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Veterans Affairs Psychiatry Director Responds to Cloud’s Call for Mental Health Reform
(Black PR Wire) Kimberly Cloud, a U.S. veteran and mental health patient at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital, is speaking out to demand stronger mental health services for those who served. Like many veterans transitioning to civilian life, Cloud has faced ongoing mental health struggles—an issue that continues to affect thousands of former service members nationwide.
Recently, Cloud met with the Director of Psychiatry at her local VA hospital to voice her concerns. While the specifics of their conversation remain confidential, Cloud confirmed that the director gave her ten minutes of focused attention—time she says was meaningful. “You can do a lot in ten minutes,” she emphasized.
Cloud openly shares the day-to-day reality of living with mental health challenges.
“Functioning with mental health issues can be difficult. You have to challenge the disorder, exercise your cognitive mind, and build a positive environment. I’m not saying it goes away—but mental health is like math: both are solvable.”
Through persistent self-advocacy, Cloud says she has reached a better mutual understanding with the VA—one rooted in respect, dignity, and the right to comprehensive care. She envisions a system where mental health support is proactive and deeply personal, treating veterans as full individuals rather than cases in a file.
But the journey hasn’t been easy. Cloud also calls attention to a major barrier that veterans still face: the stigma around mental health—both in society and in the healthcare system itself.
“Sometimes just having a doctor really listen, like in old-school psychoanalysis, can make a huge difference,” she said. “But the stigma often gets in the way of being heard.”
She admits her frustration has, at times, come out the wrong way. Still, she never stopped pushing to be recognized.
“I felt unheard. It was like pulling teeth to get help when the VA was under the Biden administration,” she shared. “But I kept pushing. And now? My current psychiatrist listens. He’s helped me a lot.”
Although care has improved, Cloud is clear: there’s still a long way to go.
“I spoke out, and I got results,” she said. “But the stigma—especially at places like the Philadelphia VA Hospital—is real. Still, I’m proud to be a veteran. My mental health care is essential to fulfilling my basic needs, like stability and support. The VA gives me that, and for that, I’m thankful.”
From classes and group support to personal therapy, Cloud sees signs of progress—but insists it must continue. Her story is not just about one veteran’s journey; it’s a broader call for reform, compassion, and urgency.
She urges Veterans Affairs, healthcare professionals, and policymakers alike to elevate mental health care for veterans—and ensure no voice goes unheard.
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