Because many veterans have been through the extreme stress of a wartime experience, VA is especially sensitive to their mental health. In fact, VA has named Serious Mental Illness as a Special Emphasis Program, which ensures that all VA medical centers offer substantial behavioral health services. Dr. Smith encourages veterans who feel they may be suffering from symptoms of depression or another mental illness to speak with their primary care provider. Other medical problems and sometimes their treatment can cause symptoms of depression or mimic other behavioral health problems, he says. The primary care provider can sometimes ease these problems by treating the medical disorder or changing a treatment.
Family members can also assist by encouraging their loved one to seek help.
For more information on depression, mental illness, or behavioral health services, call your primary care provider or your nearest VA medical center. There is help for veterans who need travel assistance to get to or from an appointment at a VA facility. Within the Network, each of the ten medical centers has an arrangement with the DAV to coordinate and provide transportation for veterans. VA supplies office space and support. For its part, DAV contributes a hospital services coordinator who organizes a staff of volunteer drivers and makes transportation arrangements for veterans in the medical center s service area.