Reuters (3/20, Respaut ) reports the federal government eliminated about 2,400 jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs “in the first wave of President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.” The Trump Administration “plans additional cuts to the VA of more than 80,000 personnel, according to an internal memo.” Reuters spoke to nine current and former VA employees “who said the changes were further disrupting some mental health services and fueling anxieties among those who provide and rely on them.” The employees “described cancellations of some in-person and telehealth appointments; confusion over staffing of a crisis hot-line; and professionals conducting telehealth visits in makeshift meeting rooms inside VA buildings.” A spokesperson for the VA “told Reuters mental health professionals…were not included in February’s staffing cuts, and the agency is working to recruit mental health [professionals] and improve wait times.”
Related Links:
— “VA shake-up hits mental health services for US veterans,” Robin Respaut, Reuters, March 20, 2025