What digital tools do you use (or want) to improve your Veteran experience?

Bridging the Gap: A Call for Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Veterans

Introduction:
In recent years, there has been a growing concern over the mental health of our veterans. Many of these brave men and women return home from service carrying the invisible scars of their experiences. Unfortunately, a significant number of veterans face barriers in accessing consistent and effective mental health care. As a society, we owe it to our veterans to provide them with the support they need and deserve. One solution to address this pressing issue is the establishment of a veteran service that allows them to seek therapy at any local facility, at no cost. By offering accessible and long-term therapy through a convenient phone application, we can help veterans overcome the challenges they face and address the root causes of their mental illnesses.

The Current Challenge:
Veterans often experience a range of mental health issues directly related to their service, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. These conditions can have a profound impact on their daily lives, leading to isolation, loneliness, and deteriorating relationships. Unfortunately, many veterans face significant obstacles when trying to access the care they desperately need. Long waiting times, limited resources, and financial constraints can hinder their ability to receive consistent therapy. This results in a vicious cycle where the underlying problems are left unaddressed, exacerbating their mental health struggles.

The Benefits of a Comprehensive Veteran Service:
Implementing a veteran service that provides access to therapists at any local facility, completely free of charge, would be a game-changer. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Accessibility: By utilizing a phone application for booking appointments, veterans can easily access therapy services from anywhere, eliminating geographical barriers. This approach allows them to receive care without having to travel long distances or face transportation challenges, ensuring more veterans can access therapy when they need it.

2. Long-term Care: Providing veterans with the opportunity for long-term therapy establishes a consistent support system. This consistency is essential for addressing the root causes of their mental illnesses and fostering sustained healing and recovery.

3. Reducing Stigma: Offering therapy through a dedicated service for veterans helps destigmatize mental health issues within the military community. It sends a powerful message that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a courageous step towards healing and well-being.

4. Holistic Approach: Comprehensive mental health services would not only focus on therapy but also encompass a wide range of treatment options. This could include access to support groups, medication management, and additional resources tailored to the unique needs of veterans. By taking a holistic approach, we can provide veterans with a well-rounded support system to address their mental health concerns effectively.

Supporting Our Veterans:
Establishing a comprehensive veteran service requires collaboration between government entities, healthcare providers, and mental health organizations. Key steps to ensure the success of such a service include:

1. Government Investment: Governments should allocate adequate funding to develop and maintain the infrastructure required for the phone application and the therapy services. This investment would demonstrate a commitment to supporting our veterans and their mental health needs.

2. Collaboration with Mental Health Professionals: Partnering with mental health professionals who have experience working with veterans is crucial. Their expertise will help tailor therapy approaches to the unique challenges faced by those who have served in the armed forces.

3. Raising Public Awareness: Public awareness campaigns can help dispel myths surrounding mental health in the military and promote the importance of seeking therapy. Education initiatives can foster understanding, empathy, and support for our veterans.

Conclusion:
Our veterans have made significant sacrifices for our country, and it is our responsibility to ensure their well-being when they return home. By implementing a comprehensive veteran service that offers accessible and long-term therapy through a phone application, we can address the mental health challenges faced by veterans and provide them with the care they deserve.

Thanks folks.

I use Apps to connect with MyVaHealth for most of my VA needs.

Less digital and more humans. I feel like the more digital options the VA has and uses, the more lost the veterans get in the system. I recommend paying those who work for the VA MORE money and simplifying the technology with high quality, user friendly options. Equip those who serve our veterans with the tools they need and the pay they deserve.

As a disabled pregnant veteran, it has been an endless pain in the ass not having a physical insurance card for my maternity care appointments which are all outside of the VA Hospital and ran through VA CCN (Community Care Network).

The CCN is awesome at taking care of us but out in the community I can't tell you how many times I show up for an ultrasound or labwork at the same hospital I have all my prenatal appointments at and I get lectured on how I need to go to a VA Hospital for a cervical check or ultrasound or GD screen when in total reality the whole purpose of me going elsewhere is because VA Hospitals don't deliver babies. It's infuriating and it often extends my appointments by literal hours. It's like an extra battle to be pregnant and get VA care covered.

I think a lot could be done to make assistance and proof of insurance more available to pregnant veterans so that our experience isn't so stressful. It's pretty shocking how often hospital administrators talk to me like I'm an idiot and at the wrong hospital. I've honestly never felt so unwelcome as I do being pregnant and a veteran. This needs to change. In every single situation they eventually find my VA authorization in their system but because the VA provides ME no physical proof I'm constantly getting a run around even when visiting the same hospital but different departments. There needs to be an easier way to make this possible and digital tools could totally be a part of the solution.

The My HealtheVet website (http://www.myhealth.vet.gov) and Video Connect appointments are both excellent digital tools. The My HealtheVet website empowers Veterans to refill prescriptions, keep track of their appointments, talk to their healthcare professionals via secure messages, and view, print, or download their medical records. Video Connect appointments empower Veterans to conduct medical appointments in the comfort of their homes. I believe in the importance of these tools so much that I am creating a California nonprofit called "PCs for Vets" (http://www.pcsforvets.org) to provide Veterans with the tools (cell phones, laptops, iPads, PCs, and Internet Access) they need to access these vital resources (and teach them how to use them). My motto is "Empowering Veterans Through Technology".

I am a dinosaur technology speaking. No computer skills and very little phone time to get skill only have a phone since 2017
I have an iPad from the veterans administration by the way you must make one video visit per 6 months to keep your iPad
There needs to be a simpler way for elderly people to be able to do things online
The veterans administration is a quagmire and without help an elderly person will be totally lost I am 66 and I am hard-headed and persistent is the only way I was able to negotiate the veterans benefits administration.
Please we need a computer for the elderly because technology was invented just to confound us LOL
One other thing always promptly respond and send paperwork back according to the va timetable.
If you do not respond they will take all benefits until you do respond LOL
God bless you all

I have a good VA Rep in Missoula. But I would like to have access to my records without a big hassle or months of waiting. I asked for a updated medal paperwork and 3 years later they sent it to an old address that I moved 2 years ago. So I couldn't change my address even after a few phone calls.

how about a phone book with actual working numbers answered by humans not A.I or robots

As a primary care provider in the VA I would love to see iPads or other electronic devices that would enable patients to complete (or decline) the multitude of check-in questionnaires we have while in the waiting room. Ideally this would automatically upload to the chart before they are called back for vitals checks and would significantly improve our ability to increase our efficiency while saving time so we can deal with more of their concerns.

Wish there was a tool that reflected all stores that give "true" veteran discounts. And that stores/owners would be educated in what the term "Veteran" means. When my husband goes to reported Veteran discount places... They tell him he needs to provide a military id that doesn't have an expiration date. This frustrates him/us a lot, the lack of education in this matter.