Public Law 114-198 · Title IX · Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act

Congress told the VA to use massage therapy, yoga, and meditation to get veterans off opioids.

It worked.

Then the VA took it away.

Wrongfully denying the most affordable and effective healthcare treatments veterans reported they had ever received from the VA.

"Veterans with chronic pain who used Whole Health services experienced a threefold reduction in prescribed opioid use compared to those who did not."

VA Center for Evaluation of Patient-Centered Care

38%
Opioid reduction with
Whole Health services
84%
of veterans want access
to integrative care
90%
of Sioux Falls referrals
eliminated
Apply for Care Learn What Happened
The Law Is Clear
Three federal laws. One mandate.
Treat the whole veteran — not just the symptom.

This was never about curing a backache. Congress passed these laws because veterans were dying from opioid addiction, and evidence showed that massage therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and meditation could help them manage pain without pills. The VA was directed to make these services available — not terminate them when they started working.

2016
Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)
Title IX directed the VA to expand complementary and integrative health therapies — including massage, yoga, acupuncture, and meditation — as alternatives to opioid prescriptions. Mandated 18 full-scale demonstration projects, one in each VA region.
2019
VA MISSION Act
Expanded veteran eligibility for community care, allowing veterans to receive services from local providers when VA facilities couldn't meet their needs. Created the administrative review process that was later used to override physician referrals.
2025
Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare Act
Banned VA administrators from overriding physician community care referrals. Established 1-year care authorizations across 30 specialties. Congress passed this law because the practice was so widespread it required federal legislation to stop it.
What Happened in Sioux Falls
The VA's own data proved it was working.
Then they took it away.

For years, hundreds of South Dakota veterans received physician-prescribed massage therapy through community providers. The VA's own Whole Health Flagship evaluation found that veterans using integrative health services experienced a threefold reduction in opioid use compared to those who didn't. Veterans called it the best thing the VA ever did for their health.

Then in early 2025, the Sioux Falls VA began systematically denying renewals. Not because the treatments stopped working. Not because doctors stopped prescribing them. Because administrators decided to override the physicians — using denial reasons that often don't match veterans' actual medical records.

The Catch-22 Veterans Face
×
If your condition improves: "Treatment goals met. Care no longer necessary."
×
If your condition doesn't improve: "Treatment not effective. Try a different approach."
There is no path to continued care. The system is designed to end treatment, not support wellness.
600+
Active referrals at peak
~60
Active referrals today
0
Veterans asked if they
wanted to stop
From the Veterans
You can only hear so many hundreds of veterans say it before you believe them.
The van would bring them in an hour, two hours early sometimes. They'd just want to visit. Telling me they hadn't been able to raise their arm that high since Vietnam. Wives calling just hoping their husband had an appointment that week because the last time he had one, he was able to play with his grandkids all weekend.
Patty R. — Retired VA Senior Nurse, 67, on zero medications thanks to massage therapy
He came in hunched over a walker. He looked like he was five foot two. Three sessions later, the walker stayed in the car. He was walking in on his own. Turns out he's actually six feet tall. The VA isn't renewing his care.
A Healing Touch Therapist — on a veteran named Larry
My denial said I reported being pain free. I don't know where they got that number because I don't remember giving them one. It was like they just made it up.
A South Dakota Veteran — denied continued massage therapy in 2025
What We're Doing About It
Care now. Change the system.

A coalition of Sioux Falls integrative medicine providers — organized through Integrative Medicine Specialties, Inc. — has come together to do two things at once.

1
Immediate Care
We're providing sponsored integrative medicine services to veterans who lost VA coverage. Massage therapy, yoga, holistic wellness assessments, Reiki, and more — donated by local practitioners who believe veterans shouldn't have to wait for the system to fix itself.
2
Systemic Change
We're documenting the denial patterns, collecting veteran stories, and working with veteran service organizations and Congressional offices to hold the VA accountable to the laws Congress already passed. We're not asking for anything new. We're asking the VA to follow the law.
The Coalition
Integrative care providers standing together for veterans.

These are the services Congress directed the VA to provide. Since the VA won't, we will.

🤲
Therapeutic Massage
Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage
90-minute sessions addressing whole-body wellness, pain management, and stress reduction.
🧘
Yoga Therapy
Trista Brown · IMS Partner
Movement therapy for pain management, PTSD recovery, flexibility, and mind-body connection.
📋
Wellness Assessments
Registered Nurse Facilitators
Comprehensive 8-dimension wellness evaluations conducted by RNs.
✨
Reiki & Energy Healing
Inner Shimmer with Cheryl
Energy healing sessions for stress reduction, emotional balance, and holistic recovery.
🧠
Meditation & Mindfulness
IMS Partners
Guided meditation and mindfulness practices for mental health support.
🔍
Acupuncture
Recruiting Providers
We're actively seeking acupuncture practitioners to join our coalition.
Veterans
Apply for sponsored care or share your story.

Lost your VA coverage for massage therapy or other integrative care? We may be able to help. Fill out this form and we'll be in touch within 2 business days.

I'm interested in: *

Your information is confidential. We'll only share your story publicly with your explicit permission.

Prefer to call or email?
We're here to help.
Practitioners
Your skills are needed.

We need more providers willing to donate time to serve veterans who've lost VA coverage. Whether you can offer one session a month or one a week, your expertise makes a direct difference in a veteran's life — and your clinical documentation becomes evidence for policy change.

Join the Coalition

We're seeking massage therapists, acupuncturists, yoga instructors, energy workers, wellness coaches, and other integrative practitioners in the Sioux Falls area.

You maintain your independence and existing practice. This is a partnership, not employment. Business infrastructure support available through IMS.

Get Involved
Who We Are
The people behind this effort.

Healing Our Heroes is a joint initiative of Integrative Medicine Specialties, Inc. and Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage, supported by a growing network of Sioux Falls practitioners and overseen by an advisory board that includes registered nurses and a military veteran.

Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage
Founding Partner
Sioux Falls' established therapeutic massage provider. Served veterans through VA Community Care since 2018.
Integrative Medicine Specialties, Inc.
Organizing Partner
A collaborative network of independent integrative medicine practitioners. Provides business infrastructure and coordination.
Inner Shimmer with Cheryl
Reiki & Energy Healing
Inner Shimmer with Cheryl is led by Reiki Master Cheryl Wilson, offering compassionate energy healing sessions that support emotional, physical, and energetic balance. Through Reiki and holistic energy work, these sessions help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote deep relaxation. Cheryl is honored to support veterans and individuals seeking complementary care to restore balance, resilience, and overall well-being.
Advisory Board
Governance & Clinical Oversight
Healthcare professionals including registered nurses, social workers, and veterans with firsthand VA experience providing clinical oversight and strategic guidance.