Optimizing Clinical Outcomes in VA Mental Health Care

Abstract

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the nation’s largest provider of mental health services and offers an unparalleled range of programs and treatments. Drawing on its size, scope, and mission, VA provides a comprehensive, integrated continuum of mental health care, unreplicated in the private sector. The VA healthcare system employs a wealth of clinical expertise; employees focused on the mission of providing timely, state-of-the-art care to all Veterans throughout their lifespan. As a unified system, the VA has the organizational ability to disseminate, implement, and monitor the quality of its clinical care. National policies, strategic planning, an electronic medical record, expertise in and wide adoption of technology, encouragement of innovation and dissemination of best practices based on research, quality improvement with a focus on national standards, metrics and outcomes, and collaboration with DoD and community partners are foundations for VA’s abundant innovations and success in providing excellent mental health care. An examination of the unique factors and programs that have positioned VA to provide high-quality integrated, evidence-based treatment are discussed.