Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs to hire more mental health staff for Michigan services
As a part of a nationwide strategy to bolster mental health services for veterans, the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System will be hiring 21 clinicians over the next six months.
Across the country, the Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced it would be adding about 1,600 mental health clinicians and about 300 support staff positions.
Members of the Michigan ROTC salute during a 2010 Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The healthcare system will be hiring about 21 mental health clinicians in the next six months as a part of a national effort to increase mental health care for veterans.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Since 2009, the VA has increased its budget for mental health by 39 percent, partially in response to the 35 percent increase in the number of veterans receiving mental health services since 2007.
The additional funding and staff, both in Michigan and in the U.S., will allow for better individualized care and further development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatments.
The VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System serves the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and employs 151 mental health clinicians.
The national directive to hire additional staff will result in a net increase in nine positions in the healthcare system, as retirements and turnover occurs this year, McDivitt said.
Additions to the staff include seven social work case managers and two psychologists.
The hirings will allow the system to better manage its complex, high-intensity outpatient programs, substance use disorder clinic and PTSD clinic, McDivitt said.
The healthcare system gets the bulk of its funding federally appropriated, and has already been allocated the funds needed to hire more staff.
The allocation allows the healthcare system “to continue a journey we’ve been on in the last several years: Recognizing the needs of our returning combat veterans,” McDivitt said.
About 25 to 30 percent of the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of a mental disorder or cognitive condition, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, issued in 2008.
New hires will be spread across the healthcare system’s locations in Ann Arbor, Flint, Jackson and Toledo. Job listings will be posted online.
In the 2012 fiscal year, the system expects to serve almost 60,000 veterans - 10,000 more than it served in 2011, McDivitt said.
The fastest-growing clinic has been Flint, McDivitt said, which has reported a 12- to 14- percent increase in the number of new veterans it serves in the past year. Ann Arbor has seen an increase of 2-3 percent.
The populations of new cases are both a generation of veterans returning from the global war on terror and an aging group of Vietnam-era veterans, McDivitt said.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
Trisha Carey
Tue, Jun 19, 2012 : 1:31 a.m.
I think the different colleges in the area have done an excellent job of also reaching out to the returning veterans as all do not use / nor want to use the VA healthcare systems. I pray for more local outreach programs to help these young and those from past wars for socializing and peer support.
Enso
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
Taxpayers are going to be paying for George Bush's wars for the rest of their life. I hope they were worth it. That being said, I hope it's enough. Never before have we had so few soldiers on deployment for so long. And then to be in a country where much of the population is hostile and you are constantly looking over your shoulder for years... that type of mental stress is always going to have a consequence.
a2citizen
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 10:16 p.m.
As someone who is there everyday, I wouldn't be.
Enso
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 5:36 p.m.
As someone who is at the VA several times a week, you'd be surprised.
a2citizen
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 5:21 p.m.
enso, most VA patients today are from LBJ's war.
Birddive
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 2:38 p.m.
The link to the job postings is incorrect. The correct address is http://www.vacareers.va.gov/.
Amy Biolchini
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 2:48 p.m.
I've fixed the link in the body of the copy -- it should work now. Thanks.
Adam Betz
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 12:34 p.m.
Correction from my above comment "As far as the mental health field goes, my main concern is that they are hiring not kids my age right out of college with no background in the military or war themselves." I meant to say, "my main concern is that they may be hiring kids my age right out of college with no background in the military or war themselves."
towncryer
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 2:58 p.m.
Maybe a balance of both would be nice? Out of curiosity, as Vets, do you feel that a person who did not serve would be more or less judgmental (I know psyche help is not suppose to be judgmental but a patient might have anxiety about that) of a Vet's psychological struggles?
MikeB
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 1:55 p.m.
While I understand your concern is there not something to be said for objectivity and professional training? We had a lot of luck setting up Vet to Vet "Rap Sessions" when we set up Chapters of the Vietnam Veterans of America back in the 70's but our main contribution was making it OK to talk about your experiences - that did not always solve the problem but to surface it or make it OK to seek treatment (although there really were not any treatment options then) rather than solving the problem. Very few really understand how stressful active military duty and combat are. Your peers and fellow combat participants are the only ones who will get the full respect of the Vets from Afghanistan but that does not mean that they can't get help from those who have not been in Afghanistan. Good luck!
Adam Betz
Mon, Jun 18, 2012 : 12:32 p.m.
I have a lot of good things to say about the Ann Arbor VA. It seems a majority of their staff has a sincere desire to assist Michigan veterans. I consider myself lucky to be a veteran who lives in Washtenaw County and be able to get great care from folks who actually care about us. The Director of the A2 VA is a man I've had the pleasure to meet a few times and he genuinely cares about his patients who utilize the services at the VA. As far as the mental health field goes, my main concern is that they are hiring not kids my age right out of college with no background in the military or war themselves. The VA really needs people who have had skin in the game in the current war we're fighting. The unit I'm currently in Afghanistan with will be arriving home this year and there will be guys needing treatment, all Michigan Soldiers and for many, their first deployment. The last thing they want is someone their own age who doesn't realize we're still over here eating sand trying to help them through readjustment issues or PTS.
Trisha Carey
Tue, Jun 19, 2012 : 1:25 a.m.
totally agree with you Adam. The other thing is having MH adminstrative positions run by staff members born in other countries, they might actually have third world countries combat experiences but not the cultural upbringing or college education in the United States.