IOM Invitation Letter

[3 OF 9 BARCODE]

[NAME]

[ADDRESS]

Dear [NAME]:

You have been selected to participate in the OEF/OIF/OND Veterans’ Access to Health Services Survey. Congress directed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct this study with assistance from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, an independent, nonprofit organization. Over many decades, the IOM has earned a solid reputation as the nation’s premier source of independent, expert advice on scientific and medical issues facing the nation and the world. The IOM has partnered with the VA on many projects in the past that have led to improved care for our Veterans. For more information about the IOM, please visit our website at iom.nationalacademies.org.

This important study is being conducted to evaluate the mental health care provided to Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan operations. Your participation is important, even if you have not used the VA for mental health services. The information you provide on the survey will be combined with administrative data provided by the VA about health services you may have used. The IOM will release a publically available report in 2017 that will contain aggregate results from the survey and administrative data. No information that identifies individual respondents will be included in the report. The report will be used by Congress and the VA to better understand why Veterans choose to use or not use VA services available to them, and will also help improve Veterans’ access to VA mental health services.

We have enclosed $2 to thank you in advance for completing this survey. After we receive your completed survey, we will send you another $5 for your participation.

Please note that:

• You can complete the web survey on a computer or a smartphone anywhere you can access the Internet.

• If you need to stop before completing the survey, you may log in again later to finish it.

• Your survey responses and administrative data are kept confidential and are reported accurately in a way that does not identify you or any individual who participated in the survey.

• Your participation is voluntary. Refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled, and you may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions on the back of this letter for details about the benefits and risks of the survey and why your participation is important.

The survey should take about 35 minutes to complete. You can complete the survey now by going to the following secure website maintained by Westat, our research partner. The IOM has partnered with Westat to conduct this survey. When you reach the website, enter your Access Code.

Survey website: https://www.VeteranHealthAccessSurvey.org

Access Code: xxxxxx

Computer or technical questions? Please contact Westat’s survey support center at Support@VeteranHealthAccessSurvey.org or 1-855-763-8696.

I hope you will agree to participate in this very important survey. Your participation will help current and future Veterans to receive the highest quality VA mental health services possible. Thank you for your time, participation, and service to our country.

Sincerely,

Laura Aiuppa, M.S.

Co-Study Director

500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

iom.nationalacademies.org