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Colenda Urges VA Appropriators to Increase Mental Health Care Resources

Skip breadcrumb navigation WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 3, 2006) – College of Medicine Dean and AAGP President-Elect Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., made a quick trip to Washington, D.C., to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives' Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies on Wednesday, March 1. AAGP is concerned that the mental health needs of the aging veteran population are not being adequately met by current resources and that the gap between needs and resources will widen unless Congress acts to increase support for veterans' mental health care, with an emphasis on older veterans.

Dr. Colenda's testimony covered the aging veteran population including Vietnam era veterans, the needed integration of general and mental health care, long-term care, medication, and research. "Psychiatric illnesses are real. They cause significant morbidity, co-morbidity and mortality among those who have served their country. We owe our veterans the best that this country can offer," Dr. Colenda told the committee.

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