Expanding vet care
Community-based care options won’t end the VA
Veterans struggling with depression or considering suicide should have options for treatment in their communities rather than having to make a trip to a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital or clinic.
A congressional bill would provide grants to community organizations to provide suicide prevention and other mental health services to veterans.
Fears of outsourcing or privatizing VA health services shouldn’t stymie this proposal. The Improve WellBeing for Veterans Act should be passed and funded.
For many veterans a trip to a VA hospital or clinic offering mental health services is a lengthy ordeal, especially for veterans with limited transportation options. Many veterans are also unaware of the services offered.
With community-based services, veterans are more likely to find the help they need.
And many veterans need help. In 2017, nearly 17 veterans a day killed themselves. More than 60% of those who died had never been to a VA hospital or clinic in the previous year, according to the VA.
The troubled and bureaucratic VA health care system often means long waits for appointments. The complexities of paperwork to access services can only aggravate the difficulties a veteran fighting depression faces.
The bill is hardly going to be the end of the VA. But the usual bugaboos have been brought out in force by opponents. The quality of care will suffer, critics say. VA employees will lose jobs. It’s a step towards privatizing the VA.
The real horror is that the VA health system is a mess. Yes, there are some good VA hospitals, but there are many that don’t meet the high care standards set by the department.
The scandal reported in 2014, which focused on long waits for appointments and secret waiting lists, was only one of many care failures of the past two decades.
Long waits for treatment continue to exist at many VA hospitals. A veteran contemplating suicide doesn’t have time to wait.
The proposed law would allow veterans to seek care without first getting a VA referral.
Veterans need greater access to mental health care in the communities in which they live. The Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act can make a difference and potentially save the life of a veteran.