In this report, the authors present findings of a survey of recently discharged or separated veterans residing in New York state. The research evaluated (1) the mental and physical health of this cohort of veterans and (2) their access to, and experiences with, health care. The results offer critical information that can inform policy and practice changes to improve veterans' awareness of, access to, and use of needed services.

Understanding Veterans in New York

A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military

Jeanne S. Ringel, Julia Lejeune, Jessica Phillips, Michael W. Robbins, Melissa A. Bradley, Joshua Wolf, Martha J. Timmer

ResearchPublished Oct 7, 2024

Over the past decade, there has been increased awareness that U.S. military veterans often grapple with significant mental and physical health issues related to their service. In response, many policies and programs have been put in place to support veterans and improve their access to needed services. Despite these efforts, prevalence rates for physical and mental health problems and concerns about the health and overall well-being of veterans remain high. Because the specific needs of veterans and the barriers to accessing care likely differ across areas, data at the state level are critical for tailoring policies and programs to make them more effective.

This report focuses on veterans in New York, specifically individuals discharged or separated from the military between January 2018 and January 2023. The authors analyzed responses from 1,122 veterans to a survey designed to assess the mental and physical health of this cohort of veterans and their access to, and experiences with, health care and other veteran services.

The findings of this report will be of particular interest to policymakers, veterans' advocacy groups, and health care providers who are involved in the design and delivery of services for veterans. Additionally, researchers and academics focusing on social and economic well-being, public health, and veteran affairs will find the data and conclusions useful for further studies.

Key Findings

  • Many recently separated New York veterans face mental health challenges. Approximately 25 percent of respondents screened positive for probable depression and approximately 26 percent screened positive for probable posttraumatic stress disorder.
  • The rate of unmet need for mental health services was 39 percent among those with a probable mental health diagnosis.
  • The proportion of respondents who reported suicidal thoughts was twice as high as estimates for the general New York adult population.
  • Approximately 20 percent of respondents rated their physical health as "fair" or "poor." This proportion is higher than estimates for the state's general population ages 18 to 54, but like those for adults ages 55 to 64.
  • Rates of disability among recently separated veterans in New York are high: Over 60 percent reported being rated as fully or partially disabled by the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Just over three-quarters (76.5 percent) of respondents reported having access to health care services through the VA.
  • A significant proportion of respondents reported a preference for community-based providers over military or VA facilities. The most common reasons included easier access (48.5 percent), better perceived quality of care (43.9 percent), and established relationships with existing providers (39.5 percent).
  • Almost 46 percent of respondents said that veteran housing assistance and loans are helpful, yet only 20 percent have used them. Similarly, job training was seen as helpful (34 percent), although few respondents (10 percent) had accessed it.
  • Approximately one-quarter of respondents had experienced food insecurity in the past year.

Recommendations

  • Enhance access to and use of mental health services. Consider making available more health professionals trained to work with veterans, integrating mental health services into community and primary care settings, and addressing mental health stigma through media campaigns to improve care uptake.
  • Continue to prioritize veteran-specific suicide prevention programs. Continued commitment to policies, programs, and research efforts in this area is critical, such as improving the quality and accessibility of data on veteran suicide risk and mortality and expanding and evaluating veteran-specific approaches to suicide prevention.
  • Support veterans' ability to access both VA-based and community-based health care services. Maintaining choice and access to various care settings is needed to meet veterans' diverse needs.
  • Address logistical barriers that veterans face to access needed health care. Transportation to appointments, more flexible appointment times and locations, and providing additional support through free resources like the NYS Veterans mobile app could help.
  • Expand outreach and awareness about benefits and services. Consider partnerships with community-based organizations and targeted information campaigns advertising VA outreach events and services to reach a broader audience and include information about challenges that veterans face, such as food insecurity.
  • Consider the growing diversity of the veteran population. Service providers should receive ongoing training on equity and cultural competence to meet current and future needs. Programs that explicitly address the unique challenges faced by veteran women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer veterans; and those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are necessary going forward.

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Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 2024
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 68
  • Paperback Price: $23.00
  • Paperback ISBN/EAN: 1-9774-1408-7
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA3304-1
  • Document Number: RR-A3304-1

Citation

RAND Style Manual

Ringel, Jeanne S., Julia Lejeune, Jessica Phillips, Michael W. Robbins, Melissa A. Bradley, Joshua Wolf, and Martha J. Timmer, Understanding Veterans in New York: A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military, RAND Corporation, RR-A3304-1, 2024. As of May 1, 2025: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3304-1.html

Chicago Manual of Style

Ringel, Jeanne S., Julia Lejeune, Jessica Phillips, Michael W. Robbins, Melissa A. Bradley, Joshua Wolf, and Martha J. Timmer, Understanding Veterans in New York: A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3304-1.html. Also available in print form.
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This work was funded by the New York Health Foundation and conducted in the Social and Behavioral Policy Program within RAND Social and Economic Well-Being and the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute within RAND Education and Labor.

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