By
RAND Corporation
Funding Area
Veterans’ Health
Date
October 7, 2024
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The @RANDCorporation report, commissioned by NYHealth, provides a clear roadmap for how we can better serve New York's veterans, from expanding mental health services to enhancing job training opportunities. Check out the full report.
A new report commissioned by the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) and conducted by RAND offers a comprehensive assessment of the mental and physical health needs, access to care, and other factors like food security affecting recently separated veterans in New York. It offers the first comprehensive look at New York veterans’ health and social service needs since RAND’s landmark needs assessment nearly 14 years ago.
Key findings include:
- High Disability Rates: More than 60% of new veterans have a disability, double the rate from 2010.
- Mental Health Challenges: 25% have probable depression or PTSD, with nearly 20% experiencing both.
- Unmet Mental Health Needs: Although 97% of the newest veterans have health insurance, many report unmet mental and physical health needs. 25% don’t know where to find appropriate care, and 40% doubt the effectiveness of mental health services.
- Preference for Community Care: New York’s newest veterans report positive experiences in both U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and those in the community paid for by VA. But nearly 60% of veterans prefer to receive care in their communities rather than at VA facilities.
- Food Insecurity: 25% of veterans faced food insecurity in the past year, despite high levels of employment and education.
The survey, conducted earlier this year, gathered insights from a random sample of 1,122 veterans who were discharged or separated from the military between January 2018 and January 2023 and now reside in New York.