Veteran’s Day and Family Care
On this Veteran’s Day as we honor the men and women who fought so bravely on our behalf, let us also reaffirm our commitment to those who have sacrificed for our freedom.
Veterans and their families continue to struggle with mental health issues among other needs.
The VA and communities around the country have made advancements to addressing the unmet mental health and substance use challenges of veterans and their family members.
Of particular note are public-private partnerships between the VA and civilian providers to build additional capacity and expand access to high quality behavioral health care. Downstate New York has been at the forefront of developing these partnerships, which have proven to be successful in breaking down barriers to care and achieving desirable outcomes for veterans and their families.
The RAND Corporation recently released an evaluation, funded by the New York State Health Foundation, of the partnership model between Northwell Health and the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center to form the United Behavioral Health Center for Military Veterans and their Families.
These kinds of partnerships, which have proven to be successful, should be recognized and understood, but we also must commit to seeking their replication around the country.
–Kimberly A. Williams, Executive Vice President, Integrated Policy and Program Services, MHA-NYC.
