Ongoing Mental Health Now Requiring Drug Screening

[westcoastlv]

Hello All.  Hubby has been receiving 100% for a couple years now.  He has been seeing his mental health doctor regularly every three months as scheduled.  He is taking all of his mental health medications which include Xanax, anti-depressants, trazadone and Seroquel.  His mental health medicines seems to be working ok for now.  The problem is that his mental health provider is now requiring him to have drug screenings.  I know that the VA requires vets that take Opiates for pain management to have regular drug screening to ensure they are taking (and not abusing) their medicines, but I don't know of any requirements for vets on benzos (which Xanax is a benzo).  Can anyone shed any light on this for me.  I am profoundly opposed to this drug screen and I think the mental health provider is overreaching her authority.  I feel as if she is taking the standard that applies to opiates and trying to apply it across the board.  I don't even know what she's hoping to find.  If there is no requirement for my husband to be drug tested, then how do I refuse and is there some VA documentation to support it?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide. 

[pumibel]

It seems like she should have provided a written rationale for this. I am not in any way professionally qualified to answer your question, but I do know from experience that VA docs write up a lot of paperwork when they make changes to patient's treatments or medications/dosages, etc. Are you able to get his Dr. notes from the VA HealtheVet system? There may be more information in there.

Edited February 23, 2016 by pumibel
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[broncovet]

I can tell you what I did, and whether you choose that path or something else is up to you.  My doc wanted me to piss in a cup, so I know what that is for.  I went and got the "blood" work done, and conviently forgot to piss in a cup.  

I knew I did not have an issue with drugs, but did not like the implications where they suggest all Veterans are drug addicts, abandon their families, and abuse alcohol.  (I applied for benefits in 2002 and gave them all family members information and Birth certs at that time.  When they finally got around to awarding benefits in 2005, they "naturally assumed" I abandoned my family and no longer had dependents, since, of course, according to VA, Im a drug/alcohol/family abuser.  So they gave me benefits as a "single" Veteran and I had to resend all the birth certs again.  Naturally they lose those and disavow ever getting them.  So, I fight all the way to the CAVC to get dependent benefits, and still have not gotten those after winning at CAVC and fighting them for 14 years.  

And they wonder why we dont trust VA?  I have no history of alcohol, drug or family abuse, but, the VA suggests its a matter of time until I get caught, since all Vets abuse drugs, alcohol and their families, according to unpublished VA directive.  1.00001-13(F "n" U)