WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs to do a better job when it comes to hiring substance use disorder treatment personnel.
That's according to a new report from the VA Office of Inspector General. The report says that in 2022, less than 30% of the approximately 520,000 vets with substance use disorder diagnoses received the care they needed.
The report said the VA received $96 million to hire more than 1,100 nurses, physicians, social workers, case managers, and counselors but it reportedly only hired 310 personnel.
The Inspector General report concludes by saying the program needs stronger coordination, planning, and oversight.