Sweeping Mental Health Bill Passes

Week of October 20, 2008

President Bush has signed in to law the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, which makes significant improvements in areas of veterans' health care. These improvements include setting a standard minimum level of care for substance use disorder; improving treatment to veterans with multiple disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder; and mandating a review of VA's residential mental health care facilities to ensure that they are adequately staffed; the bill pays tribute to Justin Bailey, an Iraq war veteran who returned from combat only to lose his life to PTSD and an accidental overdose of prescription medications. "Now that S. 2162 has been enacted, VA can incorporate these provisions to improve its strategy against the injury and enemy of PTSD and other invisible wounds," said Akaka. Read the full article on Military.com.