>>>
>>> TONIGHT KING 5 EXPOSES THAT THE VA FAILED TO
SUCCESSFULLY ROLL OUT A PROGRAM
AIMED AT HELPING CERTAIN
VETERANS SUFFERING FROM MENTAL
ILLNESS.
ILLNESS.
ILLNESS. >> CONGRESS PASSED THE LAW LAST
YEAR TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
SUICIDES AMONG ONE OF THE MOST
VULNERABLE GROUPS OF VETERANS.
AS TAYLOR FOUND OUT, MANY DON'T
EVEN KNOW THAT THE NEW HELP IS
AVAILABLE.
AVAILABLE. >> YOU REGRET WHAT HAPPENED?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> Reporter: ONE DECISION IN
AFGHANISTAN ENDED BRAND'S
NINE-YEAR MILITARY CAREER.
THE FORMER JBLM SPECIAL FORCES
MEDIC WAS ON HIS SECOND COMBAT
DEPLOYMENT IN JUNE 2018 WHEN HE
BROKE THE RULES.
>> WHY DID YOU TAKE THE
MEDICATION THE.
MEDICATION THE. >> I DON'T KNOW.
>> Reporter: AFTER ONE COMBAT
OPERATION HE OVERDOSED.
IN FEBRUARY THE ARMY KICKED HIM
OUT.
OUT.
OUT. NOW
OUT. NOW HE'S AMONG THOUSANDS OF
VETERANS DISCHARGED UNDER OTHER
THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, HE DOESN'T
AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR VA
BENEFITS LIKE HEALTHCARE.
>> I STILL THINK THAT PEOPLE
THAT SERVED THEIR COUNTRY AND
HAVE TRAUMA BECAUSE OF THAT
SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET HELP.
>> Reporter: THE VA HAS A
SEPARATE PROCESS TO DECIDE IF
VETS LIKE HIM SHOULD GET THE
BENEFITS AFTER ALL.
FOR SOME THAT DECISION TAKES
LONGER THAN A YEAR.
TOO LONG FOR THE OTHER THAN
HONORABLE VETERANS WHO NEED HELP
NOW.
NOW.
NOW. >>
NOW. >> I'VE LITERALLY BEEN PUNCHING
MY STEERING WHEEL AND SCREAMING
IN MY TRUCK BECAUSE I'M SO SET
OFF BY THINGS.
YEAH, IT'S A DAILY STRUGGLE.
>> Reporter: IN 2017, THE VA
OPENED THE DOOR FOR OTHER THAN
HONORABLE VETERANS TO ONE
SPECIFIC BENEFIT -- SHORT-TERM
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETS IN
CRISIS.
CRISIS.
CRISIS. THEN LAST YEAR CONGRESS EXPANDED
THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM. THE VA IS NOW REQUIRED TO OFFER
NOT JUST A FEW MONTHS WORTH OF
HELP, BUT ONGOING MENTAL
HEALTHCARE TO CERTAIN OTHER HAN
HONORABLE VETERANS.
HONORABLE VETERANS. THE AGENCY HAD TO NOTIFY
ELIGIBLE VETERANS WITHIN FOUR
MONTHS.
MONTHS.
MONTHS. >> YOU NEVER WERE NOTIFIED THAT
YOU QUALIFY FOR MENTAL
HEALTHCARE?
HEALTHCARE? >> NO, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.
>> Reporter: MORE THAN A YEAR
LATER, MANY VETS WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
THE VA'S FIRST DIRECT OUTREACH,
THIS LETTER.
THIS LETTER. SENT TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER HAN
HONORABLE VETS IN JANUARY.
NEARLY ONE YEAR AFTER THE NEW
LAW TOOK EFFECT.
VETERAN ADVOCATES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY LIKE ROBERT SAY THE VA
BLEW IT.
BLEW IT.
BLEW IT. >> WHY ARE WE NOT TREATING IT
LIKE WE WOULD IF IT WAS A PUBLIC
EMERGENCY?
EMERGENCY? THERE WOULD BE BILLBOARDS UP.
IT'D BE ON TV, RADIO.
IT WOULD BE INESCAPABLE.
>> Reporter: HE SAYS SENDING OUT
ONE LETTER ISN'T ENOUGH.
MANY OF THESE VETS ARE HOMELESS.
THE VA'S OWN DATA SHOWS THEY'VE
FAILED TO REACH THESE VETS.
OFFICIALS ESTIMATE THERE ARE
HALF A MILLION VETERANS ACROSS
THE U.S. WITH AN OTHER HAN
HONORABLE DISCHARGE.
HONORABLE DISCHARGE. A GROUP RESEARCHERS SAY FACE AN
ELEVATED RISK OF SUICIDE.
BUT ACCORDING TO A SPOKESPERSON
IN 2017 AND 2018 FEW OF THEM
RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
AT THE VA.
LESS THAN 1% LAST YEAR IN
WASHINGTON STATE ONLY 16 OTHER
THAN HONORABLE VETERANS GOT VA
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
THE YEAR BEFORE THE NUMBER WAS
EVEN LOWER -- JUST FIVE PEOPLE
GOT TREATMENT.
GOT TREATMENT. AND REMEMBER, THESE ARE NUMBERS
FOR THE TWO YEARS VA POLICIES
CHANGED TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.
>> AND WOULD I SAY WE'RE DOING
ENOUGH?
ENOUGH?
ENOUGH? NO.
NO.
NO. WE
NO. WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE DOING
MORE AND WE CAN ALWAYS WORK
HARDER ON DOING MORE.
>> Reporter: JESSE MARKMAN IS
THE ASSOCIATE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR
THE LOCAL VA MEDICAL CENTER.
HE SAYS THEY'RE TRYING TO SPREAD
THE WORD AND MENTAL HEALTH STAFF
ARE ALWAYS PREPARED TO HELP
VETERANS WHO NEED IT.
>> WE'RE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING
THEM HEALTHCARE.
THEM HEALTHCARE. >> Reporter: MARKMAN SAID
EMPLOYEES WERE TRAINED ON THE
NEW LAW TO MAKE SURE VETERANS
WHO MAY BE ELIGIBLE ARE NOT
TURNED AWAY.
TURNED AWAY. IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE VA
ELIGIBILITY PROCESS IS A
COMPLICATED ONE, SO WE WANTED TO
KNOW -- DO THE FRONT LINE VA
EMPLOYEES WHO GREET OTHER THAN
HONORABLE VETERANS KNOW ENOUGH
ABOUT THE LAW TO TELL THEM IT'S
AN OPTION?
AN OPTION? AND KWHO HOW WOULD THEY RESPOND
TO THIS MAN SEEKING TREATMENT
FOR PTSD.
FOR PTSD.
FOR PTSD. WE TAGGED ALONG WITH HIM ON A
RECENT TRIP TO FIND OUT.
WE STOPPED AT THE ELIGIBILITY
COUNTER.
COUNTER.
COUNTER. HE TOLD THE RECEPTIONIST HE
WANTED TO START SEEING A
PROFESSIONAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
SHE TRIED TO HELP HIM BUT SHE
GAVE HIM THE WRONG INFO BEFORE
FINALLY FINDING AN EMAIL FROM
HER BOSS ABOUT THE NEW LAW,
THOUGH SHE STRUGGLED TO EXPLAIN
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> SO
IT. >> SO IN THE SPAN OF ONE
CONVERSATION, YOU HAD BEEN TOLD
--
--
-- >>
-- >> THREE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ON ONE ISSUE.
ONLY MENTAL HEALTHCARE AND I GOT
THREE ANSWERS.
THREE ANSWERS. >> Reporter: LEAVING THIS
VETERAN MORE CONFUSED ON HIS WAY
OUT THAN HE WAS WHEN HE CAME IN.
>> NOW, WE TOLD LOCAL VA
OFFICIALS ABOUT THAT CONFUSING
INTERACTION AND THEY SAY SURED
US THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RETRAIN
THE ELIGIBILITY STAFF TO MAKE
SURE THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
NEW LAW.
NEW LAW.
NEW LAW. NATIONAL VA OFFICIALS DECLINED
PREETED REQUESTS FOR AN
INTERVIEW, AND WHEN WE ASKED
WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO TO REACH
MORE VETS THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
MARK AND LORI, WHAT PEOPLE ARE
MOST CONCERNED ABOUT