Call for more mental health support at vets symposium

By Tammy Sakry
ABC Newspapers

Homelessness, unemployment and access to medical care were all topics of the Veterans Issues Symposium hosted by Minnesota Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann May 13.

The symposium, which was held at the Ramsey Municipal Center, featured speakers from Veterans of Foreign War, American Legion, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and Veterans Service Organizations.

Each speaker talked about what their agency does for veterans and military families and what issues they are seeing among veterans, including health care, homelessness, unemployment and education.

But the most discussed were health care and mental health issues.

VFW Surgeon General Dr. James Tuorila expressed concern on the mental health issue and the hours care is provided.

What he is seeing and hearing from his clients makes him concerned about the training psychologists receive and the response to veterans in mental health crisis, he said.

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