An internal investigation by the Veterans Administration into the suicide of Marine veteran Jonathan Schulze of Prior Lake found that the VA record does not show he was denied psychiatric care.Schulze's mother, Eileen Carlson, and stepfather, John Carlson, of Prior Lake have stated that the 25-year-old combat vet sought psychiatric care through the VA and was denied treatment days before his death.Schulze committed suicide in New Prague, Minn., on Jan. 16. “I basically feel he went to the St. Cloud VA expecting to be admitted,” Eileen said Wednesday. “I think it was so discouraging for him to be turned away and put on a waiting list.”Eileen said Schulze reached out for help.“It was a big step for him to realize he needed treatment and to go,” she said. The report, from the VA's Office of the Medical Inspector, said no evidence exists that Schulze twice told staff at the VA hospital in St. Cloud that he was suicidal. The report says family members interviewed were "sincere in their statements" and that "they were not confused or uncertain about the sequence of events that occurred."It also concludes that employees provided consistency in their statements.The report says that the family's account and the account of mental health workers are "diametrically opposed," and that care workers "responded appropriately to the care that veteran stated that he was seeking."Eileen said she’s “not surprised” at the findings of the government report.While the differing circumstances aren’t clarified by the report, one clear outcome is an initiative to make terminology easier for veterans to navigate health care programs. The findings request that terminology used to describe programs is examined to ensure that it reflects program content.The report also asks that outreach programs to veterans and families occur to increase education.Schulze's suicide has drawn attention of veterans groups and Congress to the medical services veterans returning from combat may require from the VA. 

Joanna Miller can be reached at (952) 345-6375 or jmiller@swpub.com.