Veterans' suicide deaths blamed on VA mismanagement

Veterans' deaths blamed on VA mismanagement
My FOX Atlanta
Posted: May 06, 2013
By Trey Thomas
ATLANTA

Charges of mismanagement at the Veterans Administration Medical center in Decatur brought a key lawmaker to town on Monday.

Florida Rep. Jeff Miller, the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, talked to managers at the Atlanta VA Medical Center after a VA audit blamed mismanagement for the deaths of three veterans.

"I think the words that I used were, 'If I find out after I leave here that you have lied and not told me the truth, I will make the very ground that you walk on shake,'" Miller said.

The VA Office of Inspector General report says a lack of effective patient care management and program oversight caused problems with mental health care access for vets.

Georgia Rep. David Scott says it's unacceptable.

"Lack of tracking that have caused three of our veterans to commit suicide. We are determined to do everything we can to cut down on the high rate of suicide among our veterans," Scott said.
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