Congress Passes Sweeping Veterans' Mental Health Legislation

Congress Passes Sweeping Veterans' Mental Health Legislation
Akaka notes that bill is a tribute to Justin Bailey, an Iraq War veteran lost to suicide
By Jesse Broder Van Dyke, 9/27/2008 11:37:38 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, expressed great satisfaction with Senate passage of S. 2162, a sweeping veterans’ mental health care bill. S. 2162, the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, passed the Senate today by unanimous consent. The bill makes various improvements to veterans’ mental health care and other forms of health care, and is a tribute to Iraq war veteran Justin Bailey.

“Justin’s story is far too common: he survived the war in Iraq only to be lost to PTSD and substance abuse-related suicide,” said Akaka. “Invisible wounds such as PTSD are an injury - and an enemy - that many veterans face when they return home from war. This bill will provide better mental health support for our wounded warriors.”

S. 2162’s improvements to veterans’ mental health care include:

Setting a standard minimum level of care for substance use disorder, and creating innovative enhancements to treatment

Improving treatment to veterans with multiple disorders, such as PTSD and substance use disorder

Mandating a review of VA’s residential mental health care facilities, to ensure that they are adequately staffed

Creating a research program on PTSD and substance use disorder, in cooperation with the National Center for PTSD

Enabling VA to provide mental health services to veterans’ families, and setting up a program to aid the families of returning servicemembers
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Text of this Bill
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s2162/text