Members of Congress unanimously rallied around the suicide prevention bill President Barack Obama signed in February, but now veterans advocates say the legislation didn't go far enough in guaranteeing access to mental health care providers.
Finding enough behavioral health care workers has been a struggle for the Department of Veteran's Affairs, but also for the rest of the country as health care coverage continues to expand under Obama's signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act. With millions more people covered by health insurance, there has been an increased demand for mental health care, and the country faces a severe shortage: Half of U.S. counties don't have mental health professionals, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
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