The VA Cut 80,000 Jobs and 600 Contracts. Veterans Are Now Waiting Up to 121 Days for Mental Health Care.

Veterans seeking mental health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs are now waiting an average of 35 days for a first appointment. In 15 states, the wait has grown past 40 days - more than twice the VA’s own standard. In one Ventura, California, clinic, the wait hit 121 days.

What You Should Know

Under VA Secretary Doug Collins, the department announced plans to cut approximately 80,000 employees from a workforce of 470,000 - a 15 percent reduction. The department also canceled approximately 600 contracts as part of DOGE-led reviews, originally targeting 875 before public backlash forced revisions.

Some cancellations struck clinical operations. A Los Angeles VA contract covering chemotherapy services was initially canceled before staff warned ‘all chemotherapy’ would stop - prompting a reversal. The Senate Democrats’ report documented that veterans waiting on old claims appeals have seen wait times grow by nearly 1,000 days, to 3,541 days.

The System Under Pressure

VA Inspector General inspections at facilities in Nevada found that workforce reductions and hiring freezes created ‘system shocks’ that disrupted healthcare operations. The OIG’s February 12 report documented concerns from staff and veterans about care delays following the mass workforce action.

Collins has said the cuts will not affect veteran services and that safety valves exist to hire for critical positions. ‘We will make accommodations to make sure they get whoever they need if they have a position that takes away from patient quality, patient care,’ he said.

The Receipts

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee report was issued January 22, 2026. The VA IG report on the Sierra Nevada Health Care System was published February 12. NBC News reviewed 200 of the canceled contracts. Military Times confirmed the 121-day wait time at the Ventura clinic.

What Happens Next

The House Veterans Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing on resource allocation failures within the VA healthcare system. Bipartisan members have sought full transparency on which contracts were canceled and why. A VA reorganization of the Veterans Health Administration is planned, with significant changes to community care contracting.

References: Military Times | Military.net | Nevada Current