VA Benefits for Female Veterans

CCK Law: Our Vital Role in Veterans Law

Women veterans are the fastest growing group of veterans, and are expected to make up 18 percent of all veterans in the nation by 2040. To help meet the needs of this growing population, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers substantial benefits for women veterans, including health care services, support services, and more.

In this article, you will learn about the most prominent VA benefits available to women veterans and where to go to access the services you need.

Key points covered in this article include:

• VA provides comprehensive primary and specialty health care — including gynecological care, reproductive services, and MST treatment — to eligible women veterans.
• Women veterans can file VA disability claims for conditions like endometriosis, infertility, and PTSD, and may qualify for additional Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
• VA has programs specifically addressing homelessness, childcare, employment, and maternity care for women veterans and their families.
• Free support is available through the Women Veterans Call Center at 1-855-VA-WOMEN and through Women Veteran Coordinators at every VA regional office.

What VA Health Care Benefits Are Available for Women Veterans?

Women veterans who are enrolled in VA health care receive the same core benefits as all veterans, along with gender-specific services tailored to their needs. These include primary care services, mental health services, and specialty care services.

These health care services are critical, since, as of 2026, over 1 million women veterans are enrolled in VA health care — a 38 percent increase from 2017.

Primary Health Care Benefits for Women Veterans

VA’s primary care for women veterans covers a broad range of preventative and ongoing health services, including:

• Health evaluations and counseling
• Disease prevention and chronic condition management
• Smoking cessation programs
• Substance misuse counseling and treatment
• Nutrition counseling and weight management

When it comes to primary care providers (PCPs), women veterans may also request a female PCP at their VA health care facility, though availability may differ depending on the facility.

Mental Health Care Benefits for Women Veterans

Women veterans often suffer higher rates of mental health challenges than their civilian counterparts. For instance, a 2025 RAND analysis of VA data found that the age-adjusted suicide rate for women veterans in 2022 was 92 percent higher than for non-veteran women. (Learn more with VA’s 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (PDF).)

To help address these needs, VA offers a broad range of mental health services for women, including:

• Individual and group therapy, including women-only therapy groups
• The ability to request a female mental health care provider at many VA facilities
• Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Assistance Program Coordinators, designated at every VA medical facility under VHA Directive 1198(2)
• VA disability ratings for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions related to MST or other service-connected experiences

In addition to the above services, VA also offers care for military sexual trauma (MST), which is defined as sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred during military service.

MST is one of the most significant mental health challenges that women veterans face, with a 2023 study of post-9/11 women veterans using VHA reproductive health care found that nearly one in three had a positive MST survey response but a negative MST screen in their VHA record — suggesting that screening within reproductive health care settings may miss a substantial share of cases

To help address the needs of these women veterans, VA provides free MST-related care to all veterans regardless of discharge status.

“Care for military sexual trauma, or MST, is free for veterans,” says Jenna Zellmer, partner at CCK Law. “The great thing about this care is that there’s no requirement that you are service connected for an MST-related condition. You also don’t have to prove that you were a victim of MST.”

VA’s MST care services include counseling, residential treatment programs, and access to an MST Coordinator to help guide veterans toward the most appropriate MST-related benefits.

If you are a survivor of MST, consider reaching out to Women Veteran Coordinator (WVC) or MST Coordinator at your nearest VA regional office for guidance on VA’s health care and disability claims processes.

If you or another veteran is in crisis, be sure to contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or chatting online at VeteransCrisisLine.net.

Specialty Health Care Services for Women Veterans

VA also offers specialty health care services to address the gender-specific needs of women veterans.

“Every VA facility has a Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) who’s designated to coordinate gender-specific healthcare,” says Jenna Zellmer. “This healthcare includes full gynecological care, contraception, menopause support, and breast cancer screenings.”

Other gender-specific care VA offers to women includes:

• Hormone therapy and osteoporosis treatment
• Mammograms, Pap smears, and bone density scans — provided at VA facilities or through the Community Care Program if a VA facility cannot provide the service
• Breast cancer screenings and treatment
• Abortion counseling and services under limited, health-related circumstances (subject to current federal law and VA policy, which may change)
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) for service-connected infertility — see below for details
• Screening and management of chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and sexually transmitted diseases
• Rehabilitation and long-term care, including physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, exercise therapy, and vocational therapy

In addition to these services, VA is also updating facilities with women-only spaces and improved signage to ensure a more comfortable care environment.

Want to learn more about women-only veterans benefits? Watch the video below, where CCK Law Partners Jenna Zellmer and Emma Peterson discuss the essentials:

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What VA Disability Benefits Are Available for Women Veterans?

Women veterans may file VA disability claims for any condition connected to their military service, including common disabilities like PTSD, hearing loss, and musculoskeletal injuries.

“There are also female-centric conditions that, if they arise during service or are due to service, are compensable,” says Emma Peterson, partner at CCK Law. “Things like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and even conditions that require a hysterectomy.”

Some other women-specific conditions that VA may recognize as compensable include:

• Infertility secondary to a service-connected condition
• Postpartum depression
• Menstrual disorders
• Other cervical, uterine, or ovarian conditions related to service

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K) for Women Veterans

Women veterans who experience loss or loss of use of a body part may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) (38 CFR 3.350) at the SMC-K level. This tier of SMC provides an extra payment on top of a veteran’s standard monthly compensation.

SMC-K applies to several body parts, including some unique to female anatomy:

• Loss of one or more creative organs used for reproduction (e.g., uterus, ovaries)
• Loss of 25 percent or more of breast tissue in one or both breasts, or after radiation treatment to the breast tissue

Women Veteran Coordinators (WVCs)

Another disability-related VA resource women veterans can take advantage of are the Women Veteran Coordinators (WVC) present at every VA regional office.

WVCs can serve as a primary point of contact for women veterans navigating VA disability benefits. WVCs are generally knowledgeable about gender-specific issues, can assist with MST claim development (including evidence gathering), and can help veterans pursue disability claims for conditions like infertility.

Watch the video below, where CCK Law Partners Jenna Zellmer and Lindy Nash cover the most prominent conditions affecting women:

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What VA Support Benefits Are Available for Women Veterans?

VA provides women veterans access to several important services intended to support them in their daily lives, including employment benefits and programs addressing veteran homelessness.

Employment Benefits for Women Veterans

Women veterans can access a range of employment and education benefits through VA and federal programs:

• Veteran Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) is a VA-administered program that helps service-connected veterans prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment.
• VA education benefits, including the GI Bill, can be used to fund degree programs, vocational training, and certifications.
• VA’s Center for Women Veterans periodically highlights successful women veterans through initiatives like the Women Veterans Trailblazer program, in addition to providing other support services.
• VA often partners with nonprofits such as American Corporate Partners, which offers women-to-women mentorship programs for veterans re-entering the workforce, among other services.

Pregnancy, Maternity, and Postpartum Benefits for Women Veterans

For women veterans who choose to have children, there has been significant progress in recent years to expand VA’s maternity and postpartum benefits, including the Deborah Sampson Act and the Protecting Moms Who Served Act.

“VA maternity care is covered through community providers,” says Emma Peterson. “A lot of VA Medical Centers don’t have maternity wards, but you can get covered through community care with coordination from a Maternity Care Coordinator.”

Other maternity and postpartum benefits include:

• Maternity Care Coordinator (MCC) support that extends from pregnancy through 12 months postpartum (expanded from 8 weeks as of October 2023). MCCs remain available during this period for follow-up screenings, lactation support, mental health screening, and care coordination both inside VA and with community providers.
• Up to 7 days of newborn medical care covered by VA (as of early 2026; pending legislation could extend this to 14 days; see 38 CFR 17.38(a)(1)(xiv) for current details)
• Lactation support, parenting classes, and mental health screenings for new mothers.
• Childcare assistance during VA medical appointments or job training through the VA Child Care Assistance Program, which is further explained below.

Veterans Child Care Assistance Program (VCAP)

The Veterans Child Care Assistance Program (VCAP) is a VA program that helps eligible veterans access free childcare while attending VA medical appointments or receiving intensive VA services.

VCAP provides either on-site drop-in childcare at select VA facilities or reimbursement for childcare costs. Eligibility is prioritized for veterans receiving mental health care and those who are the primary caretaker of a child.

To register for VCAP, veterans and caregivers may need to complete VA Form 10-10EZ (enrollment) and related program forms. Veterans should consider speaking with their local VA facility or Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) to get started.

Want to know more about the VA disability process for gynecological conditions? In the video below, CCK Law attorneys Emma Peterson and Kaitlyn Degnan dive into the details veterans need to start building their case:

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Benefits for Homeless Women Veterans and Families

Women veterans — especially single mothers — often face a proportionally higher risk of experiencing homelessness than their civilian counterparts.

According to VA, there were about 3,329 homeless women veterans by the end of 2024. Several factors contribute to female veteran homelessness, including past trauma, intimate partner violence (IPV), MST, poverty, and more.

However, VA does offer homelessness support and prevention services to help affected veterans find permanent housing, with more than 27,000 women veterans served through VA’s programs in fiscal year 2024 — including both veterans experiencing homelessness and those at risk who received preventive services.

VA programs addressing homelessness among women veterans include:

• HUD-VASH is a partnership between VA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides Section 8 housing vouchers combined with VA case management. Many HUD-VASH programs give priority to women veterans with children.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is a program that provides emergency financial assistance and services — including help with rent, security deposits, and childcare — to prevent eviction and homelessness among at-risk veterans.
• The Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program funds transitional housing programs for homeless veterans. Some GPD programs maintain women-only facilities or allow children to live with a veteran parent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common disabilities among women veterans?

Some of the most common service-connected disabilities among women veterans include:

• Migraines
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Tinnitus or hearing loss
• Knee and lower extremity conditions
• Back conditions
• Endometriosis and other gynecological conditions
• Scars

Women veterans are also, on average, more likely than men to receive higher combined disability ratings, in part because conditions like PTSD and MST-related disorders tend to be severe.

Does VA cover IVF for women veterans?

Yes, VA covers in vitro fertilization (IVF) for veterans with service-connected infertility. Coverage includes up to six IVF cycles and is now available to unmarried veterans — a significant expansion over the program’s past eligibility rules.

Eligible veterans should contact their VA primary care provider or Women Veterans Program Manager to begin the process.

Does VA cover mammograms for women veterans?

Yes, VA provides mammograms and other breast cancer screenings to qualifying women veterans enrolled in VA health care.

Typically, these mammograms are provided to veterans as part of routine preventive care. However, if a VA facility cannot provide the screening directly, it may be covered through the VA Community Care program at an outside provider.

Eligible veterans should contact their VA primary care team or Women Veterans Program Manager to schedule a screening.

What is the Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC)?

The Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC) is a free hotline available to women veterans and their family members. The WVCC is staffed by VA counselors who can answer questions about VA eligibility and benefits and connect veterans with the resources they need.

To contact the WVCC, veterans can call or text at 1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-6636).

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