Requiring some guidance regarding VA's Choice Program for Mental Health

ironstoNe · 03-22-2017, 08:28

Hello Gentlemen,

I definitely would not be posting on here if I hadn't exhausted all of my options, but I am in need of guidance for a good friend of mine in regards to getting him set up with a psychologist / psychiatrist to treat him for his PTSD. I was finally able to get him to contact the VA's crisis line when he was having a "really bad day" and unfortunately it's been over 3 weeks and he has not been set up with a therapist. The VA Hospital near him has a walk-in clinic during the day and ER availability for him if he needs it, but in regards to setting him up with a therapist, I've hit a brick wall. The Choice Program was given his information over 2 weeks ago by the VA and they have yet to contact him about setting up a therapist and I'm beyond pissed. They told him 2 weeks ago they would contact him within 5 business days with a therapist scheduled for him, but he has received no phone calls. I've called them to speak with a supervisor to make them aware of this situation, but I have yet to "get a call back" from them. My friend currently lives in Denver, CO and has been out since 2015 on VA's insurance, and I'm considering writing the congressman there, but I just don't know what else I can do. Has anyone else dealt with this in the past and had any type of solution or does anyone know who I would be able to contact to get the ball rolling on this process? It just seems like no one cares and he's now at the hands of "their system" as to whenever he will be able to get help.
On a side note, when I called the Choice Program's phone number, they have an option that says "If you've submitted your information over 30 days ago and not received a call back press 1" which scares the shit out of me that there are many veterans in this category waiting for help. I just can't believe it's that hard to set up a therapist when they've "revamped" the system according to the VA.
Any help in this matter would be great and feel free to PM me regarding this.

MR2 · 03-24-2017, 09:06

PM sent.

ironstoNe · 04-11-2017, 22:35

Thank you to everyone who messaged me in regards to this. I truly appreciate your help and I am really happy to say my friend was able to be seen by a psychologist there at the Denver VA with a "little help" from this forum. I think it is despicable that even after a month and a half, he still has not received a call from the Choice Program, but I guess that just goes to show how awful the VA system still is in regards to their care towards getting our brothers the mental health services they need.

Thank you again brothers and I owe a few folks some cold ones so please hold me to it if I do ever get a chance to run into you.

JJ_BPK · 04-12-2017, 05:26

Prayers out..

ironstoNe · 04-24-2017, 07:46

Update on the situation:

My friend just received his prescribed anti-depressant medication in the mail this past weekend and has a follow up appointment scheduled (via OUR help), so he's doing good.
As of currently, the Choice program HAS STILL NOT CONTACTED HIM!!! This is almost a solid 2 months from the day he contacted the Veteran Crisis Line and he still hasn't even been followed up by the Choice Program to get a therapist established through them. I'm going to try to document EVERYTHING that I've experienced through this and hopefully one day make a trip to DC and just dump it all onto their Congressional Desks. I hope this gets fixed quickly because it's unacceptable and a damn shame that there are more service members / veterans out there still waiting for help that haven't received what they need.

JimP · 04-24-2017, 09:16

Contact the patient advocate at THAT facility and let them know. They usually do a good job. Then, follow it up with a Congressional complaint. The congressional complaint is dependent upon how much of an ass hat your congress-critter is. Mine is a moron and I have been going back and forth with him on an issue and the VA for six months.

ironstoNe · 04-25-2017, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimP

Contact the patient advocate at THAT facility and let them know. They usually do a good job. Then, follow it up with a Congressional complaint. The congressional complaint is dependent upon how much of an ass hat your congress-critter is. Mine is a moron and I have been going back and forth with him on an issue and the VA for six months.

I've been on the phone with the Patient Advocate from that VA facility multiple times and they instructed me to go to the website for the Choice Program and file a grievance through that. Basically there is nothing they can do to affect the way the Choice Program handles their patients. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me because it is all connected through the VA.