FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 28, 2006

CONTACT: Linda Bennett @ 202/225-9756

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/welcome.htm

Bush Administration Shortchanging
Veterans’ Mental Health Funding 

Washington, D.C. – The Bush Administration failed to fully fund its promised $300 million to address gaps in access and quality of mental health services for veterans over the last two years, according to Government Accountability Office (GAO) findings delivered to a House committee today. 

Preliminary findings of the GAO study, requested by Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME) and Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL), show that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) actually budgeted only half (approximately $53 million) of the $100 million it had committed to mental health care initiatives in fiscal year 2005.  VA also claimed to allocate another $35 million in FY 2005 through a general fund, but GAO found “VA did not notify networks that these funds were to be used for [mental health] plan initiatives” and that medical center officials “were unaware that any portion of their general allocation was to be specifically used for mental health strategic plan initiatives.”  VA did not distribute the remaining $12 million of the promised $100 million because VA officials claimed there was not enough time to distribute the monies, GAO said.   

For fiscal year 2006, GAO found that VA failed to distribute all of the promised $200 million for additional mental health care staff, allocating only $92 million for new initiatives and $66 million to continue efforts from FY 2005.  GAO reported that it is unclear whether VA medical centers will actually spend all of the FY 2006 mental health care strategic plan funds.  

“GAO’s preliminary findings reveal that, contrary to the Administration’s claims, there is no accountability for spending the resources required to fulfill VA’s own mental health plan and to address the mental health care needs of veterans.  The Administration has critically shortchanged veterans by failing to spend needed funds to address gaps in access and quality of mental health care, instead offering false claims that VA is ready and able to provide these services,” said Michaud, Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.  “Clearly, our oversight of the VA’s implementation and delivery of mental health services will have to be more vigorous.” 

One in three veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who come to the VA has mental health care concerns. 

A copy of GAO’s testimony regarding its findings is available at http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/press/109th/pdf/9-28-06gao.pdf

The full report will be released later this fall.

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