Obama ordering VA to add staff, see suicidal vets within 24 hours

[Emit]

Source: Stars and Stripes

Obama ordering VA to add staff, see suicidal vets within 24 hours

Published: August 31, 2012

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama signed an executive order Friday directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand mental health services and suicide prevention efforts.

The president made the announcement in a speech to troops at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was scheduled to hold a roundtable with soldiers and their families.

Much of what’s outlined in the executive order are initiatives that were previously announced earlier this summer by the VA.

Obama is instructing the VA to ensure that any veteran with suicidal thoughts is seen by a mental health professional within 24 hours — a standard already set for the VA, but which the department often fails to meet.

~snip~

Read more: http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/obama-ordering-va-to-add-staff-see-suicidal-vets-within-24-hours-1.187550#.UEEGe__a3og.facebook

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. The VA needs to get on this, and pronto.

So many of our veterans are dying while the bureaucrats fiddle around.

[coldbeer]

5. I was able to join the VA last week.

I turned 65. I also gained Medicare A and B. I bought more
insurance to help Medicare. I joined the VA for healthcare
and help on prescription drugs. (Made possible by the social
security I paid for for almost 50 years)

What really amazed me is how they treated me as an
honored guest and encouraged me to take advantage of the
VA programs such as weight loss and end-of-life. I now have
reliable insurance and expert medical care - anywhere in the
country! WOW!!!

Finally getting paid back for those two miserable years
back in '67, 68, & 69.

My insurance changed from $400/month with a $10,000
deductable per year to $200/month with no deductable and drugs
less than half-cost.

[mountain grammy]

2. The President has been strong for vets yet they need and deserve more

not a word about service people or vets from the GOP nominees.

[gateley]

3. Thank God!

[longship]

4. Wonder if Tammy Duckworth was in on this?

She was under Sec'y of Veterans Affairs.

She's also running for Congress in IL against a real tea party douche bag named Joe Walsh.

She should win. But she needs help. Do what you can.

Tammy Duckworth for Congress

Her Wikipedia page: Tammy Duckworth

She is a class act and will be speaking next week at the DNC convention.

Sorry for highjacking your thread. But thought that Vets would be interested in this Iraqi war vet (Apache pilot!)
running for Congress, if they didn't already know of her. Look her up. Her story is a bit astounding.

[kas125]

6. I can't wait to hear her debate that idiot, Joe Walsh.

Join WCPT AM & FM as we present a debate for the Eighth Congressional District featuring Democratic candidate Lt. Col. Tammy Duckworth and Republican incumbant Rep. Joe Walsh at The Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, IL, Tuesday October 9th starting at 7pm. This debate will be moderated by author and political analyst Dr. Paul Green of Roosevelt University. There will also be a questions panel consisting of WCPT's own Dick Kay,and Steve Cochran of AM 560 WIND. This debate will be simulcast "LIVE" on WCPT AM & FM and AM 560 WIND from 7pm to 9pm.

http://chicagosprogressivetalk.com/events/

[arely staircase]

7. more socialist nonsense

those vets need to pull themselves up by their prosthetic bootstraps.

people with dancing horses need and deserve that $.

[oldsarge54]

8. Want to Bet?

I'm am sure at conservative blogs they will say that the President is being a dictator and circumventing congress. Anyone want to bet? (Imaginary money please, I'm no Romney, I'm a vet.

[Ineeda]

9. K&R

[silverchair]

10. Welcoming news

As a VA employee, this is good news. President Obama has done more for our vets than the previous Pres. Thanks for your service, coldbeer. I'm happy to hear that the VA is treating you well.

[Iggy]

11. This is Good News

of course... but how long to implement this? six months?

[bucolic_frolic]

12. An Executive Order for Human Benefit

The timing seems political, why wasn't this done 6 12 18 months ago?

But it finally has been done, a good use of government for our most
vulnerable and most patriotic.

I could never see MittWitt doing this, it would be against the
Darwinist, Survival-of-the-Fittest, You're-on-your-Own, Ayn Rand,
small government, cut spending principles of the GOP.

Now if it were for military hardware, and brought profits to defense
contractors, they'd have their checkbooks out yesterday.

[rocktivity]

13. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

And it creates jobs to (combat) boot!


rocktivity

[cbayer]

14. Great plan but going to be near impossible to accomplish.

The shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals in this country is already a crisis and nothing is being done to address that.

[Tx4obama]

15. Here's a link with all the details of the Executive Order

Fact Sheet: President Obama Signs Executive Order to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families

Here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/31/fact-sheet-president-obama-signs-executive-order-improve-access-mental-h

[flamingdem]

16. K&R

[totodeinhere]

17. There has never been a president more considerate of veterans than President Obama.

Of course the GOP gives lip service to a strong national defense, but when it come right down to it they want to cut veterans' benefits.