Part Four in a Five-Part Series
Providing treatment early in the course of a mental illness improves the life trajectory for those receiving treatment and costs less. One should not have to wait for a crisis to receive services. Mental illnesses affecting veterans impact an estimated 100 million Americans and cost our nation more than $1 trillion annually.
Access to timely, quality care is a huge problem for returning veterans with mental illnesses. More than 175,000 veterans with a mental illness are uninsured and have incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
The tools to help these veterans are in place. Although the system wasn't designed specifically for them, vets qualify for coverage under the new Medicaid Expansion program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or “Obamacare”). There are several evidence-based services and programs for treating depression, substance and brain disorders are creating opportunities for healthier lives for all who face these challenges. Along with those, community-based programs have plenty of resources and services that can help veterans.
So what is the problem?
We continue to see massive cuts in mental health funding at the federal and state levels that over the years has done considerable damage to our nation’s mental-health delivery system. Community-based programs in particular have seen devastating cuts, such as in trauma-care, supported housing, and supportive employment programs. Unfortunately, Congress appears to be looking for more ways—through the clumsy, meat-ax approaches like the Sequester—to reduce the federal budget deficit, rather than working to fund solutions to address the needs of returning veterans.
Let’s honor our veterans. To fulfill our national obligation, we need a mandate and the funding to deliver proper outreach and assessment techniques and evidence-based treatments for our veterans. This effort must occur where veterans receive care – the behavioral health care systems of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), on the front lines, where clinical mental health counselors can provide primary mental health care services, and community-based care.
The President’s FY 2014 Federal Budget includes $305 million in funding to support primary care providers, including clinical mental health counselors. The proposed budget would enhance the delivery of DOD’s mental health services, including increasing the number of mental health care providers in its programs, embedding more mental health providers in front line units, adding mental health providers to patient-centered medical homes, and developing outreach programs to combat the stigma and discrimination surrounding psychological disorders to encourage service-members and families to seek mental health care.
Fighting for our veterans by funding key services and programs is a battle we can all win.
AMHCA Says Thank You
Tomorrows Part Five: Clinical Mental Health Counselors Are Ready!