VA Failing Veterans When It Comes To Mental Health

Being a veteran comes with honor but it also comes with issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and even thoughts of suicide. Dealing with the fallout of war is a huge struggle that can greatly affect one’s mental health.

More should be done to protect veterans and help them ease into civilian life. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs to do more. Veterans do not always get the mental health assistance they need, causing them to struggle unnecessarily.

Psychiatrists and nurses do not always give veterans the care they need. Even when a patient is deemed at risk for suicide, they are not thoroughly monitored. In fact, they are often discharged from the facility, where they then go on to kill themselves or others.

The problems are systemic, with many hospitals and clinics in the VA’s sprawling health care network have fallen short when it comes to treating people with mental illness.

A review of all of the reports published by the VA’s inspector general since 2020 includes 162 regular surveys of facilities and 151 investigations that were triggered by a complaint. In half of these inspections, there were issues with mental health care. Employees botched screenings meant to assess veterans’ risk of suicide or violence or didn’t perform them at all. They also failed to follow up with patients as required by VA protocol. In extreme cases, facilities lost track of veterans or failed to prevent suicides.

In fact, 16 veterans did not receive the care they needed and went on to kill themselves or other people. Five more died for reasons related to the poor care, such as bad drug interactions.

The VA has struggled with mental health care for decades. However, the VA does not agree. The VA says there is nothing more important to VA than providing high-quality mental health care to veterans. In 2023, more than 80% of veterans reported being satisfied with the mental health care they received through the VA.

The VA’s mental health system has been helpful in some ways. In the last fiscal year, the VA provided mental health services to about 2 million veterans. The VA has also helped develop treatments for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Still, you cannot overlook the suicide rate. The number of suicides among veterans has been very high, ticking up to 6,392 in 2021. Acts of violence by veterans with mental illnesses are on the rise as well.

Learn More About Veterans Benefits

Veterans are entitled to mental health benefits, but getting the help they need is still not easy. They are often not taken seriously, causing them extreme harm or even death.

A White Plains veterans disability benefits lawyer from The Law Office of Michael Lawrence Varon can help you get the benefits you deserve. We proudly represent veterans throughout the benefits process. We can help ensure you get the benefits you are entitled to receive. Schedule a consultation by calling 914-294-2145 or filling out the online form.

Source:

propublica.org/article/how-veterans-affairs-fails-mental-health-patients