Overview of Veterans’ Experience, Environment of Care, and Staff Perspectives for Women Veterans in VHA Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a national review to assess how Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs (MH RRTPs) address the unique environmental and safety needs of women veterans. The review was initiated in April 2024 and concluded in February 2026. This review included individual telephone surveys of 112 women veterans recently discharged from MH RRTPs; on-site inspections of a representative statistical sample of 32 MH RRTP sites (43 individual MH RRTP programs or units); and interviews with 128 VHA MH RRTP managers, admission coordinators, and facility women veteran program managers.

MH RRTPs provide a 24/7 structured therapeutic care environment and serve patients who need more support than outpatient mental health services offer, but do not require acute inpatient mental health treatment. VHA Directive 1330.01(7), Health Care Services for Women Veterans, specifies that the unique environmental and safety needs of women veterans must be addressed to ensure the care environment is a secure and healing one. In fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024–September 30, 2025), approximately 2,300 women veterans utilized MH RRTPs.

The information provided in this report is intended to support VHA’s improvements and continuing efforts to support women veterans in MH RRTPs. The OIG made no recommendations.