Barriers to veterans' mental health help

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A U.S. survey indicates veterans still face significant barriers to accessing mental health and substance use treatment.

The Veterans Mental Health Act, signed into law more than a year ago, requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to partner with community behavioral health centers to increase capacity and expand mental health services to include marriage and family counseling.

The survey by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare found some of the most serious roadblocks preventing veterans from getting treatment include:

-- Almost two-thirds said veterans and their families experience long delays to get initial appointments for people in crisis and excessive waits in between appointments.

-- Veterans often must travel long distances to the VA or a military base. Some do not have access to a vehicle or public transportation, or may be unable to drive.

-- Many veterans are concerned about the stigma of seeking treatment from the VA, fearing it will be noted in their personnel records, negatively impact their careers and label them as weak or crazy.

-- Few family members are involved in treatment.

"We don't fault the VA for these problems, but we are concerned that veterans and their families are not receiving the services they need in a timely manner," Jeannie Campbell of the National Council said in a statement.

The survey was sent to 1,600 of the council's members -- healthcare organizations that provide treatment and rehabilitation for mental illnesses and addiction. They were asked to complete the survey from June 8-11. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.