Con. Filner Charges Va With

[Berta]

He said it in the hearing and also asked Dr. Katz to leave the VA.

It is disgraceful to see the VA have no real answers on this issue.

"Filner started the hearing by accusing the agency of criminal negligence in the handling of data about the number of veterans who have committed suicide."

from:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j3uNjZJ...tMBIBwD90G86501

I was appalled by some idea the VA seems to have-

they are trying to get significant others to recognize the signs of suicidial ideation-in returning combat veterans

that's good but the main point is that whoever picks up on these signs in a veteran HAS to take immediate action and get the veteran some help.

Since the VA is ill equiped to deal with immediate care-I hope the VA will pay the cost if a family member has to get a vet to a non-VA facility for immediate MH help.

The Veterans Administration was at its utter worst today.

[Pete53]

Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake told panel members that data discussed in e-mails about the number of veterans who had attempted suicide was not released because of concerns about its accuracy. He said the agency is actively reaching out to veterans to encourage them to get help if they are at risk for suicide.

Why is this not surprising and such a lie to boot. Filner needs to get Peake fired also.

PS Shhh not for CBS or News Media!!!

Edited May 6, 2008 by Pete53

[Mcafee]

I watched this for about a Half an hr Peake was speaking in Re:Nam vets and suicide and you can visably see he was reading a scripted or rehearsed answer to the statistics of when this started and then it leveled off as he put it or utilized the reference of civilian suicide rate to military suicide as an equal.i shut it off you could see this was a front .JMHO

[john999]

Considering that Peake was medical director for QTC is it not surprising that he is a robot for Bush administration propaganda. He will probably go back to work for QTC when he gets fired by new administration. Incest is best.

[jbasser]

Filner did ask Peake if he was actually going to get involved or if his heart was in his Job.

That good old boy system has some deep roots.

I see Katz getting canned as fallout.

[Berta]

The Administration put this spin on all this in today's press conference:

Source:http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080506-6.html

Q The head of the National Institutes of Mental Health says that it's possible that the number of suicides among veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan may turn out to be greater than the number who actually die in combat. And at least two senators say that the VA has withheld the actual number of suicides and attempted suicides, and have called for the resignation of the VA's Director of Mental Health. What's your reaction?

MS. PERINO: Well, I'm aware of the hearing today where the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Peake was answering questions about this very thing today. And I'm sure that you are covering that, as well. President Bush is very concerned about the mental health of our veterans and has made sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure that American veterans are getting the care that they need.

He's also been very troubled by the idea that veterans would feel that they wouldn't be able to express or ask for help if they are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or depression of another sort, or any type of mental disorder, because we have resources to be able to help them and they deserve the very best that we could provide. So he would encourage -- he was encouraged that Secretary Peake was testifying today to let people know that that is where our position is. And I would refer you to Department of Veterans Affairs for more on the statistics.

Q Well, has the White House or the Pentagon been aware of the possibility that the VA has been withholding the statistics on the number of suicides and attempted suicides?

MS. PERINO: We're aware of the accusations and I do believe Secretary Peake answered those today.

Q Well, what is the answer?

MS. PERINO: I would refer you to -- nobody was covering it, so I wasn't able to see it directly.

Q Well, I mean, what is the response from here? I mean, what are you going to direct people to do about it?

MS. PERINO: Well, the President has full confidence in Secretary Peake and believes that he is handling it appropriately.

Q What about the head of the mental health services at the VA?

MS. PERINO: Well, again, he works for Secretary Peake and I'll refer you to them.

--------------------

[Pete53]

I know that I will be misunderstood but Ms Perino is a pretty empty headed piece of fluff the WH sends out that has no clue what she is doing. Or even worse she is a calculating evil withch who knows exactly what she is doing.

She never answers a question directly does she?