Posted on March 5, 2024

Many U.S. veterans experience mental health problems—and the journey to recovery is often a complicated one.

Research shows that those who serve are more likely to experience mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression—the invisible wounds that can deteriorate the quality of a veteran’s life, impair relationships, and lead to other negative consequences.

And yet, research also provides insights that inform solutions that can offer veterans and their families hope. For example, studies show that when veterans have access to high-quality mental health care, their lives change for the better.

But to get there, veterans must navigate a complex system of providers and treatments. And policymakers and providers must work to ensure that veterans have access to the highest-quality care.

This resource provides a window to explore veterans’ journeys to mental health care, findings and resources from RAND’s vast body of research, and insights on how to help more veterans receive the care they need.

1. Identifying Mental Health IssuesVeterans’ first step toward mental health care is realizing they need help.I tried to hide the fact that I was crying and so depressed, and felt so lost and lonely. I was kind of like a social butterfly before I left for Iraq. It was not like me to stay home and not answer my phone or not go out with my friends.— Antoinette Wallace, National Guard veteran
2. Deciding Where to Get CareVeterans must navigate a complex system of various provider and treatment options.Every veteran will have a moment of clarity when they realize they need help. But if they don’t pounce on it, it will pass. I just need them to get through the door.— Kurt Power, Army veteran
3. Overcoming Barriers to CareOrganizational, logistical, and social factors can prevent veterans from receiving the care they need.There was a time when I wore that mask, and I wore it until it wore me out. But there is hope for you. You can take off your mask. You don’t have to suffer in silence. You can get help.— Taniki Richard, Marine Corps veteran
4. Receiving High-Quality CareOnce veterans receive treatment, their chances at recovery depend on their quality of care.The military goes to war, but I don’t feel like we’ve gone to war as a country, where everyone feels like we all need to serve in some capacity. I think more people would get on board with high-quality mental health care if we put it out there like that. They’d see serving veterans as serving their country, as a form of service, which benefits everyone.— Derek Coy, Marine veteran and veterans’ health officer, New York State Health Foundation

More About This Research

This resource was made possible, in part, by the Zwick Impact Fund.

Charles Zwick—a researcher at RAND from 1956 to 1965 who later served as both a trustee and an advisory trustee—presented RAND with $1 million and the charge to take on new and emerging policy challenges and to support top talent in their focus on these issues. Each year, RAND’s president and CEO draws on this generous gift to help RAND research and outreach teams extend the impact of completed research.

A list of the peer-reviewed RAND research summarized throughout this site is available here.