Lt. Governor Brown Calls for Coordinated Effort to Improve Veterans Behavioral Health Services
FROSTBURG, MD (May 18, 2009) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown was joined today at a press conference by Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary John M. Colmers and Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Wilbert Forbes. During the press conference, Brown called for improved coordination between local, state and federal governments to provide veterans and deployed service members with better access to mental and behavioral health services. Following the press conference, Brown presided over the fourth meeting of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Advisory Board.
On Monday, five U.S. soldiers were killed during a shooting at the Camp Liberty clinic in Baghdad, including Pfc. Michael Edward Yates, Jr., a Maryland resident who lived in Federalsburg on the Eastern Shore. The alleged shooter was receiving counseling and, according to various reports, his state of mind drew the concern of his commanding officers. Following the tragedy at Camp Liberty, the U.S. military launched a probe to identify shortcomings in mental health treatment for deployed soldiers.
“Governor O’Malley and I extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family of Pfc. Michael Edward Yates, Jr. and the families of all those who were killed on Monday. It’s our hope that we learn from this tragedy and make a concerted effort to improve behavioral health services for all of our veterans and all of our service members,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “One of the most basic obligations of any government is serving those who have served on our behalf. Our soldiers need our help and the most effective way we can provide them with the services and the care they deserve is by strengthening the partnerships between local, state and federal government.”
Studies have found that veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are more likely to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury than veterans of previous conflicts. Moreover, since the start of the war in Iraq, suicide attempts by active duty personnel have increased by more than 600 percent.
“Maryland is answering the call to assist our veterans and their families just as they answered the call to protect and defend the nation,” said Secretary Colmers. “Working together, we will help veterans and their families quickly access mental health services, health care, housing and much more from any state or federal agency.”
Maryland has taken several nation-leading steps to expand mental and behavioral health services to veterans in underserved regions. During the 2008 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Brown led efforts to pass the Veterans Behavioral Health Act, which set aside $2.3 million for behavioral health services for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and created the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Advisory Board. This year, Brown – along with DHMH and MdVA – worked with the General Assembly to expand the Veterans Behavioral Health Act to cover veterans of all foreign wars. In addition, DHMH has launched the Maryland Commitment to Veterans campaign to educate veterans about available services and help returning service members transition back into civilian life.
“The recent incident at Camp Liberty, tragic as it is, is a liability in terms of human capital in warfare. As a result, we must make every effort to reach all of our returning service men and women to ensure that they are aware of medical help to assist them as they return to home and community from combat and the battlefield,” said Deputy Secretary Forbes.
Maryland has taken additional steps to coordinate behavioral health services with both federal and local government. Last year, the state signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure timely access to needed behavioral health services. Under this three-year partnership, DHMH will arrange for behavioral health services and substance abuse treatment through the regional VA medial centers for veterans already enrolled in the VA. For those veterans not already enrolled, DHMH will provide needed behavioral health services until the individuals are enrolled with the VA.
Today’s meeting of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Advisory Board provided local western Maryland health officials and veterans the opportunity to discuss local issues affecting the mountain Maryland veterans community. In addition, representatives from Network of Care gave an in-depth demonstration of the Maryland Veterans Network of Care web portal (www.mdveterans.networkofcare.org). The successful portal is the first of its kind in the nation. California recently became the second state to launch Internet-based program.
The next meeting of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Advisory Board will be held on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
For more information on the Maryland Commitment to Veterans campaign, visit www.veterans.maryland.gov.
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