Why I cannot support the latest "effort" to prevent suicides tied to military service

There is not a day that goes by when I do not hear about veterans complaining about what they are not getting at the same time reporters continue to simply push the message of what the DOD and the VA "are doing."

While it would be easier for me to just jump on the growing number of bloggers heals, I'd rather be able to sleep at night. The simple fact is none of the bills coming out of congress did what they were supposed to do. Suicides tied to military life went up after they decided to spend billions a year on what doesn't work.

We've seen the line of members of congress make grand speeches, pretending they have the answers when they apparently don't even understand the questions. We've also seen the line of veterans taking their own lives, facing off with police officers, crashing vehicles and ending up homeless. We see the destruction instead of healing and that is a pitiful place to be watching all of this from.

The outside world can cheer all they want about the latest bill needing to be passed but the rest of us are paying the price for how easily accepted as better than nothing these bills actually turn out to be.

So here is the bottom line and why we have been seeing the wrong results from all they have done thus far.

Over 80% of Veterans with PTSD Believe Current VA Treatment is Ineffective
IVN
By Wendy Innes
December 4, 2014

The Clay Hunt bill would also examine discharge characteristics for individuals with PTSD to ensure that those with PTSD aren’t dishonorably discharged for problems related to their PTSD and thus keep them from getting treatment at the VA. It would also establish a drug take-back program and allow the VA to work with veterans service organizations to help prevent suicides.

While this bill aims to make strides in mental health care, there are those who are critical of some of the provisions. In particular, there are some who question repaying student loans for new providers.

According to The Warriors’ Hope Project, only 16 percent of veterans believe the treatment they currently receive at the VA has been effective at treating their PTSD symptoms, which consists primarily of medication. The Warriors’ Hope Project asserts that the money that would be spent on this program could be better used in other ways, instead of paying for more psychiatrists to prescribe more medications.

According to The Warriors’ Hope Project, while both the Senate and House versions of the bill contain important provisions, neither go far enough to have a substantive impact on PTSD or veteran suicide.

The most important recommendation The Warriors’ Hope Project makes is to expand access to mental health care in the private sector. This would mean that veterans can seek out whatever help they feel is most beneficial to them and with whatever provider they are comfortable with.

Currently if a veteran wants to use a provider in the civilian world, they must pay for it out-of-pocket.

It’s unclear if either the Senate or House version of the bill will make it out of committee before the new session of Congress begins in January.
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