The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) is supposed to ensure people who engage in protected disclosure — whistleblowers — are free from fear of retaliation for bringing problems to light. But in many instances, the Department of Veterans Affairs tries to silence VA staff who speak up about wrongdoing at the department. The… Read more »
According to American Addiction Centers, more than 6,100 military veterans, about 17 per day, took their own lives in 2020. Between 2001 and 2020, mental health or substance use disorder among those using Department of Veterans Affairs health care rose from 27.9% to 41.9%. The addiction and mental health crises for veterans are real and… Read more »
Veterans face unique challenges when it comes to their physical and mental health care. The dangers they are exposed to, both in training and combat, put them at risk of neurological injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. It’s all the more important that they have access to quality care at home to properly treat brain injuries… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ switch to a new electronic health records system has proven to be tumultuous for both veterans and VA staffers. For veterans, things have taken a dark turn as an alarming discovery has come out of the facilities testing the updated system. There have been more than 150 cases of veterans… Read more »
What happens when the Department of Veterans Affairs tried to keep control of a veteran’s health care delivery instead of letting him find better care in the community? In CVA Strategic Director Nate Banks’ case, his mental and physical health suffer. United States Navy veteran Nate Banks sat down with Jeff Crank for another episode… Read more »
You might think behavior like “creating a hostile work environment” or “treating staff as personal assistants” or forcing “subordinates to buy lunches and handle transportation to and from work” would be enough to get an employee fired from his or her job. But when it comes to the Department of Veterans Affairs, you’d be wrong. … Read more »
Last year, Vietnam veteran Rayford Hill was denied clinically proven treatment for his chronic pain from his local Department of Veterans Affairs facility. The pain for too much for Rayford to bear, so a few weeks after he was denied the treatment he sought, he planned his own funeral and took his own life. Rep…. Read more »
