Andrea Hsu

Thanks for having me.

Thanks for having me.

Thanks for having me.

Yeah, well, for several reasons. First, because the original request did not come from their managers. It came from the Office of Personnel Management at the direction of Elon Musk. And, you know, he has said this was his idea. And these emails hit in boxes over the weekends while most people were off, you know, trying to relax.

Yeah, well, for several reasons. First, because the original request did not come from their managers. It came from the Office of Personnel Management at the direction of Elon Musk. And, you know, he has said this was his idea. And these emails hit in boxes over the weekends while most people were off, you know, trying to relax.

Yeah, well, for several reasons. First, because the original request did not come from their managers. It came from the Office of Personnel Management at the direction of Elon Musk. And, you know, he has said this was his idea. And these emails hit in boxes over the weekends while most people were off, you know, trying to relax.

Now, the people I spoke with at the VA, they are mental health professionals. They help veterans with things like depression and PTSD, combat trauma, sexual trauma. And they say the government already closely tracks what they do.

Now, the people I spoke with at the VA, they are mental health professionals. They help veterans with things like depression and PTSD, combat trauma, sexual trauma. And they say the government already closely tracks what they do.

Now, the people I spoke with at the VA, they are mental health professionals. They help veterans with things like depression and PTSD, combat trauma, sexual trauma. And they say the government already closely tracks what they do.

Supervisors can run reports on how many patients they see, how many phone calls they make, what time those interactions start and stop, what topics are discussed and so on. So they don't know why an additional weekly email is necessary. And one psychologist I spoke with described the what did you do last week emails in pretty stark terms.

Supervisors can run reports on how many patients they see, how many phone calls they make, what time those interactions start and stop, what topics are discussed and so on. So they don't know why an additional weekly email is necessary. And one psychologist I spoke with described the what did you do last week emails in pretty stark terms.

Supervisors can run reports on how many patients they see, how many phone calls they make, what time those interactions start and stop, what topics are discussed and so on. So they don't know why an additional weekly email is necessary. And one psychologist I spoke with described the what did you do last week emails in pretty stark terms.

She said they're like flashbang grenades meant to discombobulate federal workers. And NPR agreed not to identify her or others at the VA by name because they're scared they'll lose their jobs for speaking out.

She said they're like flashbang grenades meant to discombobulate federal workers. And NPR agreed not to identify her or others at the VA by name because they're scared they'll lose their jobs for speaking out.

She said they're like flashbang grenades meant to discombobulate federal workers. And NPR agreed not to identify her or others at the VA by name because they're scared they'll lose their jobs for speaking out.

Yeah, they did because the VA told them they should respond. And in fact, they told me it's not hard writing down, you know, a few things about what they did, a few sentences about what they did. But they do see it as just one more thing getting in the way of their work, which is helping veterans deal with these really tough problems.

Yeah, they did because the VA told them they should respond. And in fact, they told me it's not hard writing down, you know, a few things about what they did, a few sentences about what they did. But they do see it as just one more thing getting in the way of their work, which is helping veterans deal with these really tough problems.

Yeah, they did because the VA told them they should respond. And in fact, they told me it's not hard writing down, you know, a few things about what they did, a few sentences about what they did. But they do see it as just one more thing getting in the way of their work, which is helping veterans deal with these really tough problems.

And it's coming at a time when there's been so much upheaval in the federal government. You know, the VA this week announced deep cuts ahead. And a psychologist I talked to said patients are themselves worried. She has patients asking her, are you going to be here next week or next month? And she says she's spending a lot of time calming their nerves instead of focusing on their treatments.

And it's coming at a time when there's been so much upheaval in the federal government. You know, the VA this week announced deep cuts ahead. And a psychologist I talked to said patients are themselves worried. She has patients asking her, are you going to be here next week or next month? And she says she's spending a lot of time calming their nerves instead of focusing on their treatments.