WEBVTT ERIN: IN MONTEREY COUNTY, VETERANS AFFAIRS IS REPORTING MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS IS IMPROVING SINCE THE OPENING OF A NEW FACILITY IN MARINA. DAN: MORE TONIGHT FROM ACTION NEWS REPORTER CAITLIN CONRAD. CAITLIN: STAFF AT THE NEW VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CENTER IN MARINA SAY THE OPENING OF THE FACILITY WAS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS IN MONTEREY COUNTY. >> WE TOOK THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE WERE GOING TO DO OUR CARE, THE WAY WE WERE GOING TO DO SOME -- SAME-DAY ACCESS, THE WAY WE WERE GOING TO DO DROP IN GROUPS . SO WE REALLY REALLY WORKED AND PARTNERED TOGETHER WITH THE MEDICAL TEAMS TO TRY AND REMOVE BARRIERS. CAITLIN: DR. KELSEY UTTER SAYS CARE AT MAJOR GENERAL GOURLEY IS MORE INTEGRATED THAN IT WAS AT THE OLD FORT ORD CLINIC WITH PHYSICIANS AND PSYCOLOGISTS WORKING SIDE BY SIDE TO PROVIDE CARE, IN SOME CASES SAME DAY CARE. >> THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THE WAY WE DO OUR INTEGRATED CARE MODEL IS THAT IF THEY COME IN AND SEE THEIR PRIMARY CARE TEAM THEY ARE GOING TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS. JUST HOW IS LIFE GOING IN GENERAL. CAITLIN: THE ONE THING THAT IS STILL DELAYING CARE IS ENROLLMENT. VETS NEED TO GET ENROLLED BEFORE THEY CAN GET HELP FROM THE VA. BUT THE OUTPATIENT CENTER IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE VETERANS CAN GO FOR HELP, THE VETERANS TRANSITION CENTER IS EXPANDING ITS OPTIONS FOR VETERANS SUFFERING FROM PTSD AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. >> VTC IS TRYING TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF HOMELESS VETERANS AND TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT HOMELESS VETERANS MIGHT BE SUFFERING FROM THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR HOMELESSNESS. SPECIFICALLY PTSD AND OTHER KINDS OF MENTAL ILLNESS. CAITLIN: VTC PROGRAM DIRECTOR BRIAN WAINWRIGHT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH CLINICAL CASE MANAGER BRETT STANBERY TO OFFER INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND GROUP THERAPY FOR VETS AT THE VTC. STANBERY HAS 15 PEOPLE IN HIS CLINICAL PROGRAMS AND SAYS A MAJORITY ARE DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD. CONTRARY TO PUBLIC PERCEPTION HE SAYS THESE FOLKS ARE NOT SCARY OR DANGEROUS. >> NO. I’VE FOUND THAT WITH 100% OF MY CASELOAD I’VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A TRUSTING RAPPORT WITH THEM. I DON’T EVER FEEL IN DANGER. ERIN: -- CAITLIN: BUT THOSE SUFFERING FROM PTSD ARE REALLY SUFFERING AND CAN FEEL ISOLATED AND ANGRY. THE VTC SAYS IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE FEELING YOU SHOULD WALK THROUGH THEIR DOOR BECAUSE THERE IS HELP THERE. >> WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR VETS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE OF BELONGING AT VTC AND WE WORK OUR BEST AND ITS REALLY CHALLENGING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL THIS IS FAMILY AND THIS IS HOME. CAITLIN: KSBW ACTION NEWS 8. DAN: THE OUTPATIENT CENTER IN MARINA DOES NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. IF YOU OR A LOVE ONE ARE IN CRISIS, CALL THE VETERANS CRISIS LINE AT THE PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR SC