I’ve been using the VA for most of my primary care and I’m very happy with it. I ended up going to the VA after the insurance companies, that so many here love but have never used, refused to pay when I reached the lifetime maximum.
I am sorry for this mother’s loss but blaming the VA is a bit much IMHO.
The VA has a limited budget and unfortunately mental health issues have always been underfunded.
The fact is that many getting their care in the VA system are men and women who the insurance companies don’t want and would not insure.
Having worked in the mental health field, and being a VA client myself, I believe the quality of VA care for the mentally and emotionally ill is above average. The VA has accumulated a large body of science in the treatment of PTSD and what today they term DOES—disorders of extreme stress. The advantage VA has in treating these disorders is a clinical setting with multiple patients that can relate to, critique and support each other.
The VA is generous, in my opinion, with veterans suffering from organic brain disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolarism. Generally, patients are born with these illnesses but do not exhibit symptoms until adolescence or early adulthood. It is not uncommon for these people to be recruited into the military and only later begin to suffer symptoms. The VA approach is to take responsibility for the welfare, treatment and income (pensions) for these veterans even though their illnesses are mostly non-service connected.
The VA also runs some of the best drug/alcohol treatment facilities in the country.