Are Public –Private Partnerships The Future Of Serving Veterans?

Despite hearing far too often only about the problems our veterans face, the majority of transitioning veterans return home safely—free of mental health problems—and quickly reintegrate into the communities where they will continue to serve. Unfortunately, when the media and conventional wisdom propagate the false notion that veterans as a group are broken, it contributes to the stigma many veterans feel about getting help and often prevents them from seeking care when they do need it. But when veterans do need health care—whether it’s for a physical or a behavioral health issue—they and their families do have some unique needs. The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) has long made it a priority to ensure that returning veterans and their families in the state get the care and services they need and want in their communities. We commissioned a 2011 study by the RAND Corporation that found more than half of veterans in New York State—in line with the rest of the country—prefer to receive care outside of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. It has rarely been discussed, but one of the biggest hurdles a veteran in need of care must overcome is finding resources that both they and their family can use. Among those veterans who experience mental health or substance use issues, nearly one-half of their spouses expressed difficulty dealing with their partners’ behavioral health needs. Research also shows that having a partner with post-traumati...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Featured GrantWatch Hospitals Organization and Delivery Quality Source Type: blogs