VA Health Care: Spending for Mental Health Strategic Plan Initiatives Was Substantially Less Than Planned
Highlights
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides mental health services to veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse disorders. To address gaps in services needed by veterans, VA approved a mental health strategic plan in 2004. VA planned to increase its fiscal year 2005 allocations for plan initiatives by $100 million above fiscal year 2004 levels and its fiscal year 2006 allocations for plan initiatives by $200 million above fiscal year 2004 levels. GAO was asked to provide information on VA's allocation and use of funding for mental health strategic plan initiatives in fiscal years 2005 and 2006, and to examine the adequacy of how VA tracked spending and the extent of spending for plan initiatives. GAO reviewed VA reports and documents on plan initiatives and conducted interviews with VA officials at headquarters, 4 of 21 health care networks, and seven medical centers. VA networks provide oversight of medical center operations and most medical center resources.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | To provide information for improved management and oversight of how funds VA allocates are spent to fill identified gaps in mental health services for veterans, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the Under Secretary for Health to track the extent to which the resources allocated for mental health strategic plan initiatives are spent for plan initiatives. |
Closed – Implemented
In response to our recommendation, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) developed and implemented a national web-based reporting and tracking system to monitor expenditures associated with mental health strategic plan initiatives in early 2007. VA made changes to the system later in 2007 that enhanced VA's ability to track the use of resources allocated for mental health strategic plan initiatives. VA's tracking system provides information VA staff can use to determine the extent to which resources allocated for mental health strategic plan initiatives are spent for those initiatives.
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