MENTAL HEALTH

Obama Meets TX Military Families

President promises veterans mental-health care.

President Obama visited Fort Bliss, Texas, on Friday, where he spoke with families and troops and congratulated veterans on “a job well done.” He also addressed a new executive order, signed Friday, instructing the Veterans Administration to hire 1,600 new mental-health professionals and increase the agency’s crisis-line capacity to allow those in need of professional assistance to meet with a counselor within 24 hours. He also urged those who think they might be suffereing from mental-health issues not to be afraid to seek help. Obama’s last visit to Fort Bliss was two years ago, when he announced an end to combat in Iraq.