This is one that is very near and dear to my heart. When a veteran is receiving mental health treatment that the department is paying for, if the clinician believes that the veteran's well-being will be improved or that their progress or their healing will be improved if their family also has treatment.... It's all focused on the veteran.
I have to give the department credit. It does its very best for families. If it can link it to the veteran's treatment, it does. As soon as there's a family breakdown or a divorce or separation, the spouse and possibly the children are no longer eligible to be part of the veteran's family. If the veteran is not interested in being treated or doesn't want to have their family included, the family doesn't have that access.
When the veteran dies, the family is immediately cut off. It is truly heartbreaking to witness. This happened to me at a town hall. The only thing I could say to this widow is that the law says that it has to be for the veteran. This is legislation. You can't ask the department to break the law, but that is very cold comfort to a widow.