He stressed that he is not suggesting a merger of the two, but rather that the VAMCs learn from what has made the vet centers so successful, so that clinical outcomes at the VAMCs can be optimized.
Start with the RCS’s highly individualized, culturally competent approach to veterans, he suggested, adding that practical steps toward this approach might include:
• Joint training of VAMC and RCS clinical and administrative staff, which could raise awareness of history, functions, and opportunities for collaboration.
• Creation of new venues for formal and informal discussion between RCS and VAMC teams about shared cases while preserving separate record systems.
• Development of formal sharing agreements between VAMCs and vet centers to ensure that veterans have needed access to the unique benefits of each program, with coordination between programs.
“These recommendations restore balance and shared strategic direction of the VAMC and vet center programs,” he said, noting that they also would “bring us full circle to Salmon’s vision of mental hygiene in which veterans, families, communities, health professionals, health systems, policy makers, and government at all levels partner to recognize and address mental health problems, deployment-related and otherwise, and – whenever possible – prevent them. Such an integration would truly promote veteran-centered care,” he concluded.
Dr. Kudler reported having no disclosures.