SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Veterans are waiting an average of 80 days for mental health appointments at the Spokane VA Medical Center, far short of the 14-day goal set by Veterans Affairs.
The delay appears to be the result of recurring staff shortages at VA medical centers across the country.
Spokane was one of four VA medical centers included in a review of mental health care access by the federal Office of the Inspector General. The other medical centers were in Denver, Milwaukee and Salisbury, N.C.
The report released Monday found that the average wait time for an appointment turned out to be 41 days.
