TOPEKA, KS  – Reported in the news throughout Topeka yesterday was a story headlined as “Topeka VA Will Temporarily Drop Outpatient PTSD Care.” We at the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System want to share that this story is not accurate. It was reported a provider took a position elsewhere,when in fact the provider is taking a position in another area within the medical center to increase our ability to provide care to our Veterans in crisis (inpatient provider).

While we understand that changing a provider can be stressful to any patient, our Behavioral Health Nursing Staff in the Psychiatric Care Team (PCT) Clinic are working to review the panel of patients to determine best care alternatives. The PCT team includes several psychologists, a nurse, and administrative staff who will continue to provide high quality care to their Veterans. VAEKHCS also has an excellent group of other psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners in the Mental Health Clinic who have extensive experience with treating PTSD and mental illnesses. Veterans are evaluated based on complexity of diagnosis and medications. Those with lesser complexities may be seen by a Primary Care Provider while a Psychiatrist may see Veterans with greater complexities. In order to receive timely care and be Veteran-centric, there may be some veterans given the option of referral to the community under the Choice Program.We do not anticipate a large amount of Behavioral Health (BH) referrals going to Choice and most, if not all, of the veterans will continue to receive BH services through the VA in Topeka.Active recruitment is occurring to fill the vacated position; however the current provider will continue to provide refills and address medication concerns until these patients are assigned anew provider.

We emphasize that PCT is not closing. Psychiatric medication management is only a small part of what PCT offers, and we are appropriately making plans to have those needs met while we recruit a new PCT psychiatrist. We will continue to provide comprehensive care to our Veterans, and we will continue to support the mission of PCT.