How to File a Complaint Against a Department of Veterans Affairs Psychologist

By Nicole Thelin

Should you need to register a formal complaint against a Department of Veterans Affairs psychologist, you can make use of the VA's patient advocate program that pairs dissatisfied patients with trained professionals whose job it is to focus on resolving concerns and ensuring that you are receiving all of the benefits you are entitled to. However, complaints can be taken to higher levels of authority if the patient advocate is unable to resolve the situation to your satisfaction. Certain complaints, such as theft or patient abuse, should be brought to the attention of the VA Inspector General's office immediately.

File a complaint regarding your psychologist's conduct with the patient advocate at your local VA medical facility. These advocates can be contacted through the nursing or support staff of any VA clinic.

Write a letter to the director of the VA facility that the psychologist is affiliated with if the patient advocate fails to adequately address your concerns. In the letter, include the psychologist's name and specific details of the complaint. Include the date you saw the psychologist and the purpose of that meeting. Explain exactly what the psychologist did wrong and how that wrongdoing has affected you. If possible, include statements from witnesses and additional evidence.

Submit a copy of the letter you sent to the VA facility director to the Veterans Integrated Service Network director. This should be done if the VA facility director fails to satisfactorily resolve your complaint.

Contact the VA's Office of the Inspector General's hotline to complain if the psychologist has participated in misconduct, patient abuse, safety violations, theft or misuse of property. The VAOIG hotline is available toll-free Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Eastern Time at 800-488-8244. The hotline also accepts e-mails at vaoighotline@va.gov.

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