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REPORT SUMMARY

GAO releases PTSD report on VA/DOD health care—Can they meet the demand?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  September 21, 2004

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released a report, requested by Representative Lane Evans (D-IL), indicating that greater efforts and information are needed to fully address a likely increase in demand from military service personnel and veterans for treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Reporting that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lacks even a count of the total number of veterans currently receiving such treatment, the GAO report concludes that “VA cannot estimate the number of additional veterans its medical facilities and Vet Centers could treat for PTSD.”

Rep. Evans, ranking Democratic member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, also asked GAO to review the Department of Defense’s (DoD) efforts to identify servicemembers at risk for PTSD. Evans intends to use GAO’s findings to support a comprehensive PTSD bill he plans to introduce later this month. The GAO report reveals that DoD currently has only two approaches to identifying whether servicemembers are at risk for PTSD – a combat stress control program that trains servicemembers to recognize the early onset of combat stress and a post-deployment health assessment questionnaire.

“I’m far from convinced that DoD and the military service branches are doing all they can to address the mental health concerns of our troops. In my view, the GAO report, while pointing to worthy initiatives, also uncovers a paucity of effort in this regard,” said Evans.  “I particularly believe that an optional four question survey doesn’t do the trick when these individuals come home from combat, and I’m concerned that the stigma associated with seeking mental health services is an obstacle for many who might need them,” he said.

“There should be aggressive personal follow-up with returning troops since some symptoms do not become manifest for weeks and even months. DoD must work much more closely with VA and share the data VA needs to plan appropriately, and VA must review its own capabilities and position its resources accordingly to ensure a robust response to veterans’ mental health concerns,” Evans continued. According to GAO, mental health experts predict that because of the intensity of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan 15 percent or more of the servicemembers returning from these conflicts will develop PTSD, a rate that approximates the experience of Vietnam War veterans.  An Army report published in the July 2004 edition of the New England Journal of  Medicine indicated “15.6 percent to 17.1 percent of returning soldiers from Iraq exhibited signs of anxiety, major depression or other mental health problems.”

“We cannot afford to waste any time in preparing to address this important matter. Our troops will be coming home to a system that, in many cases, is treading water just to meet current veterans’ mental health needs,” said Evans.  “GAO’s independent findings should send a message to us all that DoD and VA must improve their preparation and capacity to meet the increased demand in mental health services from returning troops and their families.” Evans’ legislation will focus on early intervention, comprehensive services, quality follow-up, family involvement and counseling, and enhanced outreach.