Mental health care for Veterans.

• Position: TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS - Brief article

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Men and women returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan often face serious mental health problems. A study by the West Virginia Legislature found about 48 percent of returning veterans suffered post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Lawmakers were particularly concerned about their National Guard members and reservists from rural areas, who reported being disproportionately sent into combat compared to those from urban areas. In the study, 71 percent of rural soldiers were likely to experience combat compared to only 39 percent of urban soldiers.

West Virginia, like many states, is suffering from a shortage of mental health professionals practicing in rural areas. This shortage is...