An inspector general's report released last week faults the Department of Veterans Affairs for caring more about meaningless performance goals than helping veterans in need of mental health care.

The report, revealed before a Senate hearing on the subject, said the VA lacks a reliable and accurate method of determining whether it is providing patients timely mental health care. In anticipation of the report, the VA announced it was adding 1,900 mental health professionals across the country. But the VA already has about 1,500 vacancies in mental health jobs, mostly in regions where positions are difficult to fill.

In essence, the report accuses the VA of cooking its books about how quickly it responds to vets in mental health crises.