Antonio Delgado: “No veteran in Upstate New York or across the country should have to forgo healthcare because they can't access childcare…”

“No veteran in Upstate New York or across the country should have to forgo healthcare because they can't access childcare services. My amendment adds emergency mental healthcare as a covered healthcare service for veterans under H.R. 840. As it now reads, the bill provides for regular and intensive care, such as monthly VA medical appointments. However, it does not account for unscheduled appointments that, sadly, can make the difference between life and death. What if there is no time for an appointment? What if the individual is thinking about harming themselves or others? My amendment would allow veterans to receive childcare services when there is an immediate need for assistance due to mental ailment, whether from addictive opioids, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression, just to name a few. In my district and throughout most of the country, we have seen the opioid crisis rise to horrific numbers and impact millions of families. In fact, between 2010 and 2015, studies revealed that the number of veterans addicted to prescribed opioids grew by more than 50 percent, a total of 68,000 servicemembers. This is quite a concern. In my district, I represent more than 39,000 veterans, and much too often, addiction and mental health are swept under the table.…”