VA Busted On Mental Health Care Numbers

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was called out yesterday by the Inspector General on the claim that 95% of its patients are evaluated for mental health problems and begin receiving treatment within the 14-day goal. This is demonstrably false. In truth, only about half were evaluated within the two week window.

The VA Inspector General confirmed that only 64% are treated within 14 days, and the rest wait nearly six weeks on average before starting their treatment. The VA’s “mental health performance data is not accurate or reliable,” the inspector general concluded, adding that the department “overstated its success.”

On the time it takes to begin treatment, the probe corroborated findings by a USA TODAY analysis published Nov. 9 which revealed that about a third of VA patients wait longer than 14 days to start treatment.

For more information on the Inspector General’s findings, please click here.

 

Similar Posts