| For Immediate Release April 6, 2006 |
Contact: Dan Gage 315-423-5657 |
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| (Washington D.C.)- In testimony today before the House Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Jim Walsh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson detailed the VA's progress on the establishment of a Mental Health Center of Excellence at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center. Walsh's FY 2006 MilQual / VA Appropriations bill included language instructing the VA to address increasing mental health concerns within the system by establishing Mental Health Centers of Excellence at current VA facilities in Canandaigua, Waco, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Acknowledging that the "VA is just as concerned with treating the wounds of the mind as we are about treating the wounds of the flesh," Secretary Nicholson reported that the Center at Canandaigua will be charged with defining best practices for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) and determining the best practices for rural outpatient treatment follow ups. Canandaigua will provide clinical and research innovation to explore and explain the science behind disease processes, establish best practices, and share that information with the clinical community and others. "While operational details on this designation are still not finalized, I am pleased that Secretary Nicholson has responded to my direction by charging the Canandaigua VA with this important mission," said Walsh. "The Canandaigua VA has a longstanding history of mental health treatment and convalescent care. As the VA dedicates more and more resources to the treatment of PTSD, I'm proud that the research that will be undertaken and the clinical findings that will be garnered at Canandaigua will benefit the VA system nationwide." "The Canandaigua VA delivers critical mental health care to thousands of veterans, and I’m glad that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes that fact with the Center of Excellence designation," said Rep. Randy Kuhl (NY-29). "This is terrific news for the future of the Canandaigua VA facility, and I thank Chairman Walsh and Secretary Nicholson for their attention and assistance. Our veterans deserve the absolute finest care available, and this designation will certainly help."
Also announced today were that similar soon-to-be established centers at Waco and San Diego would focus on psycho-social rehabilitation and recovery and the assessment, pathology, and neuro-imaging in PTSD respectively. In his role as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, Walsh has fiscal oversight over all Defense and VA health programming. Constituents in Walsh's 25th Congressional District in Wayne and Monroe County rely upon the Canandaigua VA for services, while Canandaigua and Ontario County are part of Kuhl's 29th Congressional District. Kuhl has been an outspoken advocate for the Canandaigua VA and hosted Secretary Nicholson at the facility last year. (####) |
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