VA Health Care: Actions Needed to Prevent Sexual Assaults and Other Safety Incidents
VA Health Care: Actions Needed to Prevent Sexual Assaults and Other Safety Incidents

Author: Randall B. Williamson

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2011-07-10

Total Pages: 78

ISBN-13: 1437987044

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Changes in patient demographics present unique challenges for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) in providing safe environments for all veterans treated in VA facilities. This report examined whether or not sexual assault incidents are fully reported and what factors may contribute to any observed underreporting, how facility staff determine sexual assault-related risks veterans may pose in residential and inpatient mental health settings, and precautions facilities take to prevent sexual assaults and other safety incidents. The report reviewed relevant laws, VA policies, and sexual assault incident documentation from Jan. 2007 through July 2010 provided by VA officials and the VA Office of the Inspector Gen. (OIG); reviewed portions of selected veterans' medical records at five judgmentally selected VA medical facilities chosen to ensure the residential and inpatient mental health units at the facilities varied in size and complexity; and spoke with the four Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) that oversee these VA medical facilities. Tables. This is a print on demand report.

VA Facility Security
VA Facility Security

Author: United States. Government Accountability Office

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13:

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The Veterans Health Administration is responsible for providing a safe and secure, yet welcoming environment for staff, patients, and visitors at nearly 170 medical centers. These facilities have been the target of violence, threats, and other security-related incidents. Assessing and managing risks a critical element for ensuring adequate physical security at these facilities. This report: (1) assesses how VA’s policies for risk management reflect prevailing standards, and (2) evaluates VA’s oversight of risk management at VHA medical facilities. GAO recommends that the Department of Veterans Affairs review and revise its risk management policies to reflect prevailing standards, and develop an oversight strategy to assess the effectiveness of risk management programs at VHA facilities.

Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services
Evaluation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2018-03-29

Total Pages: 467

ISBN-13: 0309466601

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Approximately 4 million U.S. service members took part in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shortly after troops started returning from their deployments, some active-duty service members and veterans began experiencing mental health problems. Given the stressors associated with war, it is not surprising that some service members developed such mental health conditions as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorder. Subsequent epidemiologic studies conducted on military and veteran populations that served in the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq provided scientific evidence that those who fought were in fact being diagnosed with mental illnesses and experiencing mental healthâ€"related outcomesâ€"in particular, suicideâ€"at a higher rate than the general population. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality, capacity, and access to mental health care services for veterans who served in the Armed Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn. It includes an analysis of not only the quality and capacity of mental health care services within the Department of Veterans Affairs, but also barriers faced by patients in utilizing those services.