For Immediate Release Monday, August 20, 2007	CONTACT: Stephanie Valencia (Salazar) – 202-228-3630 Tara Hendershott (Allard) – 202-224-5944
Colorado Senators’ Request to Improve DOD Mental Health Practices Gains Progress GAO to Conduct a Fourth Study on Veterans Mental Health Care WASHINGTON, D.C. – In July, Senators Salazar and Allard received notification that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will conduct three studies regarding Veterans mental health and traumatic brain injury (TBI) issues in response to a letter from the Senators urging the GAO to improve Department of Defense (DOD) mental health care practices. The Senators encouraged the GAO to broaden its review of DOD screenings, diagnoses, referrals and treatment of service members. A copy of their joint letter is available by clicking here. Senators Allard and Salazar announced today that the GAO will conduct a fourth study on Veterans mental health care. The additional study will evaluate the information that the DOD and Department of Veterans Affairs obtain through the Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) process regarding the potential need for mental health services for National Guard and Reserve service members. The study will be completed by the end of January, 2008. “Our United States military is entitled to exceptional health care,” said Senator Allard. “I am pleased that the GAO has agreed to our request and continues to recognize areas that require further review. I look forward to the GAO results so we can continue to work in a bipartisan manner to improve these important services for our armed forces.” “America’s fighting men and women have earned the right to have the best health care available; it is our duty to ensure that they receive that care,” said Senator Salazar. “The information from these studies will help us continue to improve mental health care for troops returning home from deployments, including our National Guard and reservists. I look forward to the results of the GAO’s studies and thank them for their attention to this issue.” The GAO’s initial response to the Senators’ letter described the following three studies that the GAO will complete on Veterans mental health and traumatic brain injury (TBI) issues: 1.) A study of VA’s policies and treatment of veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (to be completed by December 2007) 2.) A study of the implementation of DOD requirements to enhance pre and post-deployment screenings for mental health conditions and TBI, including an assessment of the referral system and minimum mental health standards for deployment eligibility (study design to be completed by September 2007) 3.) A study of DOD’s implementation of the Mental Health Assessment Teams’ reports, and a review of policies pertaining to personality disorder discharges (study design to be completed by November 2007) # # #