Mental health matters especially to our military veterans
Southern Minnesota’s Veterans, to receive more access to mental health care
More access to mental health care services for Southern Minnesota’s veteran
In a recent article published by CBSNews, as people across the United States honored the lives lost on 9/11 during its 22nd anniversary.
The effects of 9/11 attacks are still being felt, especially for Minnesotans in the armed forces. Now, there’s a new effort to help those veterans with more access to mental health care services as they transition back to civilian life. Flags were at half-staff Monday in Mankato’s Veterans Memorial Park to pay tribute to Southern Minnesota veterans. However, those vets have been left out when it comes to the access of mental health care services.
As of the moment, there are three Vet Centers in Minnesota — Anoka, St. Paul, and Duluth that provide access to mental health care services. First District Congressman Brad Finstad has authored a bill for a new Vet Center in Mankato. Professor Paul Mackie, who works with young veterans at Minnesota State University, Mankato, says there is a huge need to more access to mental health care center.
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Mackie said there’s a regional center already to access to mental health care services. For the past year, the Blue Earth County Veterans Services has partnered with the St. Paul Vet Center to provide access to mental health care counseling on-site in Mankato once a week. All of the appointments are fully booked.
Mackie added that they are doing a better job in providing access to mental health care, but there’s much more that they could do. Antonio Cruz, a Marine veteran who is currently an MSU-Mankato student agrees that there should be more access to mental health care services.
Cruz said that there were guys who went through the disability claims process and waited months to probably a year or two. Attached to Rep. Finstad’s bill are letters from local veterans groups who write that a new Vet Center in Mankato to access to mental health care services would be a lifesaver. Currently, there is no timeline on when southern Minnesota vets will have access to mental health care services.
Read Also:9/11 memorial ceremony at Garden of Reflection honors victims from Bucks County
