Veteran Consumer Councils: A Voice for Change

The Mental Health Strategic Plan for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) strongly encourages the promotion of Consumer Councils. These councils are operated by veterans, with VA staff serving as non-voting consultants. Typical aspects of the mission may include advocacy, problem-solving, and assisting with a recovery orientation to mental illness such as through stigma reduction. Meetings may also be for the purpose of exchanging facts or information, providing personal input, or expressing opinions and ideas.

Consumer Councils benefit the veterans and the VA in many ways. The council can assist in improving mental health services, promote opportunities for growth, improved veteran and staff satisfaction, increase communication and shared responsibility and decision making, resulting in improved mental health services. Consumer councils may provide feedback to mental health leadership based on individual inputs from council members; this input is not consensus based.

Consumer Councils are comprised of veteran officers including a chairperson, other veteran members, a VA staff consultant(s) who facilitates functioning of the council and may include the Local Recovery Coordinator, Mental Health Leadership, who respond to the council's input, and other interested staff and members of the community, such as family members, Veterans Service Officer (VSO) representatives, and members of the mental health organizations. Consumer Councils initially establish their mission and bylaws, including criteria for membership.

VA staff should be aware of how Consumer Councils may be impacted by the Federal Advisory Council Act (FACA) Guidelines. To be consistent with these guidelines, meetings are established by the veterans and they set parameters for the operation of the council as independently as possible; VA staff should avoid establishing, managing or controlling consumer councils. VA staff may give information, make recommendations, provide guidance and facilitate communication with VA leadership in a consulting and liaison role. The VA cannot provide major funding for a consumer council; however, it can provide meeting space, clerical help, and small items like stationary supplies.