[HM2Viking]

I am looking forward to starting my nursing career in the VA.

I actually decided to wait for a new grad program there because I wanted to work in a state of the art teaching hospital.

[Valerie Salva]

My VA is currently expanding their mental health services. A large new inpt building is going up, and the outpt program is being greatly expanded.

[Elvish]

Mental health in general is just underfunded, understaffed, under-everything. If anyone deserves mental health tx, it is our men and women brave enough to be in the war zones.

I can remember coming home from a third world country after having spent just under a month there. I was never in combat having to make 'kill-or-be-killed' decisions daily. I never had to hold my friends as they died. I never had to see the blood and gore and maiming and senselessness that combat troops see all too often. Yet I still had major adjustment issues coming back. You are crazy as hell if you think 19-year-olds coming back from a year in combat aren't going to have PTSD. Some may deal better than others, but you don't come out unscathed. Tell you what, there better damn sure be available services if my little brother ever needs them, or lots of people will hear about it.

[mr normandy]

May 5,1972...Ireland army hospital.. Pretty disgusting things happened
to Military soldiers and veterans there that day initiated by our so-called
health care industry.

[motorcycle mama]

Seems like the government kind of throws out these soldiers when they are finished with them.

[HM2Viking]

Only if we allow DOD to do that......

As citizens we need to demand performance from our government...

[Stringer]

Makes my blood boil. My fear is that as long as our government continues to behave more like a large corporation, the less interested it will be in anything that does not result in a profit. Health care and education for those who can't afford it? Here in southern California we apparently believe street corners bridges and river banks are the best we can offer a lot of our veterans, and the mentally ill in general.

Originally Posted by HM2Viking

http://prospect.org/cs/articles?arti..._care_for_vets

[ecnav]

Re: What Happened to Mental Health Care for Vets?

America has failed its' representative style democracy by voting for the wrong politician, not holding the public servants accountable and/or not demanding that decisions affecting the welfare of the nation be based soundly on social justice.

We the people... are adrift...

[Grace Oz]

I have just watched Hillary Clinton and Mr Obama touting their pledges and promises in Ohio.
Both candidates mentioned vets.
Somehow though, they didn't convince me that things will be better for the US vets under either of their direction!

We were horrified during our trip to the US back in 2006, to see your vets begging on the streets for money to survive.

Since my husband is a 20 year vet here in Australia, we were interested to know how things worked in the US.
We spoke with one man on the street in San Francisco. He was begging for money for food.
He was a veteran of the United States Army!

On inquiring as to why he had to do this, (beg), to survive since he'd served his country in the Vietnam war, he replied to us that because he'd not served more than 4 years, he wasn't entitled to any pensions, compensations, health care etc.
We of course were unable to have his claim validated, however, if true, then the US government should hang it's head in SHAME.

Here in Australia, if a vet needs help, they receive it!
If they need surgery, they are admitted to a private hospital which has an agreement with the DVA, and the DVA foots the bill for the admission, the surgery, medications....for the LOT!
None of this being forced to travel miles and miles or to another city etc to receive care here in Australia.

I'm deeply saddened that the lessons from the past have NOT been learnt!
That the past and current serving personnel are treated as just cannon fodder!

[chocokitten]

Happy to bring you all an update on this subject Straight from my inbox:

"HEY VA! HAVE YOU HEARD? March 21, 2008
VA has significantly increased its mental health budget and greatly
enhanced its suicide prevention services, the VA's chief mental health
official said in recent testimony before the House Veterans Affairs
Committee (HVAC). Dr. Ira Katz, deputy chief of Patient Care Services for
VA's Office of Mental Health, testified VA will spend $3 billion in
fiscal 2008 on mental health services for veterans - a 50 percent
increase since 2001. VA has hired more than 3,600 new mental health
employees since 2005, bringing the current total to more than 10,000.
Testifying at the Committee's hearing focusing on suicide prevention, Dr.
Katz said VA has expanded its services in several ways, including the
recent addition of a 24-hour, seven-day a week Suicide Prevention
Hotline (1-800-273-TALK). He said VA now has suicide prevention
coordinators at each of its 153 hospitals nationwide, and has more than
200 mental health providers whose jobs are specifically devoted to
preventing suicide among veterans. In addition, VA educates veterans and
family members and trains employees about suicide risk factors and
warning signs of suicide. "