Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is seeking information from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) regarding prolonged medical holds and mental health treatment for members of the Armed Services. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Feingold asked DoD to provide information about active duty, guard and reserve members on medical holds. Feingold is also seeking answers as to why referrals for further mental health evaluations are not required for persons screening positive for post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We have an obligation to the men and women who bravely serve in the Armed Forces that when the battle is over, they get the services they need,” Feingold said. “The Congress needs to understand why our nation’s servicemembers are still being subjected to bureaucratic delays, why they are stationed far from home during recovery and why they are not referred to mental health professionals when they struggle with the psychological consequences of combat. These brave Americans deserve nothing less.”

Feingold was recently contacted by several members of the Wisconsin State Legislature who were concerned about Wisconsin servicemembers experiencing extended medical holds, often at locations far from home. Even though the Army has a Community Based Health Care Initiative, which permits injured Guard and Reserve soldiers to live at or near home and seek treatment for their injuries at nearby facilities, Feingold continues to receive complaints from Wisconsin servicemembers subjected to extended medical holds far from home.

Feingold also noted that according to the Government Accountability Office report issued last year, only 22 percent of returning servicemembers screening positive for post traumatic stress disorder receive referrals for further mental health evaluations. Recent reports indicate that this trend continues.

A copy of the letter is available upon request.

Audio of Senator Feingold talking about the problem of prolonged medical holds can be heard at: http://feingold.senate.gov/audio/feingold_extendedmedicalholds_051607.mp3.