President orders additional mental health help for Vets

NPR: Obama Campaigns For Veterans' Mental Health
Obama signed an executive order on Friday, directing the Veterans Administration to hire 1,600 new mental health professionals and to expand the capacity of its crisis line so those who are in crisis can see a counselor within 24 hours. ... The White House says money for the additional mental health care will come from existing resources, though the president sought a 10-percent increase in overall VA funding next year (Horsley, 9/1)

The New York Times: President Obama Takes Action on Vets' Mental Health 
Since 9/11, more than 2 million men and women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a rising number of them are taking their own lives. ... Mr. Obama's order follows in the wake of bitter court battles over the delivery of care and persistent reports of egregious delays in the delivery of mental-health services and the handling of disability claims (Downes, 9/1).

The Hill: Obama Signs Executive Order To Improve Veterans' Mental Health Care
The order also tells the VA to work with the Defense Department to develop a national suicide prevention campaign, and for the VA, DOD and Health and Human Services to conduct a study about the causes and treatments of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (Herb, 8/31).