Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center found out Thursday it will receive almost $2 million for rural mental health care in Oregon.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

The Portland V.A. hospital will be able to spend the $1.9 million to expand services in rural parts of the state.

The money will go to things like expanding video tele-medicine treatment for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Russ Hunt is a psychiatrist in La Grande. He treats many veterans.

Russ Hunt: “There’s not enough providers, there’s not enough training for providers, and there’s very little that addresses family issues. Limited everything! The only thing we don’t have too little of, is veterans with issues.”

Oregon’s Democratic Senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced the funding.

It's the state's share of $215 million dispersed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.