Perhaps due to awareness of illnesses, the Department of Veterans Affairs said the number of former service members has risen by a third over the past five years, but are there enough veterans benefits for mental healthcare to go around? NPR said the agency is trying to boost funding and standards, but it may still be lacking in mental health care for the men and women returning home.
Paul Rieckhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America told the news source that an investigation shows that VA statistics are skewed to make them look better than they actually are. VA said any vet asking for help should be evaluated within 24 hours and begin treatment in two weeks, which the department said happens in the majority of cases.
“It illustrates, in incredible clarity, how dysfunctional the VA system is right now for thousands of veterans around the country,” Rieckhoff told NPR.
One activist from Veterans for Common Sense told the news source that the government has been too slow to react to mental illness by many veterans, something that has shown can be dangerous over a long period of time. Veterans in need may need to seek out help to ensure they get the benefits that are coming to them.
The Law Offices of Harold W. Conick and Associates are experts in securing evidence to prove mental illness of veterans. PTSD is just one of many issues affecting the men and women defending our freedom.