Valley family works with congresswoman to shine light on VA
Jul 10, 2014, 3:55 PM | Updated: 3:55 pm
PHOENIX — Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema along with Howard and Jean Somers are working together to improve access and quality of mental health services available to veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Somers are the parents of Army veteran Daniel Somers, who committed suicide on June 2013 after not receiving proper care from the Phoenix VA.
“Together (with the Somers) we developed the Classified Veterans Access to Care Act, to ensure that all veterans, including those with classified experiences, get immediate access to mental health services in the appropriate care setting,” Sinema said during a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing.
Sinema said that 22 veterans a day take their own lives, and hopes that the act will result in much-needed revisions to many current VA practices.
The Somers family would also like VA representatives from across the country to come together for an honest review of the entire VA system.