ptsd Vamc-Lyons Clinical Treatment Records Disappeared!

[BlakePaigeStone]

I found-out, today, why I keep getting questions about my PTSD inpatient clinical treatment records at the VAMC-Lyons, in 1995.

I spoke, by phone, with the 'Release of Information' office, at the VAMC-Lyons, (now called 'New Jersey VA Health System'); and ...their representative told me that my VARO keeps getting a negative hit because their computer records never show me as being a patient there! Wow! That made me feel like I was in the 'Twilight Zone!' It looks like I didn't even exist!

My inpatient treatment, from the last week of August, 1995 at the VAMC-Philadelphia for my inpatient substance detox; then, transferred to the VAMC-Coatesville in September, 1995 for their inpatient Dual-Diagnosis Program, (PTSD / Life Management); and ...finally, to the VAMC-Lyons for their '6-week inpatient PTSD program.'

I was in three VAMCs ...from the last week of August, 1995; to ...the last week of December, 1995. I received 'post 21-day, temporary 100% disability,' from September 13, 1995 ...until January 1, 1996.

My service-connection was awarded ...from September, 1995. How could my medical treatment records disappear? How could the VAMC-Lyons have no record of my ever being there during the time of my inpatient PTSD program clinical treatment?! Where are my records? How do I locate them?

The 'Release of Information' office acts, as if ...I'm confused about where I was an inpatient; or ...simply crazy!

"IS THERE ANYONE, OUT THERE, WHO WAS A 'PTSD PROGRAM INPATIENT' ...AT THE VAMC-LYONS, DURING NOVEMBER & DECEMBER OF 1995?"

My VAMC-Lyons medical summary, and clinical treatment records, could have been requested by the VARO-Newark; VARO-Atlanta; or ...the VAROIC-Philadelphia. My claims file was relocated every time I moved ...over the seven-year period that my claim was being prosecuted. My claim was awarded, (1995 - 2002), by the VAROIC-Philadelphia. Every previous VARO started the claim over '...from scratch!' All records were requested each time another VARO took over my claims file. Could my Vet Center, in Philadelphia have requested my clinical treatment records?

I'm also, still waiting for my 'claims file;' as ...I just received the following:

Discussion Thread

Response via Email Via Email (Department of Veterans Affairs)

08/27/2011 02:14 PM

Your payment, for your Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records under the Privacy Act, was just received and was forwarded to the VA Agent Cashier to be deposited in the VA Fund. Once verification has been received of the Deposit your copies will be mailed by the U.S. Postal System. Your Privacy Act request will be closed at that time.

We ask that you allow more than sufficient time for the records to reach you.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message. If at some future time we can help you on a different subject, you may submit a new inquiry at https://iris.va.gov, call us toll free at 1-800-827-1000, or visit our web site at www.va.gov.

Sincerely yours,

F. Walden

Veterans Service Center Manager

Email address: https://iris.va.gov

I may find the records among my claims file documents; as ...I received the 'first 100-pages,' for free, in late July, 2011; ('my official F.O.I.A. request was submitted in September, 2010'), but ...had to submit payment for the other 1,500+ pages, that are referred to in the message ...above.

My claims file did, as I recall, have some copies of my treatment summary from the VAMC-Lyons ...when I had looked through my claims file, at the VAROIC-Philadelphia, back in the late 1990s. Now, the VAMC-Lyons says that I never was a patient there ...according to their negative search-response. "WTF!"

Whenever I think that I've seen it all, (relating to the VA), something, that's even crazier ...happens!

Discharged, from the VAMC-Lyons PTSD Inpatient Program ...during the last-week of December, 1995.

How could medical records be sent someplace ...within the VA system, without a notation as to... 'where they are being sent?'

I need some suggestions, and/or, input ...from anyone. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

"Help!!!"

[BlakePaigeStone]

Thanks for your suggestion; and ...I'm starting to feel like your strategy of never taking a negative reply as the final word. In fact, I'm going to write a letter/email to the Information & Security Officer, as suggested by the response I received, from the VAMC-Lyons 'Release of Information' office, on September 1, 2011.

Thanks ...again!

Sonny

My old records were kept in the Long Beach, CA., long term storage. It took the BVA judge to get the records out of there.

Do not wait on the VA to get any records that you can retrieve yourself. They send a 1st., 2nd., and then 3rd. request for records, thirty days in-between, and then tell you that they have not arrived.

I found that if I personally went to Kaiser, Downey CA., and requested my records, in writing, that they would send them. I also hammered the Long Beach VA FOIA department weekly until they got tired and got the records for my claim. Any records that you can get, go ahead and go for it. I had kaiser sent two copies. One copy was for me and the other sent to the VA.

These records were necessary for my positive decisions.

[BlakePaigeStone]

Thanks for the information. I am in the process of following-up with Ms. Helen Hollins, Information & Security Officer. After I hear from her office, I'll contact the General Counsel, Group 4, Washington, DC, (Attn.: Records); and ...hope I don't have to file a motion in Federal District Court.

I will go that far, if it's necessary! Thanks again.

Sonny

Hello All Hope All Is Well.

From what I understand if you had treatment at LYONS at one time where ever your now located records to follow?

And if not contact H. Hollands at East Orange VAHCS she is the one whom is the overseerrr of this dept.

And if that does not work I can suggest you dispatch a letter to GENERAL COUNSEL GROUP 4 WASHINGTON DC ATTN RECORDS OR FINALLY FILE IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT.

For failure to maintain as custodian of record I can,t find the 552 statue but it does exist .I am in this process now. I hope tthis helps

[john999]

I was treated by a psychiatrist for 6 months at Hunter Army/Airforce Airfield next to Ft Stewart in 1971. I have never been able to get these records even though in my discharge the psychiatrist mentions that I was receiving treatment. I think the bastards destroyed the records. The army and the office in St Louis deny the existence of these records. Not that it matters now, but I resent that these people put the screws to me and covered up their tracks.

[Pete53]

The fact that you spent 6 weeks in a VA Hospital and they know that is helpful. The VA for the most part are good at keeping our records but the people who handle and make copies and ship to storage are not exactly the most motivated.

The VA has a duty to reconstruct records if they can't find them

Good Luck

[john999]

The VA is much better at keeping records than the military. I think the military often destroyed records or went out of their way to "clean" them or censor them. I know they did it in my case. My basic training medical records disappeared. My dental records were censored. My psychiatric records were lost in part. The VA kept my records even if they did not share that knowledge with me.

[BlakePaigeStone]

I certainly hope that isn't the case with my records. I'm going to write, (as I've been advised), to the 'Information and Security Officer' at the VAMC-Lyons, (at their East Orange, NJ offices), today.

Thanks for your input; and ...I'll post any results ...as soon as I hear anything. Thanks again.

Sonny

I was treated by a psychiatrist for 6 months at Hunter Army/Airforce Airfield next to Ft Stewart in 1971. I have never been able to get these records even though in my discharge the psychiatrist mentions that I was receiving treatment. I think the bastards destroyed the records. The army and the office in St Louis deny the existence of these records. Not that it matters now, but I resent that these people put the screws to me and covered up their tracks.