Lawmakers push mental health care for IRR

[unhappycamper]

Lawmakers push mental health care for IRR
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 6, 2010 11:18:36 EDT

A group of House lawmakers is renewing an effort to give inactive reservists who have had at least one deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan special access to mental health services.

About 11,000 Individual Ready Reserve members and Individual Mobilization Augmentees would be affected. Because they are not members of active or reserve units, they do not have the same access to mental health and suicide prevention programs as other combat veterans, which is why the lawmakers, led by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., is pushing to expand the reach of military help.

Specifically, the bill would require the Defense Department to arrange a telephone call from a mental health professional to every member of the IRR within 90 days of the end of a deployment and every 90 days after for as long as they remain in the IRR.

The call is intended to check on their emotional, medical, psychological and financial status, and to get them help for any problems. The mental health professional would be required to refer anyone considered a suicide risk to the nearest military treatment facility or Tricare provider for evaluation and possible treatment.

Holt and the five cosponsors expect their proposal to easily pass the House of Representatives as part of the 2011 defense authorization bill.



unhapppycamper comment: Wowsa! A whole telephone call every 90 days! :woohoo: