A.D.V.A.N.C.E. WOMEN’S PROGRAM
The Women’s ADVANCE Program started at U.S.VETS – Long Beach in 2001, and is a comprehensive program designed to meet the unique needs of female veterans. It includes the Renew sexual trauma treatment program provided in partnership with the Department of Veteran Affairs. In 2013, ADVANCE expanded to provide services at U.S.VETS – Barbers Point.
ADVANCE provides a safe and sober living environment for female veterans. Program components cover a full spectrum of female veterans’ needs, and include:
- Trauma Track (The Renew Program)
- Work Re-entry Track
- Life Plan Track (for the disabled)
- Substance Abuse Treatment Track
- Women with Children Track
THE NEED:
Female service members are 14 percent of the Active Duty force, 18 percent of National Guard Reserve forces, and 20 percent of new recruits. After service, the majority of female veterans will transition successfully to lead productive, healthy lives.
There are 167,000 female veterans in California, the highest number of any state in the nation. The majority of these women veterans will transition from the military to lead productive, healthy lives. However, some female veterans, particularly those who have served in Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF), experience challenges resulting from their experiences in war.
According to the VA, one in five female veterans experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Because of this high rate of sexual assault or harassment, female veterans are more likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than their male counterparts. As a result, female vets have a high rate of mental illness, alcoholism, depression, and physical illness, which affects their education, housing, employment, and home management. On a given night, female vets make up five percent of the nation’s homeless veterans.
U.S.VETS offers female veterans assistance and support specific to their needs. The ADVANCE program provides a safe and sober living environment, focused counseling for women with sexual trauma, employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, as well as aid for women with children.
