Veterans will have better access to mental-health services, under the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plan to hire an additional 1,600 clinical providers and 300 administrative support staff. Since VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the plan last August, the department has hired 1,058 new care providers and 223 administrative support personnel. While staffing levels have risen, so too have demands for the services they provide. More than 1.3 million veterans sought VA help for mental-health issues in fiscal year 2012, which began Oct. 1, 2011, and concluded the following Sept. 30. In comparison, 927,052 veterans sought the same services in fiscal year 2006 (Oct. 1, 2005-Sept. 30, 2006). The department attributes the increase to better screening of separating service members for symptoms of alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or sexual trauma.