For Immediate Release                                                   Contact: Amanda Molk, 202-225-5256
November 5, 2003

Napolitano Introduces “Veterans Mental Health and Back-to-Work Act”

Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA38) and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) today introduced the Veterans Mental Health and Back-to-Work Act to provide vocational rehabilitation services to veterans with mental illness.  “Hundreds of thousands of veterans are living with mental illness.  As more soldiers return home from service in Afghanistan and Iraq, we must be prepared to help them cope with the psychological wounds of war.  In addition to receiving mental health counseling, many of these veterans need comprehensive vocational services to make a full recovery,” explained Napolitano.

In his 1999 Report on Mental Health, Surgeon General David Satcher found that employment services are a critical component of state-of-the-art mental health care.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides mental health services to over 750,000 veterans every year, but very few of these veterans receive vocational rehabilitation.  For example, VA data indicate that less than one percent of the 82,000 veterans under the age of 55 who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia receive work therapy from the VA.  “The 90% unemployment rate among people with serious mental illness is totally unnecessary,” said Napolitano.  She added, “There is broad agreement among mental health professionals that many of these individuals can work with proper training and support services.”   

The VA already operates work therapy programs using funds from industry partners who hire veterans.  This bill instructs the VA to include veterans with mental illness in these programs and specifically provide veterans with mental illness with (1) work skills training and development services, (2) employment support services and (3) job development and placement services.  “These services will help veterans with mental illness get back on their feet, avoid homelessness and overcome their illnesses,” noted the Congresswoman.

The Congresswoman concluded, “Without proper mental health and vocational services, these veterans will continue to fall short of full recovery and be less able to function as productive citizens.  These brave men and women have served our nation selflessly.  Now it is our turn to serve them.”

Representative Grace F. Napolitano, 38th District of California
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