McNerney Announces Meeting with VA Secretary

Press Release

MCNERNEY ANNOUNCES MEETING WITH VA SECRETARY

Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) announced that he will meet with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson on July 12 to discuss the availability of services at the French Camp Outpatient Clinic as well as maintaining the current level of service at the Livermore Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the possibility of opening a PTSD clinic there.

Rep. McNerney sent Secretary Nicholson a letter on Thursday, May 17, requesting such a meeting. Today, Rep. McNerney sent Secretary Nicholson a follow up letter outlining his concerns regarding the current level of treatment for veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The text of the letter appears below.

June 21, 2007

The Honorable James Nicholson, Secretary
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Nicholson,

In anticipation of our meeting on July 12, I read, with great interest, the series of stories in the Washington Post over the past week, regarding the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric illnesses afflicting returning veterans. These stories demonstrate in excruciating detail how debilitating and destructive PTSD and other mental health problems can be. They also highlight how the current treatment system is unable to sufficiently address these problems in a timely manner.

According to the Post series and a report by the DOD's Task Force on Mental Health, released earlier this month, we are failing to meet the current needs of our veteran population and rapidly falling behind the accelerated demand for mental health care wrought by the operational tempo of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

As you know, there are many other health-related concerns facing our veterans who return home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the most alarming of these concerns is the high incidence of traumatic brain injury, a potentially debilitating condition that is generally considered the signature injury of these conflicts. In May, I introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to help address some of these concerns by establishing a Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury, a body that can facilitate internal VA assessment of its ability to treat the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury.

It is incumbent upon us to ensure that our brave men and women return to civilian life as healthy and productive members of society, free from the wounds of battle, to the greatest extent possible. We must act immediately to address the need for continuing mental health care so that we may prevent a grave injustice for our veterans, their families and friends, and our nation. I know you share my concerns in that regard.

My constituents, especially those from San Joaquin County, serve their country in the Armed Services at a higher rate than those from many other regions of the country. As a result, they are exposed to a greater danger of injury or death and will return from battle with greater need for support.

As I mentioned to you when you testified in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and reiterated in my follow up letter, the Livermore Veterans Affairs Medical Center presents a unique opportunity as a facility that could address some of the concerns raised by the Mental Health Task Force and the Washington Post reports. The Livermore campus sits on a peaceful, serene hillside nestled in the foothills to the south of Livermore. The campus' idyllic location could serve as a refuge for veterans requiring inpatient treatment for PTSD and other mental health needs as well as a relaxing setting for veterans requiring long-term, TBI-related rehabilitation.

At our July 12 meeting, I look forward to discussing the possibility of beginning PTSD-specific treatment at the Livermore VAMC and expanding the services at the French Camp Outpatient Facility, the only VA medical facility located in San Joaquin County. Again, thank you for taking the time to meet with me to discuss these and other issues of great importance to my constituents.

Sincerely,
Jerry McNerney
Member of Congress

Source