WQAD: Sen. Ernst discusses veterans mental health care bill in Muscatine

“Senator Joni Ernst returns to eastern Iowa with a message about mental health care for veterans. Ernst visited the Muscatine chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] headquarters yesterday afternoon. She discussed the first bill she has introduced to congress which would both expand mental health services at VA care facilities and allow veterans access to private care providers --to shorten waiting periods. Right now, she says veterans wait an average of 36 days to get care. [ERNST] ‘when a veteran is going in for that mental health care, normally they are at their limit, and they need help right away, so this will help with that.’ Senator Ernst also says every day 22 veterans take their own lives. Ernst is a veteran herself and a member of the Armed Services Committee.” (WQAD-TV, 4/1/15)