VA hospital manager mocks veteran suicides in email to employees

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

VA hospital manager mocks veteran suicides in email to employees
Scott Kaufman
09 Mar 2015 at 12:12 ET

Veterans Affairs hospital manager in Indianapolis is under fire for an email containing photographs that mock the suicidal tendencies of the veterans in her care, The Indianapolis Star‘s Tony Cook reports.

The email sent by Robin Paul — a social worker who manages the Seamless Transition Integrated Care Clinic (STICC) at Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center — contains photographs of a toy Christmas elf posing in one of the hospital’s clinics under the subject line, “Naughty Elf in the STICC clinic.”

In one of the photographs, the elf is pleading for the anxiety and panic relief drug Xanax. “Out of XANAX — please help!” the caption to that photograph reads. “Self-medicating for mental-health issues when a CNS would not give him his requested script.”

In another, the elf is depicted as having committed suicide by hanging himself with an electrical cord. That photograph is captioned “Caught in the act of suicidal behavior (trying to hang himself from an electrical cord).”


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/va-hospital-manager-mocks-veteran-suicides-in-email-to-employees/

[LongTomH]

1. Fire this bastard immediately!

[Demeter]

2. That's vile

there is no other word for it

[TwilightGardener]

3. Weird.

[Stargazer09]

4. What the fuck???

Why would anyone, ANYONE, think that it's okay to do something like that?

Obviously, she deserves to be fired. IMMEDIATELY.

[niyad]

5. sounds like the VA needs to do a complete inspection and audit on this facility. with that

kind of attitude, who knows what has been going on there.

[Cryptoad]

6. This approach ,,,

of only "weak cowards verterans have any mental problems" , is still very much the norm in the Armed Services and VA !

[denbot]

10. Not so for the West Los Angeles VA

I have never detected that kind of attitude there.

And by the way that person should be asked to resign.

[graegoyle]

7. She needs to be fired;

If she hasn't killed herself, yet.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

8. Or you could just fire her with a firearm.

[Trillo]

9. It takes a great deal of courage to kill yourself.

I'm guessing the hospital manager is religious and views suicide as against Christ's plan, (Christmas elf).

[Victor_c3]

13. My VA psychiatrist told me I was going to go to hell after my suicide attempt in June

I thought the idea of me going to hell for killing myself was funny.

Just to be safe I better do a couple of "Hail Marries" on my way out If I have another suicide attempt and I'll be good to go.

[Trillo]

17. Another employee should be fired, your psychiatrist.

I hope you find some peace and contentment.

A Crusade and a Holy War in the US Military

-- Jason Leopold

An Orthodox Jew and former petty officer in the US Navy said his civil rights were violated after a chaplain and officials at a Veterans Administration hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, tried to convert him to Christianity while he was under the V.A.'s care.

David Miller, 46, who is on full disability, said in an interview that his physician at the Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Medical Center in Iowa City told him last week to go home and pray or meditate in place of using medication to relieve the pain he was experiencing from kidney stones. When Miller complained to V.A. staffers that his physician suggested he turn to God to treat his medical condition and refused to prescribe pain medication, V.A. officials provided him with a new doctor.

[smirkymonkey]

25. That's sick. Your psychiatrist should be fired.

I actually think they should be shot for telling you that, even though that might get me in to trouble.

What a sick excuse for a human being. I hope you are doing ok.

[Skittles]

27. hey

she needs to be reported; that is abuse and it is sickening

[LiberalElite]

30. One of the reasons I left the Catholic church was

that teaching on suicide - that if you kill yourself you're going to hell. IMO if you're feeling bad enough to kill yourself how could God send you to hell on top of that.

[Trillo]

21. We obviously disagree,

Rather than write my own words, I thought a little Googling on the subject was in order....

Firstly, when a person commits suicide there are many people that say it can be viewed as an easy way out, though I do not agree. In planned suicides, it takes courage to do it, courage of the highest level. When one contemplates suicide, it is not through the lenses of those against it, who have never gotten over their fear of the unknown to start to think of it, but rather through a lens of one who has been beaten down in life to such a degree that they can see no other way of relieving their suffering than by taking their own life. It is a selfish thing act to do, yes, but no more than those who wish to have the person remain in pain just for their own pleasure and comfort. By taking their life, the person also is able to take a gamble (if you believe in it) to have a better existence in death, and if those religious folks claim that they go to *insert place of suffering here* then it is viewed by them as no worse than what they already live in. It is an attempt to alleviate their suffering, in the same way in which playing a lottery is an attempt to alleviate the suffering of going to work every day. There are arguments that state "there is always a way out". This is not only irrelevant to one who is suicidal, but it is also not especially true. There is always a possible way out, I believe, but usually this way out involves other people/means/abilities that might not be available to the person at hand. You cannot expect one to live in agony and be content the same way you cannot expect one to live in poverty or in a conflict and expect them to be happy in such conditions and content enough not wish to go on to better stages of life. It is as if people classify people under martyrs or cowards. On the one hand, living in suffering because you are either afraid of death or wishing to stay with people who selfishly want you to stay in pain, or you are crucified by those who are afraid of death and thus apathetic to one's suffering.

...

In conclusion I must restate that "SUICIDE IS NOT AN ACT OF COWARDICE". It is just a way to solve a problem that has given one pain and suffering and is thus as worthy of an act as anything. One should not be shocked if a person commits suicide. A better option is to be saddened and ashamed by the fact, that in this day and age, where we have so much money and wealth, there are those that are still being beaten down by society to such a degree that they believe they have but one choice.

[crim son]

24. As somebody who survived a failed attempt, I thank you.

Living life with severe depression and other issues is one HELL of a challenge, but the way I felt the day I decided to die... there is no way I could live like that day after day. Leaving life was a terrifying thought but staying and, I thought, destroying the lives of everybody around me, was worse. Everybody has their own struggle and I'm proud of how hard I've worked to keep going despite the regular urge to quit, but those who do what they must do, I understand and do not judge.

[democrank]

11. Fire her immediately!

This is really awful.

[Dems to Win]

12. So many good, competent people need jobs, yet we hear every day of utter nitwits in positions

of responsibility.

Fire her and do a thorough housecleaning. There are too many good people willing to do the job RIGHT -- we don't need anyone in the VA unless they are true professionals in every sense of the word.

[Plucketeer]

16. I recently had my first encounter with a VA employee

I honestly wish I'd recorded this person's name and location (I dealt with them by phone). Or better yet: the phone conversation itself!

After the obligatory (and VERY insincere) statement about thanking me for my service, I was treated to about 15 minutes of condescension and interruptions. This fella had me STEAMING by the time we were finished. And I did come away with a notion of maybe WHY so many veterans are committing suicide of late. If what I got was a sample of the "help" they offer, I could see where the next logical step might be to just order a headstone plaque!

[Dems to Win]

18. Sorry to hear about your experience, I hope you are doing better now.

We as a country owe good health care to veterans. Such a tragedy that's not what we are giving them. Makes me angry and very, very sad.

[turbinetree]

15. For Profit

And this place has a contract with the people of this country to provide adequate care for veterans correct?
And they have this individual still in there employ?
And they still have a contract being paid by said taxpayer(s), really, who is in charge of the VA now and in that state, enough is enough.
And they are a FOR PROFIT organization, I think its time to re-exam there status to provide care for veterans or anyone for that matter

[DeSwiss]

19. Another thing about psychopaths......

...is that they like to work in jobs in direct control of their victims. To improve their proximity to the life-energy they suck from them.

- And few will care in these cases because the Empire has used them up. They've served their purpose......

K&R

[Alkene]

20. Psychopaths are in charge.

Rising to a level of managing a clinic implies institutional approval of, and rewards for, psychopathic characteristics.

[marble falls]

22. And this gal is a vet???

[tabasco]

23. Don't think so. What makes you think that?

Here's the lovely "lady":




Here's a petition to fire her:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/572/658/276/fire-robin-paul-va-manager-that-mocks-veteran-suicide/

[smirkymonkey]

26. Petition signed. What a horrible person!

K&R!

[progree]

29. quite a bit more info than in the OP at the below link,

http://popularmilitary.com/va-manager-mocks-veteran-suicides-in-email/

(which is the one referenced in that petition - thanks)

and the extra info and details is just awful ...

[marble falls]

32. Signed the petition. There are more vets working at VA than non vets.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

28. 22 vets commit suicide every day...

[Hekate]

31. Needs to be fired. This is unjustifiable behavior -- really sick.. nt