s.woolcock@setonhill.
edu
October 28, 2021
President Joseph Biden
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As it personally relates to both you and me, it breaks my heart that I must address an urgent issue
regarding the life and dignity of the human person with great sincerity and a sense of desperation. As a
student at Seton Hill University, I remain committed and diligent in living through service as Mother
Elizabeth Ann Seton, our patron saint, called us to. With this mission, I have been called to think critically,
creatively, and ethically as a student of this Catholic institution. As I am about to graduate from my
undergraduate study, I am dedicated to fulfilling Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton’s wishes. As I begin my
future vocation, I strive to complete my due diligence with a sense of fiery passion. As I know veterans
with mental illness are close to your heart, it is utterly unjust that within the Veterans Health
Administration serious mental health patients “receive delayed initial appointments in three to five clinical
settings (post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, and psychological rehabilitation clinics)”
(Nelson et al., 2021). Therefore, the reason for this letter: I am fighting for a commitment from those in
office for increased measures toward protecting our veterans with mental health illnesses because they
have unwaveringly fought for you and me.
The Covid-19 pandemic has not been ideal for anyone, but I feel that many of those most impacted were
our men and women in uniform overseas. My best friend is an active-duty Marine who was deployed
during the midst of the pandemic. Without being able to leave the base or his room for several days on
end while being in a foreign country, he experienced some of his darkest days. Even though he is back on
a base in the States, I feel an unwavering sense of urgency in helping others who continue to struggle
with mental illness. My proposal to you is to decrease the wait time for serious mental health patients with
a sense of imperativeness because their situation is a matter of life and death. Whether you employ more
workers to be available at all times or build new Veteran Health Administration offices, I simply pray that
this matter of giving to the sick and giving alms to the poor stirs compassion in your soul.
Not wanting to take up too much of your time, I will conclude by sharing the aching pressure in my heart
to give back a little dignity to those who gave so much for us. We need a president who helps end the
stigma around mental illness and gives real solutions. As I was reading Head Space and Timing: Veteran
Mental Illness from a Combat Perspective my heart pounded with desperation as I read, “Because
Nelson, S. M., Mach, J. J., Hein, T. C., Abraham, K. M., Jedele, J. M., & Bowersox, N. W. (2021). Access
to timely mental health care treatment initiation among Veterans Health Administration patients
with and without serious mental illness. Psychological services, 10.1037/ser0000534. Advance
online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000534
France., D. K.L. (2018). Head space and timing: Veteran mental health from a combat veteran perspective. NCO Historical Society.
serving those who served is the responsibility of all who values the freedom won by the sacrifice of our
service members, past, present and future” (France, 2018, p.8).
Thank you for your time and consideration. I urge you to continue your term with a renewed sense of
compassion and vigor. May God bless your decision-making, for it remains a matter of life or death.
Thank you,
Samantha Woolcock
Seton Hill University
1 Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, PA 15601
[email protected]
Nelson, S. M., Mach, J. J., Hein, T. C., Abraham, K. M., Jedele, J. M., & Bowersox, N. W. (2021). Access
to timely mental health care treatment initiation among Veterans Health Administration patients
with and without serious mental illness. Psychological services, 10.1037/ser0000534. Advance
online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000534
France., D. K.L. (2018). Head space and timing: Veteran mental health from a combat veteran perspective. NCO Historical Society.
