DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
INSPECTOR GENERAL
WASHINGTON DC 20420

 

AUG ll 20l6

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Grassley:

This is in response to your cosigned August 2, 2016 letter requesting that the VA Office
of Inspector General (OIG) review the health care provided to Mr. Brandon Ketchum by
the Iowa City VA Medical Center in Iowa City, Iowa prior to his suicide in July 2016.

The circumstances regarding his suicide are now under review by the Office of
Healthcare Inspections within the OIG. Upon completion of our review, we will make
every effort to share whatever information we can in accordance with applicable law.

We also would draw your attention to recently released report, ?Suicide Among
Veterans and Other Americans 2001?2014? containing wide-ranging research into
suicide in the veteran population. We hope that our review of Mr. Ketchum?s care may
help augment the information in the report to enable policymakers and healthcare
providers to help better serve at?risk veteran populations.

We provided a similar response to the cosigners under separate cover.

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sincerely,   

MICHAEL J. MISSAL

 

Copy to: The Honorable Thomas R. Carper
Ranking Member
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary