Lack of Access, Cost and Stigma Continue to Prevent Veterans & Families from Receiving Mental Health Care

STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Six out of seven veterans and caregivers say there are not enough mental health care resources for veterans, and the care is made harder to get by accessibility and cost barriers. This according to a recent national survey by Cohen Veterans Network, a national not for profit philanthropic organization, and Quadrant Strategies.

73% of veterans surveyed said costs were a significant barrier to receiving mental health care, while 54% listed long wait times and distance as other prominent barriers to receiving care. 57% of caregivers said that a lack of information about access to mental health care is a barrier for them, while 46% of veterans felt the same way.

"The data confirm many of the principles and the model upon which we have built the Cohen Veterans Network," says Cohen Veterans Network CEO & President Dr. Anthony Hassan. "Our Cohen Clinics will schedule appointments the same day for a client in crisis. Otherwise, most appointments are scheduled within a week. We also offer support through your phone, tablet or computer allowing you to receive care from the comfort of your home or workplace without having to come into a clinic."

Stigma is also a challenge. Among the veterans and caregivers surveyed, 65% felt stigma around receiving treatment prevents veterans from receiving care, while 59% feel it is a barrier to care for military family members.

"The days of ignoring your mental health challenges are long gone, there is no reason veterans should hesitate to receive this care," says Medal of Honor Recipient and CVN Spokesperson Kyle White. "Stigma impacts the entire family as well. We know the military family deploys together, and just the same they should heal together."

The research also showed that by a margin of two to one, veterans and caregivers surveyed prefer private mental healthcare providers to government providers.

Washington D.C. based Quadrant Strategies conducted the online survey in April of 2018 with 1,800 self-identified veterans and military family members from the 10 markets in which the Cohen Veterans Network operates, as well as in-depth interviews with 150 veterans and their family members/caregivers in the same locations.

ABOUT THE COHEN VETERANS NETWORK

The Cohen Veterans Network is a 501(c)(3) national not for profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, with a goal to build a network of outpatient mental health clinics for veterans and their families in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. Learn more about the Cohen Veterans Network and the 10 Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Paul Wood: 203-569-0289
Anthony Guido: 203-569-0284
communications(at)cohenveteransnetwork(dot)org

SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network