VA Investigation: Richard Miles Not Denied Service Before Suicide

Investigation into suicide finds VA did not deny service
Des Moines Register
Brianne Pfannenstiel
June 10, 2015

A federal review found the Veterans Affairs Medical Center did not deny services to a veteran who was found dead in a Des Moines park five days after seeking mental health services there.

However, it noted the hospital should not have discontinued the case management services it had been providing him.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst called for the investigation in February after a passerby found the frozen body of 41-year-old Richard Miles in Water Works Park.

The Iraq war veteran suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression and had a history of suicide attempts. He had sought care at the center five days before he was found dead. An autopsy later confirmed his suicide.

The report was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs office of Inspector General. It investigated claims that Miles did not receive services he requested and that he had received a poor quality of care. The investigation also reviewed all aspects of the mental health programs available at VA Central Iowa Health Care System.

The report found that Miles had not requested long-term mental health services and that his clinical condition at the time did not warrant inpatient admission.

Internal policies allow the mental health provider up to seven work days to follow up on a routine requested consult. Those seven days had not elapsed by the time Miles' body was found.

However, the report's authors did note that Miles had previously been assigned a case management worker who should have been checking in with him.
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