.

[1:55:18] Was going through her camp that

[1:55:20] ended up with a male physician

[1:55:22] and she felt uncomfortable and

[1:55:24] in some cases, um it was at a

[1:55:25] private practice in his own

[1:55:27] home, uh, which is totally

[1:55:28] unacceptable.

[1:55:32] Um, but your point um, while it

[1:55:32] .

[1:55:34] MAY be difficult, it's.

[1:55:36] It's not impossible to get a

[1:55:39] woman vso um, in our office

[1:55:40] here in the city of boston we

[1:55:42] have a diverse group

[1:55:43] of veterans benefit specialist

[1:55:46] to include, uh, women veterans

[1:55:47] benefit specialists to help out

[1:55:48] uh, through these claims.

[1:55:50] But also we also have a network

[1:55:51] of vsos throughout the state

[1:55:52] through the massachusetts

[1:55:54] veterans services officers

[1:55:54] association.

[1:55:56] There are a lot of vsos out

[1:55:58] there in the commonwealth that

[1:56:00] um that that are women and that

[1:56:03] do specialize in women.

[1:56:05] Uh the veteran claims as well.

[1:56:07] We also have uh, you know,

[1:56:08] organizations like the american

[1:56:11] legion that the av the the vfw

[1:56:13] um who also has vsos uh within

[1:56:15] their organizations that are

[1:56:18] both uh um uh uh women and men

[1:56:19] as well to help on those

[1:56:19] claims.

[1:56:21] So if there is a woman veteran.

[1:56:22] Who feels uncomfortable.

[1:56:24] Working their claim with with

[1:56:27] with with a male vso, uh, we

[1:56:29] could definitely ensure that we

[1:56:31] get her to that comfort level

[1:56:33] that that she needs to get her

[1:56:34] claim through uh, with with

[1:56:36] with a woman vso.

[1:56:39] So so rob just on just as a

[1:56:42] follow up if if if a woman

[1:56:44] veteran is watching this now

[1:56:46] and a woman veteran does want

[1:56:49] to file a claim and I would

[1:56:51] hope they would go to a vso

[1:56:52] because they they do

[1:56:53] exceptional work.

[1:56:56] Dave and I went through the dmv

[1:56:59] um I know the vfw there's other

[1:57:01] other ways to do it other vsos

[1:57:04] american legion but how would

[1:57:05] you how would you help that

[1:57:09] woman veteran get in touch with

[1:57:12] um, someone that could help her

[1:57:13] with her claim?

[1:57:15] That's that's a woman that

[1:57:15] that's a woman.

[1:57:17] I would recommend first, uh,

[1:57:19] going through your local.

[1:57:20] Veteran services office.

[1:57:21] So if you're in boston,

[1:57:23] obviously that's through the

[1:57:23] the mayor's office of veterans

[1:57:25] services, which is my office.

[1:57:27] Um, and then, uh, you know,

[1:57:29] talk to uh, cudahy who's the

[1:57:30] senior veterans benefit

[1:57:31] specialist there myself.

[1:57:33] Uh, we're not open.

[1:57:34] So who's a veterans benefit

[1:57:34] specialist there?

[1:57:37] Um, and and get their

[1:57:39] comfort level to see another

[1:57:40] way is like I mentioned was to

[1:57:42] the msoa the uh the message.

[1:57:43] >> to the veterans services

[1:57:43] officer.

[1:57:44] Association another way is

[1:57:46] through the executive office

[1:57:47] of veterans services for the

[1:57:47] state.

[1:57:50] Um, contact them and they will

[1:57:51] uh, connect you to the women's

[1:57:54] veterans network who also um is

[1:57:57] uh has uh women vsos that that

[1:57:58] are part of that uh

[1:57:59] organization and that in that

[1:58:00] network as well.

[1:58:01] So there are many different

[1:58:03] avenues that a woman a veteran

[1:58:05] could take to reach a vso that

[1:58:05] they feel comfortable with.

[1:58:07] Okay, excellent.

[1:58:10] Um maybe oh yes doctor.

[1:58:12] >> so it's two different.

[1:58:13] Things that I you know, I just

[1:58:13] noticed.

[1:58:16] If if a woman veteran is.

[1:58:16] Watching right now.

[1:58:18] Some people.

[1:58:19] >> start at the va.

[1:58:20] They pick up the.

[1:58:21] Phone and there's an intake

[1:58:22] person that calls.

[1:58:23] The in person.

[1:58:25] So now they don't recognize the

[1:58:25] poea.

[1:58:26] Which could be.

[1:58:26] >> the.

[1:58:28] Dab a bsl.

[1:58:30] So they're talking directly.

[1:58:31] >> to an intake person and then

[1:58:33] they signed up a competent and

[1:58:34] then.

[1:58:35] They MAY not have a choice

[1:58:36] whether.

[1:58:37] >> it's male or female.

[1:58:39] So if a woman veteran is

[1:58:40] watching.

[1:58:41] Right now I.

[1:58:42] Would say you know call

[1:58:44] commissioner santiago, call

[1:58:44] your local.

[1:58:46] American legion.

[1:58:49] call your vfw, call a vso.

[1:58:51] Then once you get in touch with

[1:58:54] one of these organizations, we

[1:58:55] will help you navigate the the

[1:58:57] system of putting your claim to

[1:58:58] will.

[1:58:59] So I think that's the best.

[1:59:01] If I was a woman vet watching

[1:59:03] right now that's what I want to

[1:59:04] know because the first thing I

[1:59:04] would say is claims.

[1:59:07] Let me dog the va and get it

[1:59:08] and get it started.

[1:59:09] You know.

[1:59:10] Yeah that's a very very good

[1:59:11] point.

[1:59:12] Thank you willing to for saying

[1:59:13] that that's a very good point

[1:59:14] because that's what we do run

[1:59:16] into that people do go to the

[1:59:17] va first instead of going to

[1:59:19] the local vso and um they

[1:59:20] should always contact their

[1:59:22] local vso first and then

[1:59:24] eventually get that po po done

[1:59:27] and then uh help that uh that

[1:59:28] that veteran navigate the

[1:59:29] system through that way as

[1:59:30] opposed to going directly to

[1:59:31] the V.A. Because that's exactly

[1:59:32] what happens.

[1:59:33] Thank thank you.

[1:59:35] Um, let me get the vfw there,

[1:59:36] counselor.

[1:59:36] >> I'm sorry.

[1:59:37] Okay.

[1:59:38] Uh, we do have a.

[1:59:41] Female, uh, veteran, uh,

[1:59:42] services consultant that is

[1:59:44] based at the jfk federal

[1:59:46] building right here in boston.

[1:59:46] Okay.

[1:59:47] That is a great resource.

[1:59:50] And again, the vfw will walk

[1:59:52] the veteran through the entire

[1:59:55] process from intake through any

[1:59:56] potential appeals.

[1:59:59] Um, so we don't just take your

[2:00:00] poea and, you know, send you

[2:00:02] off to the to the va and you

[2:00:03] know, good luck to you and

[2:00:05] we'll be able to walk you

[2:00:06] through the process to make

[2:00:08] sure that you are taking care

[2:00:10] of your looked after and you

[2:00:11] get your appointments scheduled

[2:00:12] in a timely manner.

[2:00:14] So you know, again within the

[2:00:15] city of for the city of boston

[2:00:19] per se, um the vfw at our state

[2:00:19] level.

[2:00:21] Uh, we do have a benefits

[2:00:22] consultant that's based

[2:00:24] straight at the jfk building

[2:00:26] and we're happy to be able to

[2:00:28] assist any veteran especially a

[2:00:30] woman uh, veterans that uh um

[2:00:31] that need any help.

[2:00:33] Another thing I would like to

[2:00:36] add, counselor, if I MAY, sir,

[2:00:40] is that no veteran, no veteran

[2:00:43] and I repeat no veteran should

[2:00:46] have to pay to get their claims

[2:00:47] processed.

[2:00:49] So do you have a lawyer out

[2:00:50] there or someone who thinks

[2:00:51] they know and say, well, if you

[2:00:54] give me 10%, 20% of whatever

[2:00:56] you get from the va, I'll make

[2:00:58] sure you get your procedure.

[2:00:59] You clean processed.

[2:01:02] Um that's a red flag.

[2:01:04] You not go to that person.

[2:01:07] There are many, many qualified

[2:01:09] uh vsos out there you've heard

[2:01:11] of up here through all these

[2:01:11] organizations through your

[2:01:13] local, uh, municipal offices as

[2:01:14] well here in boston.

[2:01:16] It's through my office to get

[2:01:19] those claims done and processed

[2:01:22] accurately and and and and for

[2:01:23] free.

[2:01:24] No veteran.

[2:01:25] And I repeat again no veterans

[2:01:27] should have to pay or should

[2:01:29] pay to get their claims

[2:01:29] processed.

[2:01:32] And one more thing that I know

[2:01:33] if someone's watching who has

[2:01:35] denials of um service

[2:01:38] connections we still we still

[2:01:39] take care of you do the denial

[2:01:40] yes.

[2:01:43] All pows we go back in and see

[2:01:44] why the denial happens because

[2:01:45] I know people are saying well I

[2:01:46] got denied so I'm not going

[2:01:48] back in for anything.

[2:01:50] All denials will look at that

[2:01:51] why the service connection was

[2:01:53] denied and it MAY be something

[2:01:55] you know, just you know, easy

[2:01:56] enough for you to correct.

[2:01:58] So I want to put that out.

[2:01:59] Yeah that's a that's a good

[2:02:00] point.

[2:02:01] Um with those you know you got

[2:02:04] us going now the green there.

[2:02:07] I know rob you and I worked on

[2:02:08] I think they called them at one

[2:02:10] time claimed shot to claim

[2:02:11] shots.

[2:02:13] Um the other point of of that

[2:02:15] rob bright is.

[2:02:16] Not only do they get.

[2:02:18] 10% of.

[2:02:21] What you earn, they get 10%

[2:02:24] of what you receive for the

[2:02:25] rest of your life in perpetuity

[2:02:25] .

[2:02:26] Yeah, perpetuity.

[2:02:29] Um so as long as you get va

[2:02:31] disability they'll continue to

[2:02:34] get 10% 15% of what you get

[2:02:35] every month.

[2:02:36] That's that's outrageous.

[2:02:37] That's outrageous.

[2:02:37] Yeah.

[2:02:38] Totally is outrageous.

[2:02:41] Um well let me go and rob thank

[2:02:42] you for bringing that up.

[2:02:42] That's a.

[2:02:43] Great that's a great point.

[2:02:45] Let me go to doctor.

[2:02:45] Doctor alina.

[2:02:48] Um, I was with you.

[2:02:50] I don't know, maybe a year ago

[2:02:52] I think we were at the kroc

[2:02:53] center and with a group

[2:02:56] of people and, um, you you were

[2:02:59] talking to black veterans and

[2:03:02] talking to them about, um, lung

[2:03:06] cancer related issues and you

[2:03:08] know, there was a steady group

[2:03:09] of veterans that did come in

[2:03:11] that did engage you.

[2:03:17] So my question is what what

[2:03:20] steps should a black veteran

[2:03:23] take if they want to talk to

[2:03:25] you they want to talk to

[2:03:26] someone from your team.

[2:03:28] Um, to learn more more about

[2:03:29] your services.

[2:03:30] Just give us an idea of what

[2:03:32] what the steps would be.

[2:03:34] Um, well.

[2:03:36] Anybody is welcome to reach out

[2:03:38] to me directly.

[2:03:40] Um, my email address I can

[2:03:43] provide it's renda dot wiener

[2:03:48] at va gov r e and d a w I e n e

[2:03:51] r uh vega and I'm happy to help

[2:03:53] direct anybody um who has

[2:03:55] questions or needs help about

[2:03:57] uh, you know lung

[2:03:58] cancer screening or or any

[2:03:59] other issues I can try to

[2:04:02] direct them, you know, um, to

[2:04:03] what they need.

[2:04:06] Know when when a black when a

[2:04:08] black veteran is at the va.

[2:04:13] Um, are they screened are they

[2:04:16] screened for um any type

[2:04:19] of respiratory issues or lung

[2:04:19] related.

[2:04:22] Issues automatically or do they

[2:04:23] do they have to request that.

[2:04:24] ?

[2:04:29] Um well so the process for lung

[2:04:31] cancer screening specifically

[2:04:33] is when somebody goes to their

[2:04:35] primary care uh, clinician at

[2:04:37] the va there's a process where

[2:04:40] there is um an automatic

[2:04:41] recording of their smoking

[2:04:43] history for people who fall in

[2:04:45] the age range for screening and

[2:04:47] if they meet criteria for lung

[2:04:48] cancer screening.

[2:04:50] again, this is using the uspstf

[2:04:52] criteria which doesn't capture

[2:04:52] everyone.

[2:04:56] Um, but uh, that will flag

[2:04:57] their primary care provider to

[2:04:58] discuss screening.

[2:04:59] So hopefully the veteran

[2:05:01] doesn't have to bring it up

[2:05:01] themselves.

[2:05:06] But um, and then the as I

[2:05:07] mentioned, the va also

[2:05:08] routinely screens that through

[2:05:10] primary care or other

[2:05:12] appointments for uh military

[2:05:14] toxic exposures and whether the

[2:05:15] veteran has any concerns about

[2:05:16] that.

[2:05:18] And oftentimes those are

[2:05:19] respiratory concerns that

[2:05:21] people have related to exposure

[2:05:25] to burn pits or other um, other

[2:05:26] uh toxic exposures.

[2:05:29] Um, and so that also flags uh

[2:05:31] puts a flag in the record to

[2:05:32] discuss those concerns and

[2:05:34] address them with the veteran.

[2:05:35] Yeah.

[2:05:36] >> thank and thank you, doctor.

[2:05:39] Just um just as a fyi for for

[2:05:41] the public I I've been I've

[2:05:43] been in I was in the military

[2:05:45] 24 years um most of the

[2:05:47] reserves but some active when I

[2:05:51] was stationed overseas I was in

[2:05:53] bahrain a small country got

[2:05:55] bahrain and we went up to the

[2:05:57] iraqi oil platforms all the

[2:06:00] time and then when I came back

[2:06:03] I also noticed um respiratory

[2:06:06] related issues and I was

[2:06:08] recommended to join or to enter

[2:06:12] into the um what am I calling

[2:06:12] it now?

[2:06:17] Uh, it's the it used to be the

[2:06:17] oh the registry.

[2:06:18] Yes.

[2:06:19] The gulf registry.

[2:06:23] Um that is still open um and

[2:06:25] accepting you don't necessarily

[2:06:27] make a claim there but you

[2:06:29] document that you were in a

[2:06:31] particular area of the country

[2:06:33] in what health related issues.

[2:06:37] But I do want to recommend to

[2:06:39] veterans that if you're in a

[2:06:40] particular area and you do have

[2:06:42] some health related issues that

[2:06:45] you should um, enter into this

[2:06:45] registry.

[2:06:53] Um, so my final my final point

[2:06:54] before we kind of conclude I

[2:06:56] gave every I give it all my

[2:06:59] colleagues um well over ten

[2:07:03] minutes and well let me ask um

[2:07:05] is there any public testimony

[2:07:06] from anyone else that's here?

[2:07:08] Okay.

[2:07:09] So there's no more public

[2:07:11] testimony here.

[2:07:13] If any person at the panel

[2:07:16] would like to give a closing

[2:07:19] statement that would be helpful

[2:07:21] and maybe as part of the

[2:07:25] closing statement if you can

[2:07:26] highlight what our next steps

[2:07:30] could could be as a committee

[2:07:32] on where we go from here

[2:07:34] because I would like to do a

[2:07:38] hearing maybe in outside

[2:07:40] of city hall but maybe in

[2:07:42] roxbury maybe in dorchester and

[2:07:46] I'll listen to veterans all

[2:07:48] veterans but um, specifically

[2:07:50] listen to veterans of color,

[2:07:52] listen to women veterans,

[2:07:55] listen to them and um, in their

[2:07:57] challenges, their concerns.

[2:07:59] But I do want to ask and give

[2:08:00] everyone the opportunity.

[2:08:02] If you would like to have a

[2:08:04] closing statement for 2 or 3

[2:08:05] minutes, uh, to take the

[2:08:06] opportunity then then I'll give

[2:08:08] my colleagues an opportunity

[2:08:10] for a closing statement for 2

[2:08:11] or 3 minutes as well.

[2:08:13] So let me start with um

[2:08:14] commissioner santiago.

[2:08:18] Uh, first and foremost, uh,

[2:08:19] thank you very much again for

[2:08:20] for holding this thank you.

[2:08:22] And also to councilor santana

[2:08:24] for setting up this uh this

[2:08:24] conversation here today.

[2:08:26] Thank you, councilor fitzgerald

[2:08:29] ,for also, um, being here and

[2:08:30] for your thoughtful questions.

[2:08:31] I'm sorry I took more most

[2:08:32] of your time, uh, earlier

[2:08:34] today, but, um, it's it's uh

[2:08:36] it's it's it really makes me,

[2:08:37] uh, optimistic.

[2:08:40] Uh, on our next steps, um, we

[2:08:41] we've talked a lot about

[2:08:42] navigating the system here.

[2:08:44] Um, and how do we get vets, uh,

[2:08:45] into the system and I think,

[2:08:47] um, you know, mark some of his

[2:08:48] comments when he was talking

[2:08:50] earlier about, you know, making

[2:08:53] boston uh, set the example

[2:08:54] locally for the rest of the

[2:08:54] country.

[2:08:56] I think that's, you know, a

[2:08:57] great idea and I think it's

[2:08:59] something that is worth looking

[2:09:00] forward to going into what

[2:09:01] councilor flynn said about

[2:09:02] going into the community,

[2:09:04] talking to the veterans and

[2:09:05] seeing where the need is and

[2:09:07] how we could get these veterans

[2:09:07] into the system.

[2:09:08] You know, like I mentioned

[2:09:10] earlier, there's uh less than a

[2:09:11] million women veterans that are

[2:09:11] in the system.

[2:09:13] But yeah, we have 2.1 million

[2:09:15] women veterans um, in the

[2:09:16] country, you know, and this is

[2:09:18] also a way that we could also

[2:09:19] work on getting them, uh, into

[2:09:20] the system and having these

[2:09:22] conversation now the continued

[2:09:24] partnerships uh, both locally

[2:09:26] statewide, federally and also

[2:09:28] with the with with with with

[2:09:29] other partner organizations is

[2:09:31] going to be key to ensuring uh

[2:09:33] the success of what we do to.

[2:09:34] >> ensure.

[2:09:35] That our veterans, um, have

[2:09:37] access um, you know, uh, for

[2:09:38] for all the benefits and

[2:09:40] services that that they have

[2:09:40] earned.

[2:09:41] So I'm looking forward to the

[2:09:42] future steps.

[2:09:42] Okay.

[2:09:44] Hey, craig.

[2:09:46] Uh, thanks again,

[2:09:48] councilor flynn, uh, for, uh,

[2:09:49] convening this today.

[2:09:50] Councilor fitzgerald, your

[2:09:52] great questions and, uh, we

[2:09:54] appreciate your, uh, the

[2:09:55] attention that these issues are

[2:09:55] being given.

[2:09:57] Uh, first off, uh,

[2:09:58] councilor flynn, I'd like to

[2:10:00] offer up the boston police post

[2:10:02] as some place to to host that,

[2:10:04] uh, offsite, uh, meeting

[2:10:06] hearing, you know, veterans

[2:10:07] town hall, whatever you want to

[2:10:07] call it.

[2:10:09] We would be more than happy to,

[2:10:10] uh, to host that and I work

[2:10:11] with you on that.

[2:10:15] Um, the overarching question is

[2:10:17] how do we take care of this

[2:10:17] problem?

[2:10:19] Uh, it you know, I'll ask the

[2:10:21] question of how do you eat an

[2:10:23] elephant one bite at a time and

[2:10:25] that's the way that we're going

[2:10:27] to be able to to make the

[2:10:28] conditions for not just the

[2:10:30] black veterans that are dealing

[2:10:32] with with lung cancer the women

[2:10:34] veterans in their their

[2:10:37] particular uh, health issues as

[2:10:38] as women.

[2:10:39] Uh but.

[2:10:42] >> all veterans uh, across the

[2:10:43] board, you know, no matter what

[2:10:46] their other demographics are uh

[2:10:49] it does take a village to to

[2:10:51] solve this problem and right

[2:10:53] up, you know, at this table

[2:10:55] right here where a bunch

[2:10:56] of folks that you know, we got

[2:10:56] a.

[2:10:57] Guy yeah.

[2:11:00] We might not have the answer to

[2:11:02] the question but yeah, I know

[2:11:05] somebody else that does uh and

[2:11:06] what we will do is make sure

[2:11:08] that we do share that

[2:11:10] information uh, with each other

[2:11:10] that.

[2:11:13] Okay, uh, you know, the.

[2:11:14] Commissioner might have a

[2:11:16] question if he asks me, I might

[2:11:17] not know the answer but I can

[2:11:18] reach out to my network

[2:11:20] of other of my fellow state

[2:11:21] commanders across the country

[2:11:24] and say, hey guys, how are you

[2:11:25] handling this issue?

[2:11:27] And I'll have somebody from

[2:11:29] idaho or from arizona or from

[2:11:31] texas say, hey, this is what

[2:11:31] we're doing here.

[2:11:32] Like wow, that sounds like a

[2:11:32] great idea.

[2:11:35] Maybe we can replicate that in

[2:11:35] boston.

[2:11:35] Um.

[2:11:37] >> it's those types of networks

[2:11:39] and those types of ideas uh,

[2:11:42] that will make this issue these

[2:11:44] issues, uh, attainable where

[2:11:46] we'll be able to help solve

[2:11:46] some of these problems.

[2:11:47] Um.

[2:11:52] >> again, uh, part of what we

[2:11:54] want what we do with the vfw as

[2:11:56] well as the other service

[2:11:56] organizations like the legion

[2:11:57] and the dav.

[2:11:58] Um.

[2:11:59] >> when we're out in our

[2:12:01] communities all the time that

[2:12:02] we are community based

[2:12:03] organizations.

[2:12:04] That.

[2:12:06] >> uh, we will be able to get

[2:12:08] uh, uh, our folks together and

[2:12:11] we come together monthly or a

[2:12:13] daily basis depending on the

[2:12:14] types of posts that we have.

[2:12:14] Uh.

[2:12:17] >> come out visit uh, we want

[2:12:20] to be able to uh, be productive

[2:12:21] members of the process here.

[2:12:22] Um.

[2:12:24] >> again like the last time I

[2:12:26] was here and uh, provide a

[2:12:26] testimony.

[2:12:28] Uh uh, one word of caution

[2:12:29] that.

[2:12:32] The the rest of the

[2:12:34] commonwealth pays attention to

[2:12:35] what goes on in the city

[2:12:37] of boston as far as as veterans

[2:12:39] are concerned, they see that

[2:12:39] oh.

[2:12:43] If we just cut $750,000 from

[2:12:44] the veterans budget, thank

[2:12:46] goodness we had a group like

[2:12:48] brighton one step up to help

[2:12:49] fill that gap.

[2:12:51] But that doesn't mean that next

[2:12:52] year or even tomorrow they

[2:12:54] their priorities change from

[2:12:56] what the city of boston's uh,

[2:12:57] veterans priorities are.

[2:12:59] Um and then.

[2:13:02] We'll never see that $750,000

[2:13:03] again into the budget.

[2:13:06] That's $750,000.

[2:13:07] Goes back into.

[2:13:11] The commissioner's ability to

[2:13:13] provide that outreach, to

[2:13:14] provide that education to the

[2:13:15] veterans community of the city.

[2:13:16] Uh.

[2:13:18] >> so I just want to be able

[2:13:20] to, you know, to implore upon,

[2:13:20] you.

[2:13:20] Know.

[2:13:22] >> what happens here in boston

[2:13:24] just doesn't necessarily happen

[2:13:25] here in boston.

[2:13:26] Uh.

[2:13:27] >> the rest of the commonwealth

[2:13:28] pays attention.

[2:13:29] Uh, and.

[2:13:31] I, I really.

[2:13:34] yeah yes, I do demand.

[2:13:35] That, you know.

[2:13:37] Our council shows the

[2:13:38] leadership across the

[2:13:39] council across the.

[2:13:41] Commonwealth that.

[2:13:43] You know, boston is going to

[2:13:45] take the best care of veterans

[2:13:47] that we can and we are going to

[2:13:48] stand up and provide that

[2:13:50] leadership to make that happen.

[2:13:51] So again, thank you for all

[2:13:52] your efforts.

[2:13:53] Thank you for your attention

[2:13:55] and we look forward to being uh

[2:13:58] again part of that village that

[2:13:59] comes together to take care

[2:14:00] of veterans again across the

[2:14:02] city and across the

[2:14:02] commonwealth.

[2:14:04] Thank you commander mr kennedy.

[2:14:05] Yes.

[2:14:08] >> uh, again we just start by

[2:14:10] expressing my sincere,

[2:14:12] heartfelt thank you for the

[2:14:12] opportunity to be here.

[2:14:14] And let me rephrase to

[2:14:16] privilege and honor to be here

[2:14:19] uh, amongst um, city

[2:14:20] council and esteemed members

[2:14:22] of this panel, I'm really

[2:14:23] thrilled to have been able to

[2:14:24] continue to participate in this

[2:14:25] discussion.

[2:14:27] I made a lot of comments about

[2:14:29] um the guidelines piece.

[2:14:31] So again I stand by that and

[2:14:34] um, what you said and what you

[2:14:35] said and also sort of what my

[2:14:37] comment it was basically a

[2:14:40] build and it's this I don't I

[2:14:42] think everybody in this on this

[2:14:43] panel at some point mentioned

[2:14:44] the word navigation.

[2:14:46] We know the word navigation is

[2:14:46] great.

[2:14:49] I have a very high level

[2:14:50] of resident residents.

[2:14:52] I'm sorry to that because I

[2:14:54] started my career in public

[2:14:56] health as a patient navigator

[2:14:58] at the at uh the dana-farber

[2:14:58] cancer institute.

[2:15:00] Um, I believe in that

[2:15:00] application.

[2:15:02] I believe in the power

[2:15:03] of navigation to support

[2:15:05] patients and get them to the

[2:15:06] best outcomes that they could

[2:15:06] have.

[2:15:09] The point I want to make as we

[2:15:11] talk about piece of the

[2:15:14] application and the implication

[2:15:15] is that there's a patient with

[2:15:18] a diagnosis that is going now

[2:15:19] through the system to make sure

[2:15:20] that they get the treatment

[2:15:20] that they need.

[2:15:23] And our cancer plan for the

[2:15:26] city I'm looking to move

[2:15:27] navigation for the upstream.

[2:15:30] I talk about the concept of a

[2:15:31] screening navigator.

[2:15:35] So pre patient how do you take

[2:15:37] that that that that that

[2:15:39] mentality that that um that

[2:15:41] focus on on supporting a

[2:15:42] patient while they go into

[2:15:44] treatment and move it up so

[2:15:46] that before the person becomes

[2:15:48] a patient they get help with

[2:15:50] navigating administratively and

[2:15:52] otherwise how you move through

[2:15:53] a system, how you get screened

[2:15:54] for a particular location.

[2:15:56] What are the follow up

[2:15:58] procedures that allow you to

[2:16:01] adhere to make sure that if uh

[2:16:03] ,as you mentioned earlier, you

[2:16:05] might get a screening mammogram

[2:16:06] but if there's something that's

[2:16:08] wrong with that which causes

[2:16:09] you to then have to come back

[2:16:11] and get a diagnostic mammogram

[2:16:12] ,do you show up?

[2:16:14] People understand the

[2:16:15] difference between the two and

[2:16:17] do you understand what it means

[2:16:19] to to do that from a cost

[2:16:19] perspective?

[2:16:23] because massachusetts passed

[2:16:25] legislation I think in 2024 we

[2:16:28] call it the um the

[2:16:28] cancer diagnostic bill.

[2:16:29] The official name of the bill

[2:16:31] is a little different, but it

[2:16:34] took that diagnostic mammogram

[2:16:35] cost sharing burden off

[2:16:37] of women so that they could

[2:16:39] continue to adhere to what that

[2:16:40] screening member williams said.

[2:16:40] Right.

[2:16:46] My point was this navigation

[2:16:47] sounds like all of us agree is

[2:16:48] a critical part of this.

[2:16:51] We know that cms put in

[2:16:54] physician billing codes in 2024

[2:16:57] that allow clinical practice to

[2:16:58] reimburse for navigation.

[2:17:00] Let's take advantage of that

[2:17:02] and make sure that navigation

[2:17:06] is a standard part, a standard

[2:17:08] sustainable part of the way

[2:17:09] people that waterfowl claims or

[2:17:11] whatever behaviors are

[2:17:13] introduced to and supported as

[2:17:15] they move through the clinical

[2:17:17] system in the va and again let

[2:17:20] the massachusetts va be the

[2:17:21] model for the rest of the

[2:17:23] country not only when we're

[2:17:25] talking about access to

[2:17:26] screening for lung

[2:17:27] cancer beyond just tobacco use

[2:17:30] ,but navigation for veterans

[2:17:32] through the system so that

[2:17:32] nobody falls through the

[2:17:33] cracks.

[2:17:34] Everybody has answers to

[2:17:36] questions that they want and

[2:17:37] they get through the system

[2:17:39] with the best outcomes.

[2:17:40] Navigation and guidelines I

[2:17:42] think are two main points

[2:17:42] of this.

[2:17:45] I think the va uh veterans have

[2:17:46] an opportunity to set the tone

[2:17:47] for the rest of the country.

[2:17:48] I hope you do.

[2:17:50] Thank you, mr kennedy.

[2:17:51] um, doctor.

[2:17:52] Thank you.

[2:17:52] >> council time.

[2:17:53] Thank you.

[2:17:54] Councilor fitzgerald.

[2:17:55] One of the things that I, you

[2:17:59] know, thought about is um, as

[2:18:01] veterans we connect by

[2:18:03] storytelling like we that's our

[2:18:03] connection.

[2:18:05] We we tell a story about, you

[2:18:07] know, how we served and and

[2:18:08] what we did and that's how we

[2:18:08] connect.

[2:18:12] But I think is, um, if we

[2:18:14] continue to advocate for

[2:18:16] equitable, equitable access to

[2:18:17] resources and ways and

[2:18:20] awareness about trauma, mental

[2:18:21] health needs and health needs,

[2:18:24] um, I think we can create a

[2:18:26] program that culturally

[2:18:29] identifies um, you know, black

[2:18:31] on black female soldiers.

[2:18:35] So why I said that is normally

[2:18:37] when we think about um when we

[2:18:39] are introduced to all these

[2:18:40] these programs and we're

[2:18:41] hearing these different things

[2:18:44] on tv or in the media we don't

[2:18:46] actually see see a person who,

[2:18:48] you know, actually work in that

[2:18:50] department or like you know,

[2:18:52] the boston public health

[2:18:54] scanner and the va.

[2:18:56] So as long as we continue these

[2:18:58] town halls and continue to have

[2:19:01] this discussion, we'll bring

[2:19:02] more veterans.

[2:19:04] And if I'm looking right now at

[2:19:06] this if I was I was if I was

[2:19:08] home and I'm watching this and

[2:19:11] I say hey you know I you know I

[2:19:12] had trouble following the claim

[2:19:14] right here on we have someone

[2:19:15] from the vfw.

[2:19:17] We have someone from the post

[2:19:18] now I know who was on the list

[2:19:20] so I just feel the same issue

[2:19:23] as long as we continue that

[2:19:25] navigating and making a system

[2:19:27] as easy as possible for someone

[2:19:29] to navigate through the system

[2:19:32] for health care needs um for

[2:19:34] mental health um needs and for

[2:19:37] education that's that's all

[2:19:40] golden ticket to get to you

[2:19:42] know on that's in the city

[2:19:42] of boston massachusetts.

[2:19:43] We have a direct.

[2:19:46] Excellent um thank you doctor

[2:19:48] and and doctor juana.

[2:19:52] Um, thank you so much for the

[2:19:53] opportunity to be here today

[2:19:55] for this important hearing, for

[2:19:57] the thoughtful questions for

[2:19:58] all of.

[2:20:00] >> the, uh, wisdom that's been

[2:20:00] shared.

[2:20:02] By the other members of.

[2:20:03] >> the panel and ah, also from

[2:20:04] the public.

[2:20:08] Um, I, uh, want to touch on one

[2:20:09] other point that we haven't

[2:20:11] talked about so much today.

[2:20:13] Um, and that's that lung

[2:20:16] cancer is, uh, highly uh,

[2:20:17] stigmatized condition.

[2:20:19] Because of the.

[2:20:22] Uh the strong link with um,

[2:20:23] smoking even though we know

[2:20:24] that there are other factors

[2:20:25] that contribute to.

[2:20:26] Lung cancer risk.

[2:20:29] But I want to say that nobody

[2:20:31] no veteran no person.

[2:20:34] Deserves lung cancer and we.

[2:20:36] >> are here to help.

[2:20:38] We are here to uh the va and

[2:20:40] other health care systems.

[2:20:42] And this amazing city uh, are

[2:20:45] here with screening to try to,

[2:20:47] um, identify cancers early and

[2:20:48] get people into treatment.

[2:20:51] I love the ideas about

[2:20:53] navigation including veteran

[2:20:55] peer to peer genetic navigation

[2:20:58] um, which we have in the va and

[2:21:02] uh and using the power of the

[2:21:03] uh community.

[2:21:04] based organizations.

[2:21:06] That that veterans have access

[2:21:10] to uh, to spread the word about

[2:21:12] uh, screening and help people

[2:21:14] get connected to um.

[2:21:16] To services.

[2:21:17] Um.

[2:21:18] >> I also just want to say

[2:21:19] because this is a stigmatized

[2:21:20] condition.

[2:21:22] Sometimes doing the community

[2:21:22] events like we.

[2:21:24] Did or like you know, like

[2:21:26] you're talking about doing um

[2:21:28] sometimes it doesn't reach.

[2:21:30] >> the people who most.

[2:21:33] Need to be reached, um, because

[2:21:35] they MAY be reluctant to go to

[2:21:36] something that's about lung

[2:21:37] cancer or whatever because

[2:21:39] of the stigma and and the shame

[2:21:41] and blame that people feel.

[2:21:44] So uh, one thing we learned

[2:21:45] from our work and that peer

[2:21:46] connects was that.

[2:21:46] One of the.

[2:21:48] Most powerful things was

[2:21:50] actually reaching people who

[2:21:51] maybe weren't eligible for a

[2:21:52] lung cancer screening.

[2:21:54] But then they went and talked

[2:21:56] to other members of their

[2:21:58] community, um, who.

[2:21:59] Didn't come to the events but

[2:22:01] like spreading the word that

[2:22:02] way and helping convince.

[2:22:04] People to come in and get the.

[2:22:05] The health care that.

[2:22:06] >> they need and deserve.

[2:22:08] Thank you doctor.

[2:22:11] Um, before I go to counselor

[2:22:14] fitzgerald, um, for a closing

[2:22:16] statement, doctor, I just want

[2:22:17] to make one quick point or ask

[2:22:20] a brief quick question many

[2:22:22] veterans and or to rob santiago

[2:22:24] ,both of you, uh, many

[2:22:27] veterans don't even know the

[2:22:29] veterans and they don't even

[2:22:31] realize that they can

[2:22:34] participate in um services for

[2:22:35] veterans.

[2:22:38] They might be older at this

[2:22:39] time, but.

[2:22:40] >> they're.

[2:22:42] Still eligible for services and

[2:22:45] programs at the va and it's not

[2:22:46] too late to sign up.

[2:22:47] Is that correct?

[2:22:47] Correct.

[2:22:48] >> that's correct.

[2:22:49] Absolutely.

[2:22:53] Rob what should someone do if

[2:22:55] they if they're an older person

[2:22:55] .

[2:22:58] They for years they weren't

[2:23:00] treated well coming back from

[2:23:00] service.

[2:23:02] They they are veterans.

[2:23:05] They don't they haven't engaged

[2:23:06] in the system yet.

[2:23:08] What's their first step?

[2:23:10] Contact us.

[2:23:11] Okay contest to.

[2:23:13] Contact us get ahold of us.

[2:23:15] We could navigate and

[2:23:16] communicate with you what's

[2:23:17] available to you?

[2:23:18] Um.

[2:23:20] Give this give the system a

[2:23:20] second chance.

[2:23:21] It's not.

[2:23:22] Um.

[2:23:25] Now I know that speaking

[2:23:25] of stigma that, you know,

[2:23:27] there's been a lot of um a lot

[2:23:29] of veterans have been stigma

[2:23:29] stigmatized because of the

[2:23:31] services they got in the va

[2:23:34] back in the 70s and 80s where

[2:23:35] um where they didn't have the

[2:23:37] kind of services that are being

[2:23:38] provided today.

[2:23:41] Um and the fact that, you know,

[2:23:42] covers a lot of that,

[2:23:43] especially when it comes to the

[2:23:44] presumptive uh, conditions that

[2:23:46] we're talking about here today,

[2:23:47] uh, that that include many

[2:23:47] different cancers.

[2:23:51] so um, contact us, ask us

[2:23:52] of questions, give the system a

[2:23:55] you know, a chance and let us,

[2:23:56] uh let us help you navigate the

[2:23:58] system so that you can get the

[2:23:59] services and benefits that you

[2:24:02] had deserved and continue to to

[2:24:03] earn.

[2:24:04] So, um, contact us, contact

[2:24:06] your local vso, contact your

[2:24:08] local uh, veteran organization

[2:24:08] .

[2:24:11] Um, and uh, let us do our job

[2:24:12] for you.

[2:24:12] .

[2:24:14] >> rob, give us your contact

[2:24:15] information once again I know

[2:24:17] you provided it already, but

[2:24:18] give it to us one more time,

[2:24:18] please.

[2:24:20] So for the for the boston

[2:24:21] office of veterans services you

[2:24:24] could contact us uh

[2:24:25] boston.Gov/veterans or you

[2:24:27] could give us a call at uh

[2:24:29] 617635 3030.

[2:24:32] Thank you rob um

[2:24:33] council fitzgerald.

[2:24:34] Thank you chair.

[2:24:36] Uh, you know, I just want to

[2:24:36] say.

[2:24:37] Thank you.

[2:24:37] >> all.

[2:24:38] >> uh, for the.

[2:24:40] Important work that you do.

[2:24:41] Uh, because not only are we we

[2:24:43] have the subset of veterans

[2:24:45] that we can, uh that we can

[2:24:45] help.

[2:24:47] Um, but it will have an impact

[2:24:48] on everybody, uh, veterans and

[2:24:50] not veterans when we when we

[2:24:51] talk about health, uh, we're

[2:24:52] all the same human individuals.

[2:24:54] And so if we can figure out

[2:24:55] what's wrong with one subset,

[2:24:57] hopefully we can apply it to

[2:24:58] another and so on and so on.

[2:24:59] And so just.

[2:24:59] >> thank.

[2:25:01] you all for uh, your leadership

[2:25:02] and and the important work that

[2:25:04] you do and please always feel

[2:25:06] free to reach out to uh to to

[2:25:09] add to myself uh, when when you

[2:25:10] have to teach us what we need

[2:25:11] to do for you.

[2:25:12] Right?

[2:25:13] You guys have you guys are the

[2:25:14] ones going through it and

[2:25:16] experiencing it and so uh and

[2:25:18] that goes I know we didn't uh

[2:25:19] we touched on it a lot but even

[2:25:20] for the women veterans services

[2:25:22] ,uh, not a veteran and not a

[2:25:23] woman.

[2:25:25] And so I do tread lightly and I

[2:25:26] take my cues from you all.

[2:25:28] Uh, and so please educate

[2:25:30] me and tell us what we need to

[2:25:30] do.

[2:25:31] Uh, but thank you again.

[2:25:33] Well, thank you, thank you

[2:25:35] john, thank you for being here.

[2:25:36] Um.

[2:25:40] It was an important discussion

[2:25:43] on support services for women

[2:25:45] veterans for how we support

[2:25:47] veterans of color, um, on

[2:25:49] medical care and coding, um,

[2:25:52] and lung cancer screening and I

[2:25:53] think my colleague

[2:25:55] council fitzgerald uh,

[2:25:56] highlighted an important point

[2:25:58] that I kind of wanted to close

[2:25:58] with.

[2:26:02] Is the importance of of

[2:26:05] listening, um, you know,

[2:26:07] listening to women veterans

[2:26:10] listening to veterans of color

[2:26:13] listening to lgbtq veterans.

[2:26:17] I don't have that experience

[2:26:20] but I want to and continue to

[2:26:22] be a strong supporter of all

[2:26:24] veterans especially including

[2:26:26] women veterans, veterans

[2:26:28] of color, lgbtq veterans.

[2:26:31] But it is about listening.

[2:26:33] It's about learning.

[2:26:36] And that's why I called this

[2:26:38] hearing today so we can give an

[2:26:41] opportunity for you to speak

[2:26:42] about your experiences.

[2:26:45] But more importantly, there

[2:26:46] might be someone sitting home

[2:26:49] that this information might

[2:26:51] connect with them and maybe

[2:26:53] they'll pick up the phone um or

[2:26:56] send an email next week to rob

[2:26:58] santiago or to or to the other

[2:27:00] veteran leaders here as well.

[2:27:04] Um, but we have to acknowledge

[2:27:07] the incredible service

[2:27:10] sacrifice of women veterans

[2:27:11] of veterans and veterans

[2:27:11] of color.

[2:27:15] We're not giving them any

[2:27:15] services.

[2:27:17] We're not giving them any

[2:27:18] programs that are in these

[2:27:18] programs.

[2:27:19] Right.

[2:27:22] >> and as a nation historically

[2:27:24] we haven't been welcome

[2:27:25] welcoming to many women

[2:27:27] veterans or veterans of color.

[2:27:32] In fact, I'm going to provost's

[2:27:36] I'm going to send a to the city

[2:27:38] council a resolution to support

[2:27:41] a piece of federal legislation

[2:27:42] to support it.

[2:27:45] And it's basically to ensure

[2:27:48] that when black veterans

[2:27:50] returned from world war two

[2:27:53] they really didn't participate

[2:27:55] or receive the veterans the

[2:27:57] services that they earned

[2:28:00] specifically on housing va, va

[2:28:02] housing programs because

[2:28:06] of that they didn't generate

[2:28:08] generational wealth like like

[2:28:09] other veterans have.

[2:28:13] Um, but this piece of federal

[2:28:15] legislation would provide.

[2:28:20] Grandchildren or children maybe

[2:28:21] I have to do a little bit more

[2:28:23] research, um, giving them an

[2:28:26] opportunity to get a little bit

[2:28:30] of services such as um real

[2:28:32] estate such as first time home

[2:28:34] by by a programs through the va

[2:28:37] because they were denied that

[2:28:41] benefit due to racism they were

[2:28:43] denied that specific program

[2:28:46] due to the color of their skin

[2:28:47] due to discrimination.

[2:28:50] Um but that's a piece

[2:28:51] of legislation I'm going to

[2:28:51] look at.

[2:28:53] I know you and I talked about

[2:28:55] that rub for a while and want

[2:28:58] to also acknowledge, um,

[2:29:00] commissioner santiago we worked

[2:29:04] on especially under PRESIDENT

[2:29:07] Biden when gay and lesbians

[2:29:09] were discharged from the

[2:29:10] service.

[2:29:12] They were discharged.

[2:29:16] With a discharge that wasn't

[2:29:16] honorable.

[2:29:19] So when you have that discharge

[2:29:21] that is not honorable.

[2:29:24] Um, it it limits what benefits

[2:29:27] and services you can get as a

[2:29:27] veteran.

[2:29:29] But through the work

[2:29:31] of commissioner santiago, we we

[2:29:32] did a lot of work at the

[2:29:33] federal level.

[2:29:36] Um, and I say gay gay and

[2:29:38] lesbians now it's lgbtq plus

[2:29:43] but we have to ensure that they

[2:29:45] are also treated with respect.

[2:29:47] And dignity that they've earned

[2:29:50] in if they were discharged for

[2:29:53] reasons um due to their sexual

[2:29:55] orientation, I believe that

[2:29:58] that discharge should be

[2:30:00] upgraded and maybe maybe that's

[2:30:01] an issue we're going to have to

[2:30:04] continue to work on as we go

[2:30:05] forward because I know I'm

[2:30:06] committed to it and we're

[2:30:08] committed to to that as well.

[2:30:11] But having said that, this is

[2:30:11] about justice.

[2:30:13] This is about respect for all

[2:30:16] veterans especially

[2:30:17] historically especially

[2:30:19] veterans that historically have

[2:30:21] been denied access to the va

[2:30:24] and to um services and programs

[2:30:27] that they've earned this

[2:30:30] hearing on docket number.

[2:30:39] Zero seven um excuse me 0273027

[2:30:41] for a hearing to discuss lung

[2:30:43] cancer rates among black

[2:30:45] veterans and services for women

[2:30:46] veterans is adjourned.

[2:30:49] Thank you.

City Council on 2026-08-28 10:00 AM

Agenda

Transcript