EDINBURG – A Rio Grande Valley veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder says he’s still in need of assistance.  

The McAllen resident, whom we’ll call John, says he controls his symptoms with medication provided by the VA.

When he turns to his nearest VA location in McAllen, it’s understaffed and he cannot get help. He says his medication can also take weeks to arrive.

When asked about John’s situation, the VA sent CHANNEL 5 NEWS the following statement, which reads in part:

“The VA is addressing the problem of mental illness in veterans with a series of new free courses it is running on the internet to help veterans and their families learn about the signs of mental illness. The courses are available on psycharmor.org.”

However, the Hidalgo County Veterans service officer tells us there are other options for John.

He says if you are the family member, friend or fellow veteran of someone who is showing signs of mental illness, you should call his number right away at 956-318-2436.

Watch the video above for the full story.