Recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine finds that there is a substantial unmet need for mental health services for veterans who supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN) led a bipartisan letter today urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to give prompt consideration to the recommendations for improving veterans’ access to mental health services as noted in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report released on January 31, 2018. The report highlights the substantial unmet need for mental health services for veterans who supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND). While many veterans receive high-quality mental health care, veterans’ access to high-quality mental health care presents an ongoing challenge.

The report also makes clear that many OEF, OIF, and OND veterans are unaware of how to access mental health services. According to the report’s findings, the main reason OEF, OIF, and OND veterans with mental health needs have not sought services is that they do not know how to apply for VA mental health care and are unsure about whether they are eligible for these benefits.

“Providing the necessary mental health resources to veterans should remain a top priority,” the senators wrote. “Our nation’s veterans deserve the health care benefits they have earned. When we ask our service members to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation, we make a commitment to give them the support they need when they come home.”

The full text of the senators’ letter is below:

Dear Secretary Shulkin,

We are writing to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to give prompt consideration to the recommendations for improving veterans’ access to mental health services as noted in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report released on January 31, 2018.

The report highlights the substantial unmet need for mental health services for veterans who supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND). While many veterans receive high-quality mental health care, veterans’ access to high-quality mental health care presents an ongoing challenge.

The report makes clear that many OEF, OIF, and OND veterans are unaware of how to access mental health services. According to the report’s findings, the main reason OEF, OIF, and OND veterans with mental health needs have not sought services is that they do not know how to apply for VA mental health care and are unsure about whether they are eligible for these benefits.

The VA has dedicated important resources to address veterans’ mental health care, including improving collaborative and integrated care to veterans through the implementation of innovative, evidence-based models. Unfortunately, many of our veterans are not seeking this high-quality care, even though it is available. 

Providing the necessary mental health resources to veterans should remain a top priority. Our nation’s veterans deserve the health care benefits they have earned. When we ask our service members to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation, we make a commitment to give them the support they need when they come home. 

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine made eight recommendations to improve veterans’ access to mental health services. We urge the VA to give prompt consideration to each of the recommendations and provide us with an update on the status of each recommendation by no later than March 1, 2018.    

Thank you for your attention regarding these important issues.

Sincerely,

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