Ground has been broken for a new Denver VA hospital with an opening date sometime in 2013. An $800 million dollar "state of the art" facility will be built to care for veterans. The problem is that in the funding process they did not consider the very important aspect of mental health and that the PTSD Residential Program now at the old Denver VA has NO space at the new facility. The Director has stated that every avenue is being considered in an attempt to construct a new building next door?? What about the $800 million already allocated for this program? Combat PTSD is fast becoming the number one killer of veterans. Its a disorder that cannot be ignored or treated as an orphaned child. The Denver VA PTSD program must be continued in its present format under the same roof as that of the new Denver VA hospital. The veterans are being told that "veterans" are wanting the PTSD Program NOT be located under the same roof as the new hospital. PROBLEM: As a veteran, as a PTSD Program alumnus I was never contacted as to my opinion. I called all 18 of my class mates and none of them have been contacted. Eplanation: With the PTSD Program beng located under the same roof as the Demver VA hospital is very convienent because it allows the PTSD patient to attend any health related appointments and return in a short time period not missing valuable intensive therapy. Should the new PTSD program have to be located off the Fitzsimmons Campus away from the new hospital the new PTSD building would first have to located, leased and probably remodeled. Then they will have to set up a shuttle service for the aforementioned health appointments. POINT: The month of Sept. 2009, the PTSD program had 300 health related appointments. Can you imagine what the cost would be of a patient had to be shuttled back and forth? PLEASE VOTE OR EXPRESS YOUR DESIRE, VETERAN OR NOT, by writing to the Director of the DEnver VA, Congressman, Sentors, especilly Congressman John Salazar, and state THAT THE NEW $800 million dollar facility make room for 19 PTSD Patients. Please email me for further information.