ONAC KM very frustrated with Oregon Veterans Administration
As the holiday season continues to close in, many people for one reason or another become "Depressed", and most commonly found this time of the year it's at least "in-part" to do with lack of family relations. Every Year this time of the year, suicide hotlines light up, and unfortunately not all get or even reach for a helping hand to get them through.
When talking to mental health professionals in the Pacific Northwest, particularly within the state of Oregon, it's all to common to hear that mental health facilities throughout the state are "over-filled" and that there are people "waiting for a bed space". This in itself shows that the state's system of handling things encompassing this situation is flat Broken and looking around in the hospitals seeing people literally waiting, but if not, going out onto the streets and Listening to the homeless people who Also are "waiting" for such services proves the Urgent need to begin addressing it. This IS among ONAC KM's Top issues of concern, but more-so because this isn't just happening to Joe Blow from down the block in the run-down duplex... the Same thing is happening to Veterans, and it's deplorable!
ONAC KM recently had at our sanctuary a mentally ill young lady who served in the Army... briefly, but she served and was Honorably Discharged. The young woman suffers from severe Schizophrenia. The woman was accepted into the sanctuary while resource assistance could be coordinated for her. Just as it was believed to have been arranged with the VA Medical Center in Portland the girl had a severe "episode" which made it impossible for her to continue to stay for the safety of the others at and seeking sanctuary assistance.
ONAC KM leaders as well as the mother churches legal counsel representative Confirmed that the VA were ready and would accept and provide responsibility and treatment for the woman IF she was transported to their facility in Portland. 3 Church members personally escorted her to the facility and the woman was admitted into their care.
Come to find out, that within Hours of being left in what was believed to be "Safe Hands", the VA then decided to claim the woman had Not served her country, knowing good and well she had as her military Identification and her discharge form were presented with her, and most importantly of all she was "in their computer system" as having been in the military... but instead, staff at the VA Medical Center chose to Deny her service and have her transported over to a state medical center attached to their building, Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) for evaluation. Ultimately OHSU staff placed the woman on a temporary evaluation hold, and has since contacted the county seeking information and answers as to the woman's needs and situation.
According to the county, VA representatives "called for a transport because they had no record of her serving in the military." They told them that the woman was "driven up and dropped off and abandoned" and that they had absolutely no information on or regarding her. This is far from the truth as all 3 members personally escorted her into the facility and two members directly spoke in depth with their admitting staff. Church elders present ensure us that the VA staff told them "We have her and will take care of her from here, you can leave." One of the church members even gave their own personal cell phone number stating if they needed any information to please be sure to contact them. None of this was forwarded to OHSU with the patient.
Ultimately the county officials were able to make contact with the church and are being given what information they can in effort of helping the woman get the urgent treatment and medical care that she needs, but even that isn't guaranteed Enough to ensure that the state will provide her with the treatment. That is frustrating in itself, knowing that needed medical treatment could be denied in effort of saving the state some money, but it's even Worse when federal agencies such as the VA pave the way for such deviousness.
Military veterans are Promised certain things from good ole Uncle Sam in exchange for agreeing to join the service and defend our land, rights and people. That is Supposed to matter and mean something. Medical Benefits are among the most basic of them, but more often than not, veterans are finding themselves less off than the poorest of citizens when it comes to medical care and treatment options. Despite having the ability to walk in and receive medical care as most of us presume they can at Any VA facility, so too is it true that the staff at said facility can deny and out-right turn you away just as fast.
Statistics claim that every 6 seconds a veteran of our military commit suicide just as an average, holiday season probably likely more. VA doctors will tell you that lack of funding is the reason for the problem being so wide-spread, but the church is calling them out on this because it is unacceptable practice and detrimental to veterans and their families in need of depending on their promised support. It seems to have become all too common-place for the Portland VA to deny acknowledging a soldiers service for convenience of depriving treatment and or benefits owed and promised.
A commitment hearing is set for December 21st 2016 at the OHSU hospital. Please stay tuned for updates to this situation, and pray for a positive outcome for this woman and all who are suffering with her.
