Cheyenne VA Adds Mental Health Professionals

The Cheyenne Veteran's Administration Medical Center has hired four new mental health professionals according to the center's Director of Mental Health Services.

Dr. Mark Schutter says the new staffers include two new psychologists as well as a registered nurse and a social worker. Schutter says one of the new psychologists has specialized training in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Schutter says that training is important because PTSD  is one of the most common psychological disorders faced by combat veterans

Schutter says the Registered Nurse will be valuable as a mental health treatment coordinator  for the center's Interdisciplinary Treatment Teams. Schutter says that will help the teams work more efficiently to serve patients. Schutter says the Social Worker can fill a number of roles, serving as a 'jack of all trades"  and improving staff efficiency.

The Cheyenne staff additions  were part of a national effort to improve veteran's access to mental health care by hiring  over 1600 new mental health care officials, according to VA officials.