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VA Mental Health Experts Convene for Summit
Nicholson: 100 New Outreach Workers for Latest Combat Vets
WASHINGTON (May 23, 2007) -- To ensure returning combat veterans are
receiving the latest, world-class mental health care, the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) is convening a four-day meeting here in July of
mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country.
"The veterans of the Global War on Terror have earned top-notch health
care, and that includes mental health care," said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Jim Nicholson. "This meeting of our top mental health experts
will ensure our mental health programs remain the best in the world."
Nicholson also announced that VA will hire 100 new employees to provide
readjustment counseling at the Department's 209 community-based Vet
Centers.
The expansion is on top of Nicholson's announcement earlier in the year
to hire 100 new medical center employees to serve as advocates for the
severely wounded. VA also recently hired 100 new Vet Center employees,
who are combat veterans, to conduct outreach to veterans of the Global
War on Terror.
VA operates one of the largest mental health programs in the country,
with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion solely for mental health
services. About 1 million of VA's patients have a mental health
diagnosis. The Department employs about 9,000 mental health
professionals, which does not include the mental health services
provided by primary care physicians and other providers.
The upcoming meeting in the Washington area of mental health
professionals will cover a wide range of issues, from integrating mental
health services with primary care, to combat trauma, suicide prevention
and the special needs of the newest generation of combat veterans.
Mental health services are provided at each of VA's 153 medical centers
and nearly 900 community-based outpatient clinics. Each medical center
has a PTSD Clinical Team or a specialist who focuses on the treatment of
PTSD.
VA is a world leader in treatment and research concerning PTSD. The
Department's National Center for PTSD is internationally recognized for
its research into PTSD, other combat-related mental health issues and
non-combat mental health trauma.
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