VA care system adding mental health workers

IOWA CITY - The Iowa City VA Health Care System is expecting to add 10 clinicians and one support staff position to its mental health team of 123 nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.

With the United States on track to reduce its troops in Afghanistan as part of a planned drawdown, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs this week announced plans to add about 1,600 clinicians and 300 support staff nationwide to its mental health workforce.

The Iowa City VA coverage area includes Eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Officials at the center told The Gazette in March that the demand for mental health services is increasing as more service members return with head injuries and the recognized need for emotional and mental health treatment.

The VA last year reported providing mental health services to 1.3 million veterans nationwide, and since 2009 its mental health care budget has increased by 39 percent. Since 2007, according to department officials, the system has seen a 35 percent increase nationwide in the number of veterans receiving mental health services, along with a 41 percent increase in mental health staff members.