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UPDATE: HOUSE COMMITTEE RELEASES FULL REPORT ON
SERVICES
AT VA VET CENTERS -- "It's clear from the
report that Vet Center
capacity has not kept pace with demand for
services."
Rep.
Michael Michaud (D-ME)
requested report.
Once again we learn a hard truth:
VA underfunding leads to understaffing which leads to delays and
denials of critical veterans' services.
It's just that simple!
The complete report is worth reading.
Complete report here...
http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/officialcorr/pdf/vetcenters.pdf
Earlier story here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/
old%20newsflashes%20OCT%2006/newsflash10-19-2006-6.htm
Press release here...
http://veterans.house.gov/
democratic/press/109th/michaud/10-19-06vetctrs.htm
Press release below:
---------------
NEWS FROM….
CONGRESSMAN MICHAEL H. MICHAUD
RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Room 333 Cannon HOB FOR RELEASE: October 19, 2006
Washington, DC 20515 CONTACT: Geoffrey Collver @ (202) 225-9756
House Veterans’ Committee Report Concludes VA Counseling Center Services
At-Risk
Survey shows growing demand, understaffing, curtailed or deferred
services
Washington, D.C. – Over the past year, many Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Readjustment Counseling Service Centers (Vet Centers) have
been forced to ration services, create waiting lists and limit
individual counseling sessions due to significant increases in demand
for services from returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, according
to a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Democratic staff report
released today.
House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Ranking Member, Rep. Michael
H. Michaud (D-ME) requested Democratic committee staff prepare the
report on whether Vet Centers have experienced an increase in workload
and have the capacity to meet any increases in demand for readjustment
counseling and mental health services. Staff reviewed VA data and
interviewed supervisors at 60 Vet Centers nationwide to assess capacity.
The report found that in nine months, from October 2005 through June
2006, the number of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who
have turned to Vet Centers for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
services and readjustment concerns has doubled from 4,467 to 9,103
veterans.
“It’s clear from the report that Vet Center capacity has not kept pace
with demand for services, and the Administration has failed to properly
plan and prepare for the mental health needs of returning veterans and
their families,” said Michaud. “The Vet Centers’ staff are dedicated and
deeply committed to meeting the needs of veterans and their families,
but without additional resources, even dedicated staff has limits,” said
Michaud. “Contrary to the Administration rhetoric of supporting family
counseling to help keep veterans’ families strong and resilient, 20
percent of the Vet Centers reported that they have no, or limited,
capacity to provide family counseling or therapy. Veterans don’t live in
a vacuum. They, and their families, need help in facing PTSD symptoms
that can shatter all their lives,” Michaud continued.
According to the report, the increase in Vet Center workload, without
commensurate increase in counseling staffing, has affected access to
quality readjustment counseling for veterans. Specifically, the report
finds:
* 100 percent of Vet Centers surveyed have seen a significant increase
in outreach and services to OIF/OEF veterans;
* For half of the Vet Centers, this increase
has affected their ability to treat the existing client workload. Of
these Vet Centers, 40 percent have directed veterans for whom
individualized therapy would be appropriate to group therapy. Roughly,
27 percent have limited or plan to limit veterans’ access to marriage or
family therapy. Nearly 17 percent of the workload-affected Vet Centers
have or plan to establish waiting lists;
* Of all the Vet Centers surveyed, one in four
has taken or will take some action to manage their increasing workload,
including limiting services and establishing waiting lists; and,
* Thirty percent of the Vet Centers explicitly
commented that they need more staff.
In addition to this report, the Government Accountability Office
recently reported (GAO-06-1119T) that the Administration failed to fund
$300 million in resources which the Administration previously touted for
veterans’ mental health services in 2005 and 2006.
Established in 1979, Vet Centers are unique community-based,
veteran-focused storefronts that provide a host of readjustment
counseling services to assist veterans in successfully transitioning
from military service to civilian life. There are currently 207 Vet
Centers located throughout the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, the District of Columbia, and Guam.
A copy of the Democratic staff report has been transmitted to VA
Secretary R. James Nicholson for his review and comment.
The report can be viewed here:
http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/officialcorr/pdf/vetcenters.pdf
---------------
Larry Scott
