(Washington, D.C.) - The Department of Veterans Affairs is on a hiring spree.
The VA has hired over 32,000 people since last October, bringing its total workforce to over 442,000.
Partly, it’s a move to replace almost 20,000 workers who have left the VA. Mostly, however, the push is to expand access to services for veterans, particularly for mental health treatment.
Last year, the VA tallied over 91 million outpatient visits for the 9 million veterans enrolled in its health care system. The reported cost of these services was over $112 billion.
The VA hopes to hire a total of 52,000 new employees to meet demand.
More veterans have been opting for local health care, which is easier to access, but still is billed to the VA.
Last week, 2nd District Congressman Rudy Yakym testified at the House Committee on Veterans Affairs’ Member Day Hearing. “I’ve only been in Congress for a few months, but the large number of veterans in crisis is alarming,” he told them. “I hosted a veteran town hall in early May, and mental health was the most-discussed issue. Veterans said local VA mental healthcare was disorganized, short staffed, and plagued by long wait times.” Yakym was in La Porte last month getting feedback from local veterans.
In a separate letter to the VA of Northern Indiana, Yakym stated, “More than a dozen veterans have contacted my staff to inform me that they are experiencing wait times in excess of two months to obtain an in-person appointment with a mental health professional.” He went on to say that telehealth services are not adequate, especially for veterans struggling with acute mental health issues.
