16 Vas Have No Referrals

[Berta]

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/9952

"April 24, 2008 - San Francisco, CA -- The number of Iraq war veterans contacting a suicide hotline soared last month, according to information revealed Thursday during a federal trial in San Francisco.

Dr. Michael Kussman, Undersecretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, was called to the stand by plaintiffs who are suing the government for failing to implement its own Mental health Strategic plan.

Kussman testified that the suicide hotline recieved 5,000 calls from veterans last month. That makes March the busiest month for the hotline since it was established in July of 2007.

"It's a failure to implement the programs to deal with these veterans. This is an epidemic of suicides with veterans coming back from the war, and there's a lot of trouble with Vietnam vets," said attorney Gordon Erspamer, who represents the plaintiffs.

War veterans are returning with severe brain injuries and suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Under intense questioning, Dr. Kussman agreed that access to mental health care is among the top complaints, but that the V.A. is ideally poised to care for veterans as they transition out of the military.

Kussman admitted 16% of V.A. facilities have no referral system for vets at risk of suicide."

[Pete53]

And still more damning evidence comes out of the Class Action Lawsuit.

[Berta]

I emailed VA Watchdog Larry Scott about Kussman's statement and he replied that every VA can refer a suicidal veterans somewhere-

I know this is certainly true-too-

I have police fire monitor ( former Fire Dept volunteer)

I hear MH 911 calls which I know are often veterans but they are brought to the MH facility in the closest private hospital-

but if a VA refers a suicidal veteran (whose mental health issues are service connected)-to another private facility-

it means the VA has to pay for the treatment-

It is in VA's best interests not to refer a suicidal veteran to anywehere but to the waiting list at the VA-

Yes-there are more emails and more dirty laundry is coming out daily in testimony-regarding this lawsuit in SF DC.

[Pete53]

Maybe the headline should read:

16 VAMC's Refuse to refer Suicidal Patients Anywhere

[Testvet]

I think there are 154 veterans medical centers 16% of them is more like

25 facilities have no referral mechanisms.....I am glad I don't use any of them