The Phoenix Vet Center is under intense criticism for the alleged maltreatment of a Phoenix-area veteran that was under their care. According to witnesses and a phone recording George Kirby, team leader and Jana M. Radisic, staff psychologist was caught attempting to gaslight a veteran that was requesting a change in service provider.
What should have been a simple and routine request has turned into a nightmare of an experience for the veteran. According to the veteran she was assigned a new therapist after her former therapist of 3 years was transferred to another city. After several sessions with the new therapist she felt it was not a good fit and followed Vet Center protocols of contacting the team leader to request to see someone else. Fair enough.
Not hearing back after a couple of days she called again but without much success. It was not until eight days later that she received a phone call from Mr. Kirby and Dr. Radisic. In phone recordings submitted by the veteran Mr. Kirby was angry that the veteran has called "multiple times to reach him" and that there is "nothing" that he can do "to get her treatment. The phone call ended with the veteran asking how she can get treatment in which Mr. Kirby said that there was nothing that him or the Phoenix Vet Center can do to help a disabled veteran.
Briana Guzman, a case manager with the veteran based organization, the Military Rape Crisis Center has some harsh words for Mr. Kirby and Dr. Radisic: "In the recordings I heard a veteran that was clearly in distress. Those that are paid to help our nation's heros heal from the horror of the military has caused much more harm than good. The veteran took control of her treatment, advocated for herself and followed up when they failed to return her call in a timely manner. Dr. Jana M. Radisic and Mr. George Kirby not only blatantly ignored best practices they also left a disabled veteran hanging without any plan for treatment all because she dared to say that the current treatment was not working.
When I asked Ms. Guzman how she would have handled the case differently she wrote me this:
"The relationship that a patient has with a therapist is the most important component in determining the success of therapy. According to numerous studies the patient has to feel safe, supported and comfortable enough with her therapist to gain the most out therapy. Counseling centers should be aware of this and make the transition to new therapists as seamless as possible. If Mr. Kirby or Dr. Radisic felt that there was not a member on staff with the skills to help this veteran it was their responsibility to serve as a case manager until she was able to get an appointment elsewhere-either at a different Vet Center, the main VA hospital or educate her about programs such as VA Choice that would enable the veteran to receive care out in the community. What best practice looks like is provide the veteran with the information and serve as her case manager by following up to make sure she is getting the help she needs.
There are 22 suicides committed by Veterans each day. Makes you wonder how many of them have been turned away in the same inhumane and unprofessional manner like we have seen with the Phoenix Vet Center? This is not how our nation's heroes deserve to be treated."
The Vet Center Program was established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Today they serve veterans that experienced combat and/or military sexual trauma.
Phone calls to the Phoenix Vet Center was not returned at time of publication.