When Ed Anderson walks into the Atlanta VA Medical Center, he doesn’t just see a hospital. He sees the place that once saved his life.
“I can say with no shame in my voice that the VA mental health care saved my life more than 20, 25 years ago,” said the 71-year-old Air Force veteran.
For years, he said, the Atlanta VA functioned as both a health care provider and a community hub. Veterans gathered in waiting rooms and hallways, talking for hours during what he considers to be informal therapy rooted in shared experience…