Way, way, way too little was done in relation to PTS over the past forty some years as it was finally recognized as even existing and as a major result from the trauma of wars, which also brought recognition as to the results suffered by extreme trauma events in any individual who has lived through them. It was just ignored or those suffering from, after serving in combat theaters, soldiers and civilians, had other negative labels placed on them as those before them. As for care while sending soldiers into not one but two more wars, over this past decade, and sending many into these theaters multiple times with short dwell time between tours and even on extended tours, little to nothing was down by Congresses and especially the previous Administration as to more care, not only PTS, needs as the war budgets were rubber stamped and even off the books on borrowed money. Up until finally seeking more funds through Congress, as well as finally doing congressional hearings on the problems soldiers and the new veterans were having that serviced, thus the American people, during the past five years plus. Many of those requested funding needs were obstructed or cut much lower, as they have been for decades, in Congress still making the decades long underfunded agency well underfunded as these two wars dragged on and the needs continued to grow and haven't stopped, and won't for the decades to come even with us older war vets dying off. And the peoples representatives in Congress response is to lay blame on the VA, continued DeJa-Vu, instead of themselves and the Country who the some 1% serving take Oaths to Defend and do so Honorably!
December 1, 2011 - Despite adding billions of dollars for mental health care to Department of Veterans Affairs budgets the last four years, and the hiring of 7000 more mental health professionals at VA clinics and hospitals, many veterans with severe combat-related stress still face long waits to get the care they need.
And some VA facilities might be “gaming” appointment dates so they appear to comply with a rule that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, begin treatment within 14 days of seeking care.
Those were just two of many complaints leveled at VA officials who oversee the department’s burgeoning mental health care program during a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
The most disturbing testimony came from Michelle Washington, coordinator of PTSD services and evidence-based psychotherapy at the VA medical center in Wilmington, Del. She said staff shortages are impacting patient care as needed therapy for severe PTSD cases gets delayed by weeks or months, and scheduled appointments are sacrificed to management’s higher goal of boosting new patient enrollment figures.
“Due to chronic short staffing at my facility, and the inability to manage my patient appointments based on their individual needs, I am frequently frustrated in my ability to provide that care,” Washington said.
The evidence-based psychotherapy she uses for severe or complex PTSD cases, said Washington, involves 10 to 12 consecutive weekly sessions during which patients “re-experience” the trauma and address “erroneous beliefs” about the event so they “better process” trauma memory.
But scheduling patients for a series of weekly appointments “is very difficult at my facility,” Washington said. Patients wait as long as six weeks for their first appointment. While waiting, some patients lose their motivation for treatment while others see their PTSD worsen.
“Also, because scheduling clerks are under great pressure to bring new veterans in within 14 days, they may take one of my PTSD patient’s regular appointments for a new patient appointment, which hurts the effectiveness of my patient’s treatment,” said Washington. read more>>>
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