In a hearing yesterday, representative Jeff Miller of Florida in a Veterans Affairs Committee hearing asked the Department of Veterans’ Affairs “WTF, over” (my words);<\/p>\n
Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said the extra funding and effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs seems to be going toward more bureaucracy and not better care for veterans. That\u2019s particularly concerning with the wave of Iraq and Afghanistan servicemembers expected to reach the department in coming years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe true measure of success with respect to mental health care is not how many people are hired but how many people are helped,\u201d he told VA officials during a hearing Wednesday. \u201cIt has become painfully clear to me that the VA is focused more on its process and not its outcomes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Of course, the VA came back with it’s usual;<\/p>\n
Veterans Health Administration Undersecretary for Health Robert Petzel countered that the department is on the right path, but acknowledged they still have a daunting task ahead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
They’re always on the right path, but they’re not motivated enough to move forward on that path in this electronic age, the same age that has passed by the Post Office is now shooting ahead of the VA, apparently.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, department officials announced they have hired more than 1,280 clinical providers and support staff to new posts in the last five months, part of an effort to add 1,900 new mental health specialists.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve also filled 1,980 vacant mental health positions since last summer, and increased the number of crisis workers and phone lines. In a statement, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said the moves mean that \u201cwe can treat more veterans and provide greater access to our mental health services.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So you “can” treat more veterans, but I think this question remains unanswered; “why aren’t you treating more veterans?” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"