VA Struggles With Vets' Mental Health
There were calls in the Senate today for the Department of Veterans Affairs to take immediate action to deal with the hidden epidemic of suicides among veterans.
That's after our CBS News investigation revealed that, in 2005 alone, 120 of those who have served in the military took their own lives every week - more than double the suicide rate for those who haven't served.
Now the question is whether the VA is willing or able to deal with it, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.
The failure of the VA to track the alarming number of suicides nationwide among those who have served in the military appears to be part of a broader pattern - and a bigger problem.
Veterans' rights advocate Paul Sullivan was a data analyst for the VA from 2000 to 2006.
"I don't think they want to know. We call it the "don't look, don't find" policy," he said. "The VA doesn't collect data, then they don't have to do anything about it."
The mental health numbers the VA does report reveal an agency under siege: 100,000 vets now seeking help for mental health issues. That's 52,000 for post-traumatic stress disorder alone.
And now, in addition to these reports criticizing the VA's treatment and spending practices come two more blows: of nearly 90,000 Army vets who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, a study released yesterday found 28.3 percent experienced mental health problems, while the report - due out tomorrow - says while veterans are 11 percent of the general population, they now make up an estimated 25 percent of the homeless.
"When you raise your right hand and put on that uniform, you assume you're going to be taken care of," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Reickhoff is an Iraq War veteran who says despite all of the good doctors and good intentions, "the VA system is not at all prepared. This country has not ramped up resources to meet this flood of people coming home."
"We are deeply sorry to hear about any death," Katz said. "This is one of the most important things ever for us."
"I can tell you honestly, Dr. Katz, a lot of the parents I have talked to harbor enormous anger at the VA," Keteyian said.
"One of the factors that led us to develop prevention programs that go beyond those available in any other health systems, is precisely those tragedies," Katz said.
"We remake the Army after every war. We bring in new equipment. We bring in new weapons. We need to do the same thing at the VA," Reickhoff said. "It doesn't matter where you stand on the war - we've got to take care of the warriors."
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. That's after our CBS News investigation revealed that, in 2005 alone, 120 of those who have served in the military took their own lives every week - more than double the suicide rate for those who haven't served.
Now the question is whether the VA is willing or able to deal with it, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.
The failure of the VA to track the alarming number of suicides nationwide among those who have served in the military appears to be part of a broader pattern - and a bigger problem.
Veterans' rights advocate Paul Sullivan was a data analyst for the VA from 2000 to 2006.
"I don't think they want to know. We call it the "don't look, don't find" policy," he said. "The VA doesn't collect data, then they don't have to do anything about it."
The mental health numbers the VA does report reveal an agency under siege: 100,000 vets now seeking help for mental health issues. That's 52,000 for post-traumatic stress disorder alone.
And now, in addition to these reports criticizing the VA's treatment and spending practices come two more blows: of nearly 90,000 Army vets who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, a study released yesterday found 28.3 percent experienced mental health problems, while the report - due out tomorrow - says while veterans are 11 percent of the general population, they now make up an estimated 25 percent of the homeless.
"When you raise your right hand and put on that uniform, you assume you're going to be taken care of," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Reickhoff is an Iraq War veteran who says despite all of the good doctors and good intentions, "the VA system is not at all prepared. This country has not ramped up resources to meet this flood of people coming home."
The VA recently responded to such criticism by opening a suicide prevention hotline, hiring thousands of new workers, including suicide-prevention coordinators at all it's medical centers. But for those who have lost loved ones to suicide …Watch the first piece of the investigation.
FYI: Suicide Warning Signs and Getting Help.
The Data and Methodology behind this story.
"We are deeply sorry to hear about any death," Katz said. "This is one of the most important things ever for us."
"I can tell you honestly, Dr. Katz, a lot of the parents I have talked to harbor enormous anger at the VA," Keteyian said.
"One of the factors that led us to develop prevention programs that go beyond those available in any other health systems, is precisely those tragedies," Katz said.
"We remake the Army after every war. We bring in new equipment. We bring in new weapons. We need to do the same thing at the VA," Reickhoff said. "It doesn't matter where you stand on the war - we've got to take care of the warriors."
Recommended
- Gardasil Researcher Speaks Out
- Exclusive: Rape in America: Justice Denied
- How Independent Are Vaccine Defenders?
- VA Hid Suicide Risk, Internal E-Mails Show
- Child: U.S. Adoption Agency Bought Me
- FEMA To Katrina Victims: It's Payback Time
- Could Hepatitis B Vaccine Be Harmful?
- VA Accused Of Negligence Play Video
Yesterday, my step-son, who served his country proudly for 2 tours in Iraq, was convicted of murder. He has been suffering with what i believe is PTSD since he came back from his last tour. He is a decorated vet. He served his country with honor and distinction. He was awarded several medals for his service. The records that were obtained from the US military stated his service dates, but no mention of him being in Iraq. The DA said in the courtroom that he had never been on the battlefield. This is a LIE. The boy had been in the VA at Bonham and Dallas several times in the last couple of years, and they know that he suffers from PTSD. But they denied this in the paper they provided the court.
Our sons and daughters are being treated like trash by the military and the VA. They are being lied too and are being lied about by those who should be the most supportive and caring. I am a child of the sixties and I would have thought that as a nation we would have learned something in the last 40 yrs. I would have thought that these children would not have to suffer with the same ignorance and callousness that their father's and grandfather's had to endure. BUT I WAS WRONG - WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED NOTHING. WE AS A PEOPLE ARE PUNISHING AND NEGLETING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING US IN A WAR THAT THEY NEVER ASKED FOR. WE AS A NATION SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!! I AM ASHAMED FOR MY COUNTRY TODAY!!!!
Second, according to CDC 32,000 people commit suicide in America every year and the majority of them are seniors.
To say that 22 of 100,000 of a group commits suicide is one thing. If that group is only 2-3 million people, but if the other group which has 5 to 6 people commit suicide is 190 to 100 million then something is not right.
Yes, veterans of war have many mental health issues and suicide is one of them. To sensationalize this plight in the interest of rating is something all together different.
There are many real tragedies in America that need attention, veterans suicide is one, waiting four years for a Social Security disability compensation claim hearing is another which one is worse?
There are a lot of things being done here for these pts. Suicide screenings are done with every pt. If the pt. is not truthfull and willing to help us help them what are we to do?
We offer counseling: one on one and group, drug and alcohol treatment as well as an inpatient stay unit for pt. who are suicidal. I am not saying this system is perfect, no system is but I for one do respect the men and women who come here after serving their country and would NEVER think of them as something to discard "like toliet paper". And if you ask around there are plenty of vets who are happy to recieve their services here.
This is just an unpopular war and people are looking for things to complain about. Go volunter at a VA or get a job in one before you rush to judgment!
Health care is health care is healt care. . . for whom is totally irrelevant.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 01:33 AM : Nov 15, 2007
Well said!
That is terrible. But there is more than that--there are organizations helping homeless vets. But there are many vets who do their best go back into normal life--with families, jobs, friends--but still have issues that they struggle with. Sometimes these men and women deal with terrible problems and put forth heroic efforts to keep it together, but all in private or silence. But we get clues--divorce rates, suicide rates, crime rates.
So it is not JUST the homeless vets that need a little help and assistance.
Yes and with vets it is not a charity or "feel good" issue or helping those who served--this is very much about the survival of ALL OF US the U.S. We NEED those returning vets as productive members of society--parents, entrepreneurs, employees, soccer moms, whatever they are called to do. We sent them where they had experiences that left many of them needing some help to step back into society.
I wouldn''t even call it mental health--that makes them sound crazy. Actually having reactions like post-traumatic stress is how NORMAL people react to overwhelming and unrelenting stress. It''s like they have an infection and need some antibiotics.
But we cannot, as a nation, afford to write off the huge number of people who are returning in need of help.
And now, in addition to these reports criticizing the VA%u2019s treatment and spending practices come two more blows: of nearly 90,000 Army vets who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, a study released yesterday found 28.3 percent experienced mental health problems, while the report - due out tomorrow - says while veterans are 11 percent of the general population, they now make up an estimated 25 percent of the homeless.