Washington, D.C.- Continuing efforts to make sure all of Oregon’s veterans have access to
the quality medical care they deserve, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and
Jeff Merkley (D- Ore.) announced today that the Portland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center will receive $1.9 million to improve mental health treatment for
veterans in rural Oregon.
“As more and more of our
veterans confront the sometimes severe mental health effects of serving in a
very dangerous environment, we must commit to providing the best possible
treatment to get these men and women back on their feet,” Wyden said.
“This funding will provide resources to better reach veterans in rural Oregon,
get them the mental health care they deserve, and create much needed support
structures within rural communities.”
“It is our responsibility to help our service men and
women address the challenges facing them when they return from overseas,”
Merkley said. “Some of them are far from the services provided on major
bases and big cities. We cannot leave our rural veterans behind. This
funding for mental health services and support groups is one of the most
important ways we can support our veterans.”
Operating as part of the
Office of Rural Health Funds Distribution Program, the Oregon Rural Mental
Health Implementation program will provide a three-pronged system for improving
access for Oregon veterans to mental healthcare treatment. Building off
of the expertise of the Portland VA Medical Center, the program will extend the
existing Nurse Care Manager models to reach more veterans in rural areas
suffering from mental health issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
depression, substance misuse, and anxiety.
Also included in the
program are improvements to the tested group tele-video treatment for PTSD
patients including Exposure Based Treatments, and Acceptance and Commitment
Therapies. These programs use tele-video technology to treat patients who have
experienced extreme levels of trauma. The program will also fund outreach
within Bend, North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast, The Dalles,
Eugene, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls to
assist veterans in the treatment process. Senators Wyden and Merkley have
frequently called for better access to mental health services for rural Oregon.
This funding comes on
top of the $13 million the Pacific Northwest is expected to receive as part of
the $250 million package of rural health initiatives the Department of Veterans
Affairs announced last week. Those health initiatives will include expansion of
outreach clinics, home-based primary care, and access to telemedicine
technology.
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