U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., raised questions about the availability of community mental health services during a Senate committee hearing on “VA Mental Health: Ensuring Access to Care.”
He questioned Government Accountability Office Health Team Director Dr. Debra Draper and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chief Consultant for Mental Health Services Dr. Harold Kudler this week during a veterans committee hearing on “VA Mental Health: Ensuring Access to Care.”
Five years of GOA investigations on the Veterans Health Administration have resulted in similar findings and recommendations outlining systemic VA failures. Sen. Moran questioned Dr. Draper on whether the VA has accepted GAO recommendations and taken action to remedy failures and deficiencies. Unfortunately for veterans, Dr. Draper indicated the VHA has not made much progress, which is why the VHA was placed on GAO’s “high-risk” list this year, according to Sen. Moran’s office.
Despite GAO recommendations to remove VHA from the “high-risk” list, little has changed within the VHA to correct the wrongs that have harmed veterans across the country in preventing access to care, even though the Veterans Choice Program was created to support veterans by offering the choice to receive care in the community, according to Sen. Moran.
To view selected videos from this committee hearing, visit: