HOUSE APPROVES BERKLEY BILL HONORING MEMORY OF NEVADA MARINE JUSTIN BAILEY

Legislation Will Expand, Improve Mental Health Services and Substance Use Disorder Treatment at VA Facilities

(Washington D.C. – September 25, 2008) The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation authored by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley honoring the memory of Nevada Marine Lance Corporal Justin Bailey. Included in the bill are provisions authored by Berkley that will expand and improve mental health services for veterans, including treatment for substance use disorders. Berkley added a section to The Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 (S.2162) that pays tribute to Justin Bailey for his service to the nation in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The bill passed by voice vote Wednesday evening.

“This bill will honor the memory and service of Marine Lance Corporal Justin Bailey by expanding and improving VA mental health services for all veterans, including those he bravely served alongside in Iraq,” said Berkley, a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The bill’s first section pays tribute to Marine Lance Corporal Justin Bailey, a 1998 graduate of Las Vegas High School who served in Iraq. Bailey, who was diagnosed with PTSD following his return from active duty, sought substance abuse treatment through the VA. The 27-year-old veteran died while receiving care at a VA clinic in Los Angeles. The legislation includes provisions authored by Congresswoman Berkley, including:

• A requirement that all VA medical centers provide ready access to a full continuum of care for substance use disorders.

• A requirement that the VA’s Inspector General conduct a review of all residential mental health care facilities within six months after the bill becomes law and that a full report be given to Congress no later than 90 days after completing the first review.

The provisions are designed to ensure that VA facilities like the one where Justin Bailey died while under VA supervision are providing high-quality care, including substance use disorder treatments and other mental health services.

“Lance Corporal Justin Bailey sought help for PTSD and substance use and he was under VA care when his life tragically ended. We owe it to his memory and to the Bailey family to see that what happened in his final days at a VA facility is never again repeated,” Berkley said.

With operations on-going in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and studies showing large numbers of troops at risk of PTSD and its effects, including suicide and substance abuse, comprehensive mental health care through the VA must be a top priority.

“Studies have shown that as many as one in five veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing PTSD and that leaves these individuals at an increased risk of developing a substance use disorder. This bill will help to ensure that we offer our veterans a full array of VA treatment and counseling programs designed to address mental health issues arising from their military service,” said Berkley.

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