The VA Promise

The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health report issues mandates that the VA has promised to act upon. Some of them are: Involve consumers and families fully in orienting the mental health system toward recovery. Align relevant federal programs to improve access and accountability for mental health services; and develop peer support programs as an adjunct to mental health services. Develop paid positions for veteran(s) within the facility. Network to work with mental health leadership in developing peer-to-peer programs. In response to the recommendations of the commission report, the VA developed its own agenda for transforming mental health care delivery in the VA system. Some excerpts from that agenda include the following initiatives:

• Commit to recovery-based, veteran- and family-centered mental health programs.
• Recognize mental health programs as uniquely important to veterans' overall health care.
• Promote research programs based on recovery, and find means to prevent and cure mental illness.
• Require cultural competence and diversity in VA programs and staff.
• Require cultural competence as well as knowledge of military culture, veterans' experiences in combat arenas and its impact on veterans' health.

Veteran peer advocates can embrace these mandates and work with the VA to help transform the system.

Women Veterans

Under served and under recognized does not begin to justifiably describe the conditions surrounding our military women. I offer this link as a valuable insight to the importance of Veteran advocacy.

http://media.iava.org/IAVA_WomensReport_2009.pdf