NPR Story

If anyone has been listening to the stories today on NPR about how the US Army is refusing mental health treatment to "thousands" of active duty soldiers with "substance abuse problems, suicidal tendencies, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." You have heard the current supposed atrocities of the US Dept of Defense as they boot these people out of the military without medical care. Just a word or two about this matter. Please remember (from a current military mental health provider) that we only learn partial-truths from the media...if we're lucky. The situation described by NPR is much more complicated than described and the truth is (from spending time in mor ethan one military clinic over the last 2 years) that MANY MANY people are flagged by the military after their deployment for a mental health problem, and when they are contacted to set up an appointment, they refuse mental health services. NOt that we should "blame the victim." Rather, we should attend to all available information in order to accurately understand a problem. Just thought I'd try to provide some of that info.