Giving Compass' Take:

• There are several barriers for veterans to receive high-quality mental health care, but research from RAND shows that it will tremendously improve their quality of life. 

• How can donors help alleviate some of these barriers for vets? 

• Read more about why mental health care for veterans is difficult to navigate. 

Army Sergeant Kurt Power was ready to serve his country when he volunteered to deploy to Ramadi, Iraq, back in 2005. He was ready to endure some of the war’s most dangerous combat. He was even ready to take the sniper’s bullet that nearly killed him.

But as Power arrived safely at Boston Logan International Airport one year later—11 pieces of shrapnel from that bullet still lodged in his chest—he realized that he wasn’t ready to survive civilian life.

Two years after Power returned home, a landmark RAND report revealed that one in five U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan experience the “invisible wounds” of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression.

Only slightly more than half of veterans who receive treatment get minimally adequate care.
The study found that roughly half of those who need treatment for these conditions seek help, but only slightly more than half who receive treatment get minimally adequate care.

That’s because veterans often face a winding path to recovery. They must navigate a tangled web of providers that often fails to consider veterans’ unique needs, as well as treatment options that may fall short when it comes to quality.

Still, there’s hope. A growing body of RAND research shows that veterans who receive high-quality care have the best chance of improving their mental health outcomes.

“Treatment works. It’s available,” said Terri Tanielian, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND. “And getting high-quality care can lead to recovery.”

Several factors make it hard for veterans to get the treatment they need. One of the roadblocks that may hold them back is simply not recognizing that they could benefit from help. But even if a veteran is willing to take the first step, they often face a suite of barriers that can make things difficult.

Read the full article about mental health care for veterans by Maria Gardner at RAND.