Scott, Luria Urge Navy to Expand Mental Health Services to Improve Quality of Life for USS George Washington Sailors, Use Defense Community Infrastructure Program

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Reps. Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Elaine Luria (VA-02) sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday urging the Navy to expand mental health services and use Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) funds to immediately improve the quality of life for sailors assigned to USS George Washington.

"There is an urgent need for the Navy to engage with the local community and shipyard to explore opportunities to improve quality of life for sailors. This must include additional off ship accommodations, increased mental health services, and improved parking. We believe that funds from DCIP Program could be leveraged to immediately address the need for additional off ship accommodations such as single sailor housing and improved parking," Reps. Scott and Luria said in the letter. "We urge you to ensure that those impacted have both immediate access to the assistance they need and assurances that the status quo is no longer acceptable to Navy leadership. Individuals must be fully assured that concerns can be raised without reprisal. There are urgent needs now, in addition to the need for extensive and thorough assessment, review, and corrective action."

In addition to urging the Navy to use DCIP funds, Reps. Scott and Luria also called on the Navy to expand the current mental health services and professionals available to sailors assigned to USS George Washington. Currently, there are only two additional mental health professionals for temporary assignment to provide services to sailors.

DCIP is designed to address deficiencies in community infrastructure, supportive of a military installation, to enhance military value, installation resilience, and military family quality of life.

The letter from Reps. Scott and Luria can be found here.

In April, Rep. Luria sent a letter to CNO Gilday demanding answers and extensive action on conditions and climate aboard USS George Washington. Earlier this month, Reps. Scott and Luriatoured the carrier, met with Navy and ship leadership, and heard directly from sailors aboard about their concerns after seven sailors assigned to the ship have died in the past year.