1、n o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 P o l i c y b r i e fExpanding the NetBuilding Mental Health Care Capacity for Veteransby Phillip carterOf the nations 22 million veterans,only a minority(roughly 6 million)seek care or benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA).However,of those who do,a plurality s
2、eek care for a variety of mental health issues,ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)1 to the cognitive effects of traumatic brain injury(TBI)to mental health issues associated with the transition from military to civilian life.The VA will spend approximately$7 billion this year to meet t
3、his need,serving veterans through its expansive network comprising more than 150 hospitals,800 community clinics and thousands of clinicians.However,these resources do not fully meet the needs of veterans seeking mental health care across the nation.Historically,veterans mental health care needs hav
4、e risen sharply over time,with peak expendi-tures occurring 10 to 20 years after the end of war.This was true for the Vietnam War cohort and will likely be true for the post-9/11 combat cohort as well.2 Now is the time for the VA to act decisively to meet these generations needs while it has ample r
升级VIP 