Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the "Vet Center Enhancement Act of 2005." This legislation would enhance care and services provided through Vet Centers. Since their establishment over 25 years ago, Vet Centers have become a safe place in the community where more and more veterans and their families have turned for assistance and services. This legislation would provide resources that Vet Centers need to serve and reach out to the growing number of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans and surviving family members.
The legislation would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire an additional 50 Global War on Terror outreach coordinators, strike the three-year authorization provision for these outreach workers, clarify that Vet Centers can provide bereavement counseling to family members including parents, and provide more funding for the Vet Center program.
In February 2004, VA authorized the Vet Center program to hire 50 OEF/OIF veterans to conduct outreach to their fellow Global War on Terrorism veterans. There are still many OEF/OIF veterans in need of readjustment services, which requires more workers. This legislation would authorize the hiring of 50 additional outreach coordinators to reach this underserved population of veterans. In addition, this legislation would also repeal the three-year authorization provision placed on these positions.
The number of brave servicemembers who die while defending freedom continues to rise, leaving many surviving family members in need for help. Under current law, VA has the authority to provide bereavement counseling to the immediate family. However, it is necessary to clarify that parents of a deceased servicemember qualify for this bereavement counseling and that such care could be provided at Vet Centers. This legislation would make the clarifications.
A recent article in the Washington Post detailed a mother's experience after her son was killed in Iraq and how she finally felt relief at an unexpected place, a Vet Center. The article also provided information concerning the Vet Center bereavement program and discussed the need for clarification of the Vet Center bereavement care program. Mr. President, this article paints a clear picture of the distress that surviving family members endure as a result of the death of a beloved soldier. I ask unanimous consent that the text of The Washington Post article be printed in the RECORD following this statement. As the War on Terrorism persists, the number of veterans seeking readjustment counseling and related mental health services through Vet Centers will continue to grow. Experts predict that as many as 30 percent of those returning servicemembers may need psychiatric care. For these returning servicemembers who have suffered psychological wounds, the stigma surrounding these types of wounds creates a barrier that often times prevents them from seeking the care they need. Vet Centers, which have licensed mental health professionals, provide a means to overcome this barrier because of the center's location in the community and because veteran staff members can relate to the experiences of the veterans seeking services. In 2004, Vet Centers cared for 9,597 OEF/OIF veterans and 2005 projections are that Vet Centers will see 12,656 OEF/OIF veterans.
Despite increases in the number of veterans coming for care to Vet Centers, the budget for the program has remained stagnant. This legislation would authorize funding for the program from $93 million to $180 million.
Mr. President, we must make the readjustment period for the returning service members and the surviving family members of deceased servicemembers as smooth as possible.
