7-2 Final Project Submission Healthcare Delivery Systems Research Paper PDF

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Healthcare Delivery Systems Research Paper Shannan Mardis Southern New Hampshire University HCM 340-X1216 October 17, 2021

1 Introduction: A gap in equity related to mental health access for veterans has been an issue since the origin of warfare. Mental health did not exist till the mid-20th century; the VA's current mental health services are uneasy to access and are not fit for the patient's needs. Most veterans lack mental health resources or are not comfortable with the VA's offered treatment due to the lack of medical staff, staff unaware of the veteran culture, and untimely care.

In the early 20th century, soldiers were recognized as heroes and the ideal model for masculinity. People who did not fit that idea were perceived as weak. Those who appeared to have mental health difficulties were stigmatized by society and the military community. It was not 1980 when Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was officially reported as a mental health disorder within the Veterans Administration. Individuals with this condition may experience flashbacks, painful memories, and anxiety. To bear with these symptoms, many would result in alcohol or substance abuse to self-medicate. But these methods often lead to a dishonorable discharge. Symptoms of mental health issues can negatively impact employment, spousal and family relationships, bodily health, and social isolation. Mental health disabilities even cause some veterans to be homeless.

2 The untimely waits for treatment and lack of resources leave our veterans to purchase private insurance for assistance or be left to deal with PTSD symptoms on their own. Other stresses like financial hardship, family relationships, and physical injuries are unmanageable due to no mental health treatment. If this issue is not addressed, I would suggest: Diminish the negative stigma of mental health in all branches of the military. Implement a hotline to assist veterans experiencing PTSD symptoms. And hire and train more personnel for veterans with mental health difficulties.

Existing Initiatives: Different initiatives have existed in consideration of the gap in mental health care for veterans. One initiative that exists to address this gap in access is the AMVETS HEAL program. The HEAL acronym stands for Healthcare, Evaluations, Advocacy, and Legislation. To combat the scarce access to quality healthcare, AMVETS organized a group of experienced professionals to remove these obstacles through policy changes and intervention. The HEAL programs include assisting veterans, family members, and caregivers through the complicated VA healthcare system.

3 The HEAL team prepared a plan to confront the barriers in access to quality healthcare. Their first goal is to expand access to VA, community care, and support for veterans at local, national, and departmental levels by networking AMVETS HEAL program members. Their second goal is to use the HEAL strategy. The team promises quality health services and, to improve decision making, create and implement laws and policies using information/data management. The last goal is to promote learning and executing new interventions and decrease the amount of veteran suicides a year.

Amvets or American Veterans is a federally chartered organization created 1948 with, the goal of the creators were to provide assistance for returning WWII veterans. The AMVETS partnered with the VA to assist veterans struggling with access to quality mental health care. As a result, the HEAL program was enacted in 2018. The circumstances around the development of the HEAL program are the extended wait times at the Veterans Affairs buildings and increased veteran suicide and mental illness. Wait time for healthcare assistance varies depending on the location and the type of care. In some cases, veterans are left to wait over a month for primary care appointments. The AMVETS HEAL initiative's purpose is to coordinate quality healthcare solutions for veterans, especially for those in poor health, homeless, and experiencing hopelessness. The HEAL program includes initiatives that will increase suicide prevention awareness that will evolve and meet the needs of veterans. This initiative provides training volunteers in mental health awareness and case studies to develop strategies to assist veterans.

4 Many resources are necessary to fund this initiative due to the VA officials and clinicians that will assist veterans. The most significant resource that will contribute to this program are partnerships with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the state, county, and local governments. AMVETS's HEAL Program: Strategic Plan states, “behavioral health treatment and service funds flow from the state health authority or single state agency to counties or regions within the state, and these funds are then awarded to various service providers to deliver care.” (amvets.org). Also, local charities and donations will be collected to finance this veteran program.

The new HEAL Program objective is to reduce the number of suicides by veterans with little to no access to healthcare. But the launch of the new hotline seems to be high in demand. As a result, the Team decided to expand their closing times. But this solution will not be able to accommodate the need for veteran assistance. Another issue is the burdensome enrollment process. The overwhelming enrollment procedure and complex eligibility process are why many United States veterans are discouraged from getting the care they need. According to Nursinganswers.net, "This issue has since been spotted by the White House, and in an effort to address it, an executive order was made which now requires vets to be automatically enrolled in mental health care for twelve (12) months." To improve veterans' care access, the enrollment process must be simplified, and the eligibility requirements must be lowered.

5 Regulation Regulations for the AMVETS HEAL initiative were not found. The HEAL program was developed to support legislation and policies that focus on the oversight of healthcare and other benefits for AMVETS members. It is the HEAL program's mission to promote laws and policies that will assist AMVETS members.

The HEAL initiative addresses the Legislative branch. The efforts of this initiative will be in collaboration with the members of Congress to improve access and quality of health care for veterans.

The AMVETS have many issues with no simple solutions to solve the problems of the veteran community. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act was signed into law in 2015. The act required the VA and AMVETS to provide an analysis and a review of all mental health and suicide programs every year. The evaluation was enforced to track the growth, impact, and the efficiency of the current suicide programs. The VA says the progress has been productive, but the Annual Report in 2018 showed no proof of improvement in veteran suicides. There are several projects like the AMVETS and the VA created to assist the veteran community that hasn't had much of an impact.

6 References: Hester R. D. (2017). Lack of access to mental health services contributing to the high suicide rates among veterans. International journal of mental health systems, 11, 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-017-0154-2

Heath, S. (2020). Patients Still Struggle to Access Mental Health Care at VA. Retrieved 19 September 2020, from https://patientengagementhit.com/news/patients-still-struggle-toaccess-mental-health-care-at-va

Stephanie K. Erwin (2019). American Veterans and the Evolutions of Mental Health: A Historical Review of Diagnoses and Depiction. Journal of Veteran Studies. file:///C:/Users/shann/Downloads/67-287-1-PB.pdf

AMVETS (n.d.). AMVETS Heal Program. Retrieved May 26, 2019, from https://amvets.org/vet-heal/.

All Answers Ltd. (November 2018). Investigation of Initiatives to Provide Mental Health Care for Veterans. Retrieved from https://nursinganswers.net/essays/investigation-ofinitiatives-to-provide-mental-health-care-for-veterans.php?vref=1...