WSMV Channel 4 Vet housing suspended in substance abuse program

Vet housing suspended in substance abuse program

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - The VA medical center in Murfreesboro has suspended housing for veterans seeking substance abuse treatment after officials said they don't have staff to oversee the patients 24 hours a day.

Chris Conklin, a spokesman for the Alvin C. York campus, said the VA decided to put housing on hold last month because of safety concerns and lack of staffing. Conklin told The Daily News Journal that last year more than 1,600 patients participated in the 28-day program and about 400 annually used the lodging on the campus.

But Bill Mitchell, a retired VA substance abuse counselor, said most of the veterans seeking help for substance abuse are homeless and enrollment in the program dropped after the housing was suspended.

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Information from: The Daily News Journal

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