Printer Friendly Page
GAO WILL STUDY GIs' MENTAL HEALTH -- Scrutiny
of
the VA's and the Defense Department's treatment
of
brain injuries and PTSD comes after an outcry.
For more information on GAO reports having to
do with the VA, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/
sessearch.php?q=gao&op=and
Story here...
http://www.denverpost
.com/news/ci_6503315
Story below:
-------------------------
GAO will study GIs' mental health
Scrutiny of the VA's and the Defense
Department's treatment of brain injuries and PTSD comes after an outcry.
By Erin Emery
Denver Post Staff Writer
The Government Accountability Office will study whether the Department
of Defense and Veterans Affairs are providing proper mental health care
for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
In letters to Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar, the GAO said it would
assess the VA's treatment of veterans with mild traumatic brain injury;
the Department of Defense's pre- and post-deployment screenings for
mental health conditions and mild traumatic brain injury; and whether
policies pertaining to personality disorder discharges have been
followed.
The studies are to be completed by the end of the year.
"It has become increasingly evident that incidents of (post-traumatic
stress disorder) among our service members are not being properly
addressed," Salazar said. "The need for appropriate action by the
Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs is critical."
In May, nine members of Congress asked the GAO to conduct a study.
Allard and Salazar sent their own letter, which broadened the scope and
asked the GAO to provide recommendations for legislation to improve
mental health care and to capitalize on "best practices" in the
military.
"We owe our armed forces exceptional health care, and the increased
focus on their mental health care by Congress is much needed," Allard
said.
A recent report from the Pentagon's Mental Health Task Force found that
49 percent of National Guard members, 38 percent of soldiers and 31
percent of Marines have experienced mental health issues after serving
in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"The magnitude is considerable, and the Mental Health Task Force also
found that resources are inadequate," said Jason Forrester, policy
director for Veterans for America, an advocacy group.
"Every war brings with it its challenges, and we have mammoth
bureaucracies at both the DOD and the VA, and it often takes them awhile
to readjust so that they can treat these wounds of war," Forrester said.
Fort Carson has come under fire for discharging soldiers for personality
disorders after they had been diagnosed with post- traumatic stress
disorder. Those discharged for a personality disorder are not eligible
for medical benefits from the VA.
"People realize that there is a chance that there have already been
large numbers of people who have been failed by the system," Forrester
said. "It's necessary to do a retrospective look at their cases to make
sure that they get the treatments that they need."
Army leaders say soldiers are reluctant to seek help because they
believe their careers will be ruined if they do.
Earlier this month, the Army launched a "chain teaching" program aimed
at educating 1 million soldiers about PTSD and mild traumatic brain
injury.
During the next 90 days, senior leaders will teach their immediate
subordinate units, who in turn will teach their subordinate units, and
so on down the line.
Across the Army, an effort to hire an additional 260 to 270 mental
health care providers also is underway.
Fort Carson has been training leaders about PTSD since January and
February and expanded the program in the spring to all ranks.
Staff writer Erin Emery can be reached at 719-522-1360 or
eemery@denverpost.com.
-------------------------
Larry Scott --
