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6-15-2012

Mental Health Diagnoses, Services Scrutinized

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered the heads of every branch of the U.S. military to review diagnoses for psychiatric disorders going back to 2001.  The review was ordered after the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) discovered that the Army had misdiagnosed hundreds of soldiers and had, in many cases, accused the soldiers of faking their symptoms. The Pentagon-wide review will be led by Erin Conaton, recently-confirmed undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness.

SVAC Chairwoman Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) also demanded that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revamp its scheduling system after an Inspector General report indicated that only 49 percent of veterans seeking help for mental health problems are receiving full evaluations for care within the required 14 day period and that, in fact, the average waiting time is 50 days. Improved access to care for all veterans, including those who bear the invisible scars of service, is a top FRA priority and was referenced in recent congressional testimony before the House and Senate VA Committees.