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6-29-12

SVAC Chairwoman: VA Losing Mental Health Battle

This week the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee met to discuss legislation pertaining to veteran healthcare provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Committee Chairwoman Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) discussed the “Mental Health Access Act” (S. 3340), a measure she introduced that proposes sweeping changes to the VA and Department of Defense (DoD) mental health program.  “We are losing more service members to suicide than we are to combat. Every 80 minutes a veteran takes his own life,” Murray said during the hearing. “On average this year, we have lost a service member to suicide once every day.”

The legislation would require DoD to create a comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program; expand eligibility for VA mental health services to family members; strengthen oversight of DoD mental health care and the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES); and require VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services.

FRA consistently addresses the concerns of shipmates about the long waits for mental health counseling on Capitol Hill, including testimony before the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  The Association also supports improved and more aggressive oversight of IDES.