Hippy Steve<p>"Before we begin our session, I want to inform you that I am currently in a shared office space," reads the script. "While I will do my utmost to maintain your privacy, I cannot guarantee complete confidentiality." <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/11/npr-veterans-affairs-mental-health-suicide-trump-doge" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">mprnews.org/story/2025/04/11/n</span><span class="invisible">pr-veterans-affairs-mental-health-suicide-trump-doge</span></a></p><p>Panic, fear, uncertainty, and anger. Those are the emotions mental health clinicians who work for the US Department of Veterans Affairs describe as they prepare for the <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/VA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>VA</span></a>'s mandatory return-to-office directive. Some are being summoned to offices as soon as Monday, April 14. </p><p>Many VA therapists were hired on a telehealth basis and point out that there simply is not space for them to work at VA facilities. They are anticipating confusion and congestion around issues such as parking, bathroom use and adequate kitchen facilities to reheat their lunches. But the primary concern for therapists is whether they will be able to deliver quality care to their patients in an environment without confidentiality.</p><p><a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/Veterans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Veterans</span></a> <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/MentalHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MentalHealth</span></a> <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/ReturnToOffice" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ReturnToOffice</span></a></p>