VA PTSD CENTERS CLOSED FOR VITAL HOLIDAY
July 3, 2009 by Gordon Duff · 14 Comments
VA MEDICAL CENTERS "STRANGE" FRIDAY CLOSING
WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
By Gordon Duff and Maj. Denise Nichols USAF MSN RN (ret.)
VETERANS: PLEASE CHECK YOUR REGIONAL MEDICAL/PTSD CENTER AND REPORT BACK TO US! WE NEED TO KNOW!
Holidays are critical times for veterans, especially PTSD vets. They are the highest suicide risk of all. This morning, we found the major PTSD treatment facility along with the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis actually closed prior to this all important holiday.
They closed on Friday for a long weekend, taking that "extra day" for some reason not entirely clear to anyone. No other hospitals in the US are closed, only those serving veterans. What makes veterans so special? Could it be the expected spike in suicides tied to patriotic celebrations which combine painful memories and alcohol?
In a country where few people even have jobs anymore, the idea that vital, even emergency services, could be made unavailable on the basis of, well, we just don’t have a clue what basis at all. What could they be thinking?
Being huge, unimaginably well financed and unaccountable to anyone may lead to non-consensual decision making processes.
By this, of course, meaning that the VA seems to do whatever the hell they want whenever they want. With the huge problems veterans, especially those who are category 1, with no other insurances or medical services available, getting care outside the VA, closing a facility can be a huge risk.
How many are closed nationally? Are they all closed?
Veterans are always told to "dial 911" or something similar for emergencies. They are not told: "Dial 911 and you may lose your house, your car, everything…..you may go bankrupt paying hospital bills."
Another potential message is: "Be careful, dont have an accident or any other medical emergency or crisis. We are taking the day off and….to hell with you."
ADDED NOTE:
"The Topeka VA is closed and that leaves the PTSD vets here out too. Those in the PTSD wards do not even have the recreation hall to go to."
James A. Bunker
President
National Gulf War Resource Center
WWW.NGWRC.ORG
1403 Southwest Blvd, Ste 2B
Kansas City, KS 66103
The Denver VA is closed today. There is an operator available to direct people to the automated systems, and to inform callers that "all the clinics and offices are closed."
-JR
Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran and regular contributor.
Major Denise Nichols is a veteran of the Gulf War and retired from the US Air Force.
It all gets back to accountability. The veterans in Minn. need to find out exactly WHO made this decision to close the hospital. Then they need to lobby as hard as they can to have him or her suspended without pay for four days, exactly as long as the hospital was closed. There must be accountability. If the veterans do not do this, then they deserve what they get.
CWO3 Tom Barnes,USCG (Ret.)
Good Grief! Its a Federal Holiday! The Federal Government and all of its Departments are closed, with the exception of national security and hospitals. There are Emergency Rooms manned and Doctors on call if needed. The Suicide Center in Cannandaigua is manned.
The VA IS also “closed” on Memorial day and Veterans Day as well as Labor day Thanksgiving (and usually black friday) Christmas and New Years day.
Get A Grip and Quit the fear mongering
This is not a FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
Banks are open.
The post office is open.
Learn what "Federal Holiday" means.
Get a grip. Stop apologizing for government mismanagement.
If the hosptials and clinics are closed…..at this vital time…then vets are at risk.
Everyone else in the US is working.
All of us.
All that have jobs.
g
In-Lieu of Holidays: When a holiday falls on a nonworkday outside a full-time employee’s basic workweek, the day to be treated as his or her holiday is the first workday preceding the nonworkday except, if the nonworkday is Sunday, the next workday is the holiday. Another exception is that agency heads have recently been given authority to determine a different in-lieu of holiday for employees on compressed work schedules. [This rule currently applies to New Year's Day (Jan. 1), Independence Day (July 4), Veterans' Day (Nov. 11), and Christmas (Dec. 25).]
So Friday 3 July was in effect a Federal Holiday. Get your facts straight.
And by the way, The Post office was Closed, Most Banks were closed, and most stores were on reduced hours. What country do you live in? Better yet what planet are you on?
Don’t you think that your BS reporting did more damage to veterans than just keeping your Chicken Little mouth shut?
I just got word that at the St. Cloud, MN VA they have staff working today. Doctors, nurses, crisis work suicide prevention coordinators, urgent care workers and more.
Regular programs are not up and running and their workers are off, but not any emergency staff.
I work for the VA and I don’t know of any of the VA Medical Centers that are “closed”. We, like any other 24/7 inpatient hospital, have staff working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Friday, July 3rd, was designated as the government’s Independence Day observance for this year, since the actual holiday is on Saturday this year. So, all “non-essential” personnel were allowed to take the day off. The nursing home care facilities are still fully staffed, the wards are still fully staffed and the ER’s are still fully staffed. There are personnel on call, ready to respond in a moment’s nnotice. If services are needed, they can and will be provided. Yes, some PTSD veterans (of which I am one) have a difficult time on this holiday, perhaps more than any other. If urgent or emergent care is needed by any veteran showing up at my VA Medical Center, you can rest assured the he/she will be given the care necessary, regardless of the day or hour.
HI! SOMETIMES MISIFORMATION GETS ON THE INTERNET. I AM GLAD YOU WERE OPEN MOST OF THE TIME. I LIVE NEAR WICHITA, KS AND HAVE NOT CALLED TO SEE IF THEY STAYED OPEN; MOST HOSPITALS LET OFF ALL BUT KEY PERSONELL AND OTHERS ON CALL FOR EMERGENCIES!!
I DID NOT SEE WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED BUT AM GLAD YOU ARE NOT ONE WHICH CLOSES. MIGHT BE GOOD TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE STORIES.
out here on the left coast, the VAMC in long beach was closed, but the emergency room was open. the vet center was closed. maybe we vets need a union as opposed to vso’s.
Yes staffing and admin office change on holidays, and in evenings……….
But the question is with Suicides at all time high that VA should reevaluate closing those services.
Also after hours ER at VA always a problem and then if vets use 911 and end up at civilian hospital they end up battling paperwork and bills from civilian ERs and etc for months!!! Hurting them more and increasing stress!!!
So let us hear from veterans all over about your experiences in needing help on holidays, after hours, and ER.
I believe all veterans with these experiences should write us in these comment postings.
Other vets need to make calls to VA hospitals and check availability and report back to us in comment section.
Do we have a problem or not is the question? Did anyone try the 1-800 numbers to see if they are staffed and functional 24/7?
heres one, duffs a jerk who has nothing better to do than take his 100% disability money and then whine about it, he is a hypocrite two faced phony thats fer sure.
wipe his spittle and give him his meds a put him to bed will ya?
OF ALL THE HOLIDAYS TO BE CLOSED AND IT IS CLOSED ON THIS ONE??????????????
I HAD THE WORST FLASH BACKS YESTERDAY AND THEN PANIC ATTACKS!!
THANK YOU AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YEAH LETS CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE; FROM WHAT?
WE ARE STILL AT WAR AND THE BIG GOVERNMENT IS CONTROLLING US BUT WE MUST PLAY LIKE EVERYTHING IS OK???????
NO NO NO
NO THANK YOU FOR POISONING MY BODY AND MY MIND BUT YOU WILL NOT POISON MY SOUL
duff yer full of crap as usual ranting your putride vile once again…the WLA is running at full speed the doors are open, meals are bing served, patients are being cared for, the grounds are secure, the water and lights are on, just more of your deluusional rants when was the last time you voulunteered to walk a floor in support of veterans you phony?
quit yer bitching and do something if need be instaed of always complaining complaining complaining you whiner.
I’d have to give this one a five star.
Good on you Major Nichols!
The VA evidently is not only closed on the 4th of July but also VETERANS DAY!!!
BOBBY HANAFIN
THE MUSTANG MAJOR
Well the “Holiday” is over…Did you accomplish anything? What is the next “Chicken Little” Scare?
Get ready…Labor Day is coming…and the VA will be closed…again. Just like last year and next year…
And, Yes, The VA is ‘closed’ to regular business on Veterans Day. Imagine that. A National Holiday…