www.va.govReport Summary
Healthcare Inspection Access to VA Mental Health Care for Montana Veterans
Report Number 08-00069-102, 3/31/2009 | Full Report (PDF)
U.S. Senators Tester and Baucus requested a review of the access to VA provided and VA purchased mental health care in Montana by Montana veterans. This review analyzed access in terms of travel time. Over 82 percent of the study veteran population had access to VA and VA-paid providers offering at least medication management or therapy within 15 minutes of travel. A travel time of half an hour increased this to 95 percent; almost all have access within an hour. Over 70 percent of the population had access to a provider with both medication and therapy services within 15 minutes of travel. A travel time of one hour increased this to 88 percent. The exception was non-OIF/OEF reserve component veterans; 12 percent of them had to travel over an hour and 4 percent had to travel over 2 hours to reach a provider with both medications and therapy. In addition, our data show that in both the Montana and non-Montana population, alcohol and drug use were common mental health diagnoses in addition to PTSD and related mental health disorders. At present, access to specialty substance use therapy is limited. We made recommendations to increase the availability of evidence-based PTSD treatment and specialty substance use treatment in Montana.