The Madison Veterans Affairs hospital is hosting a conference that’s designed to improve coordination of mental health services at the local level.
The conference, which is being held on Monday, will include more than a hundred mental health professionals, some from the Department of Veterans Affairs and others from community organizations.
Tim Donovan, a spokesman for the VA hospital in Madison, said mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, are significant challenges for veterans and their families.
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“PTSD is, of course, one of the signature wounds of current military operations in Afghanistan and those that have recently been concluded in Iraq,” said Donovan. “But mental health embraces other factors, including veterans who are dealing with addiction and other problems outside what would normally be considered post-traumatic stress.“
A government study released a year ago found the rate of Army suicides had soared since the start of the Iraq War in 2003. Last week, a bill was introduced in Congress to try and reduce that number. It would require the Pentagon and the National Guard to review mental health staffing levels in each state.
The legislation also would require an annual independent evaluation of all mental health and suicide-prevention programs at the Department of Defense and at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The issue of homeless veterans will also be addressed at the conference.
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