The White House: An International Approach to Military Mental Health

Posted by Rosye Cloud on October 03, 2012 at 10:24 AM EDT

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has been one of the most significant issues our  military has faced --- and we are not alone. Last week, the United States came together with representatives from Canada and the United Kingdom to address military mental health.  Ensuring the mental health and wellness of our  servicemembers, veterans and their families is a cause that unites all of us.

The event sends a strong message to our military, our veterans and  all Americans, that we as a nation, and our partners around the world, are serious about addressing these concerns. This event brought together leaders from the government, non-profit, and private  sectors, all committed to the same goal --- tending  to the invisible wounds that many service members too often endure in silence.

Many of the best thinkers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom came together, not simply to discuss “what’s wrong” but also to share best practices and to chart a course for addressing these shared issues.The symposium included academics, clinicians, researchers, policy makers, foundations, veteran service organizations, national leaders and, of course, servicemembers, veterans and family members.

As leaders and experts took the stage to address a host of issues and convey a  variety of perspectives, common themes and challenges emerged. Chief among them was the need to enhance access to quality mental health services. There was common agreement that we must expand the capacity of those services so all who need care can get it in a timely manner, and in a setting that is relevant to their individual needs. Continued work is needed to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health issues in general, and strong efforts are needed to eliminate false perceptions that seeking treatment will cast a shadow on the military member or their family. Additionally, thorough research continues to be conducted, and we must leverage that research into methods of treatment that have a lasting impact. Addressing these important issues  will benefit not only the military but, as is often the case, the entire  country.

It’s all hands on deck. We must continue to work together to address faulty perceptions surrounding military mental health. Many myths become barriers to care. For example, surveys discussed indicated that the public believes there is a very high rate of mental health issues for those who have deployed. In fact, about 4 in 5 service members do not experience serious mental health issues --- and of those who do, 88% can continue their duties with no alteration, even while in treatment.

The resilience the vast majority of military members display is remarkable. Their ability to contribute to the workforce, their communities and their families is indeed strong.

In August, President Obama signed an Executive Order that strengthens our ongoing commitment to military mental health, "I know that you join me in saying to everyone who’s ever worn the uniform—if you’re hurting, it’s not a sign of weakness to seek help, it’s a sign of strength."  That theme is not only resonant in the United States, it is embraced by our allies as well.

By collaborating with our international partners, we will continue to strengthen the advancements we have already made, and new treatments will come to fruition as we continue to address military mental health as a collective body.

Rosye Cloud is the Director of Policy for Veterans, Wounded Warriors and Military Families

DoD to Host Caregivers Conference in 2013

By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 14, 2012 7:16:24 EDT

The Defense Department will hold a conference next year to discuss issues facing military caregivers, a senior defense official announced Thursday.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Warrior Care Policy John Campbell said the Pentagon will bring together Defense Department caregiver program personnel, military and veteran service organizations, the private sector, and caregivers — spouses, parents, family or friends who help a service member following an illness or injury — to address the caregiver community’s needs.

Campbell made the announcement during the 2012 Warrior and Family Symposium sponsored by the Military Officers Association of American and the National Defense Industrial Association.

“I’ve been worried and concerned for a while about caregivers … the sisters, the brothers, the spouses, who really need our support,” Campbell said.

His remarks came after Annette Slaydon, the wife of a seriously injured Air Force explosive ordnance technician, told an audience of her husband’s struggles with his family, which doesn’t understand his post-traumatic stress disorder and recovery, and their marriage, left in shambles by their changed relationship.

“There’s no instruction booklet on how you move forward. There’s nothing that talks about how your relationship changes from that of a husband and wife to that of a patient and caregiver … and you wake up one morning and you wonder how it happened,” Slaydon said.

More than 49,000 service members have received physical wounds in Iraq or Afghanistan and as many as 300,000 may have personality changes related to multiple concussions or mental health issues such as combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.

During recovery, which often takes months or years — and for some, a lifetime — troops and veterans often rely on family members or friends to assist with tasks ranging from basic needs, such as bathing and feeding, to activities like managing their finances, coordinating medical appointments, securing jobs and regaining independence.

READ MORE HERE: http://militarytimes.com/news/2012/09/military-dod-to-host-2013-caregivers-conference-091412w/

House Veterans’ Panel Chairman Frustrated by VA

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Sep 15, 2012 9:37:37 EDT

There’s frustration in the voice of Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman, as he describes what he sees as the glacial pace of change in veterans programs, and the disconnect he sees between Veterans Affairs Department workers and the problems facing the nation.

One of his prime concerns is the Post-9-/11 GI Bill, a key ingredient of a multifaceted effort to help veterans get jobs. In an interview, Miller said the 3-year-old program still has problems with such basic functions as timely and accurate payments to beneficiaries.

In recent meetings with veterans’ groups, Miller said he learned “some students were still having trouble getting checks” for the fall term.

Another area of frustration is the large and constantly growing pile of disability and benefits claims at VA, Miller said. VA has been focusing on changes to its claims processing system, with a goal of eliminating errors so that claims don’t have to be redone — a significant reason why almost 900,000 claims are pending in the system.

“There has to be a way for VA to fulfill the commitment to these men and women in a timely fashion,” Miller said, though he admits he doesn't have a solution. “If I had a magic wand, I would wave it, but I don’t.”

Still, Miller doesn’t think VA’s processing system is the core problem. He notes that the complicated application process makes it difficult for a veteran to file a correctly completed and documented claim without assistance.

“Because of the complexity of the claim today, some veterans are finding the necessary documentation is lacking,” he said.

Additionally, Miller was unhappy to discover VA has been holding expensive professional and training conferences at a time when both the department and the nation have pressing financial needs. He called it “very disappointing,” and said the people who organized the meetings appeared to be “completely unaware of the financial peril the country is in.”

But under the leadership of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, the department has done some things well, Miller said. He named the rapid enrollment of unemployed veterans into a program that that he sponsored that provides an additional year of education benefits to teach certain veterans new skills for high-demand occupations.

READ MORE HERE

Wyo. National Guard Gets Stress Training (Combating Suicides)

By JAMES CHILTON 

Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Published: September 2, 2012

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Army National Guard is arming its troops with a new weapon: a skills set to cope with the stresses of military life.

According to media reports, suicides in the Army have outnumbered combat deaths this year. That statistic serves as a stirring reminder of the importance of not only post-traumatic support but of proper mental and emotional conditioning, said Lt. Col. Samuel E. House of the Wyoming Guard.

"Military suicides have long been an issue within the military," House said. "The idea behind resilience training is to minimize that - as well as address other issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Army has offered resilience training, formerly called "battle-mind training" for several years. But, House said, it was only recently that the Army began to mandate that specific numbers of troops go through it.

Those troops, he said, can then use the lessons they've learned to help other soldiers cope with the day-to-day stresses of military life, such as the disconnect that can sometimes occur between military and civilian life.

"It's designed to look at the cultural aspect of it, not just the combat piece of it," House said. "There are just as many suicides among those who have deployed versus those who have not deployed. Marital problems, it's the same thing."

It's not uncommon for soldiers to assume a pessimistic disposition, whether it's due to the violence they witness overseas or whether they're coping with being separated from family and loved ones, House tells the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

Others can cope with military life but may have a hard time readjusting to civilian life, where responsibilities and expectations may be different than previously.

"Individuals who have done their four years or eight years or 20 years, it's interesting to see: Some people get out and go off and are very successful, other individuals, it's all they know," he said. "Particularly within the National Guard, before you deploy you have those (civilian and familial) responsibilities. Then you deploy and for the first two or three months, you feel like you need to be a part of the things at home."

While many soldiers are eventually able to accept their new roles, House said once they do return, they have to adjust to family life all over again.

At the same time, a soldier's spouse may have settled into his or her own new routine, which they then have to alter once the soldier returns home.

For that reason, one of the big focuses of the resilience training is getting soldiers to consider more than just the worst-case scenario.

All too often, House said, some soldiers may assume they're being cheated on or left behind.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.stripes.com/news/wyo-national-guard-gets-stress-training-1.187787

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT: Women Veterans Social Justice: Women Veterans Services (Part 1)

Women Veterans Social Justice: Women Veterans Services (Part 1)

Just click the link above!

Mind Field: PTSD & the Military

Can the Armed Forces afford to accurately diagnose soldiers--and their families--with psychological issues stemming from war?

By Keegan Hamilton Wednesday, Aug 8 2012

Nature calls, even in a war zone. And so, in April 2008, when John Byron Etterlee was stationed at an American military base in Baghdad, working the night shift at an Army tactical operations center, he carried his rifle as he stepped outside to use the outhouse. Suddenly, just as he began to relieve himself, he heard an ominous buzz in the sky above.

Etterlee, a stout Georgia native with a blond crew cut and thick spectacles, hustled out of the portable toilet and gazed up into the darkness. The buzz sounded like a small airplane approaching, but Etterlee, already midway through his second tour of duty inIraq, realized the white streak tearing through the night was an incoming rocket.

"For a split second I thought, 'Oh my God, am I going to die?' " the 35-year-old soldier recalls matter-of-factly in his slow Southern cadence. "I thought it was coming toward me. Fifteen seconds later I heard a loud explosion that shook the buildings. The rocket hit maybe 50 yards outside the gate."

Nobody was injured in the attack, and Etterlee's desert outpost incurred no serious damage. In hindsight, he says, it was just another close call during a span when he and his unit became accustomed to mortar fire, IED detonations, and other random explosions. But for some reason, perhaps because of the embarrassing circumstances, this particular brush with death has stuck with him. "I almost pissed in my pants," Etterlee says with a halfhearted chuckle. "It wasn't funny when it happened, but it's kinda funny now."

A chemical-weapons specialist tasked mainly with keeping records and maintaining equipment, Etterlee had limited combat experience during his time in Iraq. Nevertheless, his vehicle was once nearly struck by a roadside bomb, and one of his closest friends was killed in action in a separate incident. When he returned home toJoint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in late 2008, the chemical weapons specialist was clearly rattled. His wife forced him to spend nights on the couch because he punched, kicked, and thrashed in his sleep. He was prone to outbursts of anger. He tried to avoid conversations about the war, and, when co-workers inevitably swapped battle stories, his heart pounded and his mind raced.

He says he tried to seek help, but to no avail. "I went to chaplains more times than I can count," Etterlee says. "I went to my chain of command, and basically got the runaround. Nobody put me on any kind of formal treatment program."

On top of his mental issues, Etterlee was struggling financially. He and his wife divorced. And then, during a training exercise at Fort Lewis, he suffered herniated discs in his back while dragging a fellow soldier in a simulated rescue situation. Despite the painful back injury, he was briefly redeployed to the Middle East. Back at the base again in 2010, Etterlee was at the end of his rope.

READ MORE HERE 

Reports of Military Suicides on the Rise: Will Licensed Counselors be Allowed to Help Now?

After over a decade as an Army Behavioral Health Specialist, BH-related experiences on 2 overseas deployments, from reports I was privy to while working in my active duty position in Washington, D.C., and from countless stories from military friends, co-workers, and clients, I have personally noted that interpersonal relationships were/are the most common theme amongst Troops contemplating or attempting suicide. This is something not “treated” with a diagnosis and a pill but that’s what our Troops typically get. Finally a U.S. publication has printed the truth: Our Troops need therapeutic counseling to address their most serious mental health needs. See the article link below.

The article reveals research clearly indicating that our Troops need the services of professionals who can specifically address the actual reasons behind the suicide rates, among other things. Troops’ mental health issues need to be addressed with actual counseling and therapy—not what they most often receive. As I’ve discussed in previous blogs, currently no military branch allows Licensed Counselors/Therapists to serve in the military as a Behavioral Health Officer. That is, of course, unless they are also a master’s level Social Worker, a Psychiatric Nurse, a Clinical or Counseling Psychologist, or a Psychiatrist. With the VA it’s not much better. Despite the efforts of organizations such as the ACA and despite Congress’s recent mandate to start hiring Licensed Counselors and Therapists, they are still only opening up the positions to Social Workers in most cases.

I have been running my mouth to anyone who would listen about this for years. Why is every military branch still excluding the Professional Counseling and Therapist professions? Why is the VA still not hiring professionals in THE fields of expertise to best address what Troops and their Families are needing most? NOT just diagnoses, NOT just pills, NOT just Army Social Workers pumped out of an accelerated program. But a well-rounded mental health care system. One that stops excluding professionals who are best suited to assist in the most common mental health issues.

READ MORE HERE

New Study: U.S. Military Suicide Rate Now Likely Double or Triple Civil War’s

Can medical data from the U.S. Civil War help us better understand military suicides?

Your recent Time cover story in the July 23 issue detailed the tragic facts that suicide rates among active-duty U.S. military personnel rose dramatically over the past decade. Military suicide rates doubled between 2001 and 2006, while remaining flat in the general population, with more military fatalities attributed to suicide than to actual combat in Afghanistan during that period.

To make matters worse, we do not understand why. Stressors related to military training, overseas deployment, transition back to civilian life, and combat are widely believed to be major driving factors. However, 31% of soldiers who committed suicide had never been deployed to a war zone. Furthermore, suicide rates in British military forces have also increased recently, though to a lesser degree, and do not exceed the rate of the general population.

Is there a lack of historical context?

Compounding our inability to understand this current phenomenon is the lack of adequate historical data to provide context on whether high suicide rates were typical of prior wars. Review of archival records from past wars might help shed some light on the current military suicide epidemic.

In a recent study (Frueh & Smith, 2012) we reviewed historical medical records on suicide deaths among Union forces during the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), a brutal war that many consider the first modern one, and for the year immediately after the war to estimate the suicide rate among its Union combatants. We also reviewed these same historical records for data on rates of alcohol abuse and other probable psychiatric illnesses.

White active-duty Union military personnel suicide rates ranged from 8.74 – 14.54 per 100,000 during the Civil War, and surged to 30.4 the year after the war. For black Union troops, rates ranged from 17.7 in the first year of their entry into the war (1863), to 0 in their second year, and 1.8 in the year after the war.

For comparison, the current rate of U.S. military suicides is just over 20 per 100,000 troops. To further put these figures into current context, there were more military suicides in 2010 (total suicides = 295), than during the entire four years of the Civil War, for which we found 278 documented Union suicides, and forces were of comparable size.

Thus, current suicide rates in the U.S. military are probably two to three times higher than those documented during the Civil War. Rates for other available psychological domains, including chronic alcoholism, “nostalgia,” and insanity, were extremely low (< 1.0%) by modern day standards during the Civil War.

Of course, we should interpret data from the U.S. Civil War cautiously, not simply because of its age, but because medicine and society in the 1860s were psychologically naïve. There was almost no awareness or understanding of mental illness then. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), now understood to be a common post-combat reaction did not exist in the medical literature at the time. Moreover, it is possible (but by no means certain) that the stigma of suicide and psychological problems may have biased against reporting.

What about combat intensity?

As noted by preeminent Harvard psychologist, Richard J. McNally (2012), these Civil War findings occurred within the context of extremely intense combat operations. In reviewing historical data on rates of killed in action, he notes that the death rate for Union forces during the Civil War was 48 times higher than for modern U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, emotional problems and disability (from many different causes) has risen dramatically among U.S. military personnel and veterans, even since the Vietnam war.

READ MORE: http://ti.me/N07LOy

Army Conducts Largest Mental Health Study

12th Public Affairs Detachment  
Story by Sgt. Joshua Holt


CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The Army Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Service members research team is currently conducting a study to better understand the risks and factors associated with mental health, stress and suicide.

The Army STARRS research study is a partnership between The National Institute of Mental Health and the U.S. Army to identify the factors that may pose risks to soldiers’ emotional well-being and overall mental health.

“It’s the largest study of mental health risk and resilience that the military has ever conducted,” said Dr. Kevin Quinn, medical psychologist, NIMH program officer, Army STARRS. “We want to understand what might put a soldier at risk or what might make a soldier resilient to things that can increase or decrease the potential for suicide.”

“What we need to do, and what the study is designed to do is to contact a lot of soldiers,” said Quinn. “We’re on track with all the studies to have interviewed or surveyed 100,000 soldiers.”

The team assembled by NIMH includes participants from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, University of Michigan, Harvard Medical School, NIMH and Army staff members.

The research will help the Army understand risks and factors of suicide, said Quinn. The rate of suicide has risen over the past five to seven years, but it is still an exceedingly rare event.

The study is designed to provide basic data to help aid other organizations studying prevention and risks associated with suicide, Quinn said.

Researchers look at the participant’s entire life, not just their military career.

“The basic component that’s involved in the majority of all the studies is the survey,” said Quinn. “We might look at the kinds of experiences that a soldier may have in the past before they ever entered the Army.”

The study will examine several different factors of the soldier’s life including: stress, deployments, exposures to trauma, family and personal history and demographics.

The survey can be taken in two different formats: a paper-and-pencil version and a computerized version. The method of testing would be determined by the research staff based on the location of the personnel being surveyed and the materials and equipment available.

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/92706/army-conducts-largest-mental-health-study#ixzz22tVUsVQx 

What are Some of DoD's Specialized Care Programs for Chronic Illnesses and PTSD?

Specialized Care Program (SCP) Track I

What Is It?

The SCP Track I is an intensive treatment program designed to address persistent disabling symptoms attributed by service members to deployment or other military exposure. It features three-weeks of multidisciplinary treatment of patients in small groups of three to eight individuals.

The program is based upon internationally recognized centers for management of chronic illness. It provides state-of-the-art care for those suffering from multiple symptoms such as:

Fatigue Headache Digestive Problems Weight Gain

Joint Pain Skin Rash Memory Problems Weight Loss

The Program's Goals

• Improve conditioning and decrease symptoms via a gradual, paced physical reactivation program.


• Provide opportunities to improve work performance and other activities of daily living.


• Promote overall well-being, symptom reduction, improved coping and decreased healthcare utilization through the practice of positive health behaviors and skills.


• Actively involve each participant in creating an individualized symptom management plan.

What Type of Care Is Provided?

The Specialized Care Program is designed to meet each participant's needs at a variety of levels. In addition to treatment of physical symptoms, there are interventions to assist in dealing with the stressors which accompany chronic pain and chronic illness such as loss of former abilities, strain on relationships, and transition from the military.

This program provides carefully coordinated delivery of care that takes into account many medical perspectives.

SCP Track I patients work closely with an internist and a health psychologist. Other members of the health care team include a, physical therapist, nurse, clinical social worker, and a nutritionist. A range of other medical specialists are also available depending on a patient's medical needs. 

The Program includes:

• A thorough review of medical history and past diagnostic testing with an internist
• Education regarding symptoms and personal health care management
• Support and education for family members
• Group and one-on-one meetings to discuss the impacts of physical symptoms, life stressors, and military experiences
• Information regarding benefits for veteran

Who Can Participate?

The SCP Track I is available to members of all armed services and components, as well as to family members affected by persistent symptoms. The Specialized Care Program emphasizes treatment over evaluation.

Prior to admission to the Specialized Care Program, each person's medical record is extensively reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. The purpose of this review is to determine whether or not the Specialized Care Program would be an appropriate treatment

What Is the Specialized Care Program SCP Track II?

• Intensive, three-week, multi-disciplinary treatment program for patients with deployment-related stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or difficulties adjusting to re-deployment


• Comprehensive program designed to accommodate a need for treatment of operational stress and PTSD associated with recent combat deployments


• Focus on supportive treatment for service members from OEF/OIF with difficulties readjusting upon return who attribute concerns to operational stress or other operational issues and:

• Assistance through other treatment venues has been unsuccessful or


• Treatment resources at local and specialty care settings under existing standards of care have been exhausted or


• Treatment resources at local and specialty care settings are not available to meet the specific treatment needs of the patient and


• Patient continues to experiences difficulties in functional status and quality of life.


• Designed to prevent chronic PTSD which creates higher usage of medical/behavioral health resources


• Designed to reduce co-morbid health concerns such as depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence which contribute to high utilization of healthcare services

What Type of Care Is Provided by the SCP Track II?

• Each SCP-Track II treatment plan is designed to meet individual patient needs


• An internist evaluates/provides needed medical treatment for physical symptoms


• Program teaches patients strategies to deal with the physiological, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive effects of stress/trauma and their resultant consequences on social, occupational, emotional, and interpersonal functioning and quality of life


• Treatment program is group oriented, with three to eight individuals going through 3 week program as a group in order to facilitate trust and mutual support

What Are the Key Elements of Care for SCP Track II?

• Behavioral health and self-care strategies and treatment modalities including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy


• Group exposure therapy


• Physical reactivation


• Stress management (relaxation training, massage therapy, yoga and acupuncture)


• Educationally-based self-care focus with relapse prevention follow up


• Multiple phone call follow up contacts for 10 months with clinician to secure improvements


• Functional status emphasis and return to duty


• Multi-disciplinary staff (physician, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physical therapist)


• Structured, day-hospital milieu, 0730 - 1600 for three weeks, Mon.- Fri.


• Ease of access to other referral sources within the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) system

How Are People Referred to the Program?

• Military health system clinicians can refer patients meeting admission criteria to the program

• Patients must be ambulatory and capable of some exercise


• Patients musts be stable enough for independent functioning


• Referral must include evaluation by a mental health professional to rule out significant co-morbid mental illness, e.g., psychosis, suicidality, active substance abuse


• For healthcare facilities lacking evaluation assets, referrals for evaluation may be made to DHCC Ambulatory Care Program


• The individual's command must approve program attendance


• For additional referral information click here.

Information provided by Department Of Defense Deployment Health Clinical Center

Help for Veterans and Their Families: National Institute of Mental Health’s “Outreach Partnership Program”

The National Institute of Mental Health’s “Outreach Partnership Program” has made information available to veterans and their families who have concerns about depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other behavioral health problems. The information in this article comes from that resource.

Depression interferes with daily life, and even though each person may experience depression in a unique way, there are some signs and symptoms that one should be aware of, including:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or empty feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Irritability and restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies that one once found enjoyable/pleasant/fulfilling
• Fatigue or decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Sleep disturbance of one kind or another (like insomnia, too much sleep, or early morning wakening)
• Eating problems: eating too much or a loss of ones appetite
• Thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts
• Aches, pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not respond to medical treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not uncommon among returning veterans. When the following signs and symptoms last longer than a few weeks, one may be experiencing PTSD:

• Flashbacks
• Bad dreams
• Frightening thoughts
• Avoiding places/events/objects that are reminders of the experience
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Strong guilt, depression, or worry
• Losing interest in activities that were once enjoyable
• Having trouble remembering the dangerous or traumatic event
• Being easily startled
• Feeling tense or “on the edge”
• Sleep disturbance
• Outbursts of anger
• "Drinking" to forget

SELF TESTS FOR PTSD, DEPRESSION & MORE AVAILABLE HERE:

• https://www.vetselfcheck.org/welcome.cfm

• https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/anonymous.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=mentalHealth&contentPage=mh_screening_tools/PTSD_SCREENING.HTML

• https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/anonymous.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=mentalHealth&contentPage=mh_screening_tools/PHQ_SCREENING.HTML

Many veterans have a difficult time adjusting to life back home after they’ve been deployed. Behavioral health services can help. 

Help is available 24 hours a day, every day 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1

 or 

Send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

or

Chat Online 24/7 here: Veterans Chat

If you are in immediate need of help and do not want to use the above please CALL 911

Here are some websites where reading material on PTSD, depression, anxiety, and related subjects may be obtained:

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/Resources.asp

www.nimh.nih.gov

www.nami.org

VA: Help is Available to Encourage Veterans to Seek Mental Health Services

HOUSTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs now offers a free Telephone Call Center, “Coaching Into Care,” which provides assistance to family members and friends trying to encourage their Veteran to seek health care for possible readjustment and mental health issues.

“Coaching Into Care” is a valuable service for family members and friends of Veterans who might be reluctant to seek mental health care,” said Laura Marsh, M.D. Mental Health Care Line executive at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. “In the last three years, VA has devoted more people, programs, and resources toward mental health services to serve returning combat Veterans.”

The “Coaching Into Care” service offers free coaching to callers, with no limit to the number of calls they can make. The goal of these sessions is to connect a Veteran with VA care in his or her community with the help and encouragement of family members or friends. Callers will be coached on solving specific logistical problems and ways to encourage the Veteran to seek care while respecting his or her right to make personal decisions.

“One of the biggest obstacles Veterans and families face is overcoming the stigma attached to getting mental health care,” said Marsh, who is listed as one of the best doctors in the nation in the field of psychiatry. “Treatment works, but only when the Veteran actually receives it.”

The Telephone Call Center is available toll-free at 1-888-823-7458, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and online at www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching. Additional information about overcoming the stigma of mental health care is available at http://maketheconnection.net/.

If a Veteran is experiencing an acute crisis, callers should contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 for immediate help. “Coaching Into Care” works directly with the Veterans Crisis Line and the Caregiver Support Line to provide guidance and referrals.

Currently, almost 500 mental health clinicians and support staff serve Veterans in southeast Texas. In June, VA announced the hiring of an additional 33 clinicians and seven support personnel to support mental health operations at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

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CDC: Military Veterans Report Poorer Health

Disparities More Pronounced Beginning at Age 45 
Aug. 2, 2012 -- People who served in the military carry a heavier health burden than non-veterans. According to a CDC report released today, veterans are significantly more likely to have two or more chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, as well as other health problems.

Nearly 1 in 5 vets between the ages of 45 and 54 reported at least two chronic conditions compared to less than 15% of non-veterans. Close to 1 in 3 former service members who are 55 to 64 said they had more than one chronic disease compared to one-quarter of men who never served.

"The effects of military service on physical and psychological health, especially after extended overseas deployments, are complex," write the researchers. "There may also be long-term consequences of military service for the health and health care utilization of veterans as they age."

The report was produced by the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the CDC. It draws on data from the 2007-2010 National Health Interview Survey, and it covers veterans aged 25 to 64, directly comparing their health with that of non-veterans.

"Overall," the researchers write, "veterans aged 25-64 appear to be in poorer health than non-veterans, although not all differences in health are significant for all age groups."

Age Differences and Health

While younger veterans -- those aged 25 to 34 -- showed few differences with their non-veteran counterparts, some significant disparities appear as they get older.

"The health differences that appear at older ages suggest that the effects of military service on health may appear later in life," the researchers write.

Starting at age 35, veterans report having more work problems related to physical, mental, or emotional issues. As a group, 18% of veterans report that such problems limit the type or amount of work they can do, compared to 10% of non-veterans. This was especially pronounced among vets between the ages of 45 and 54.

Veterans in that latter age group were also more likely to report other serious health problems. While veterans in general described their health as fair or poor more often than men who never served (16% compared to 10%), those between 45 and 54 were the most likely to do so.

Psychological Distress

Serious psychological distress also struck 45- to 54-year-old veterans with greater frequency than other age groups. They were the only age group to report significantly higher amounts of such distress -- defined by the researchers' as "unspecified but potentially diagnosable mental illness" -- compared to non-veterans.

The researchers note that this report only considers "people with the most severe psychological distress. Other measures of mental health that capture a wider range of mental disorders might show more differences between veterans and non-veterans."

Nearly 9 out of 10 surveyed men who served in the military carry health insurance. That's significantly higher than non-veterans, and, the authors write, it "may influence their access to health care and the likelihood of being diagnosed with various conditions."

READ HERE: http://men.webmd.com/news/20120801/cdc-military-veterans-report-poorer-health

VA For Vets: MENTAL HEALTH HIRING INITIATIVE

 VA Announces Aggressive National Recruitment Effort to Hire Mental Health Professionals

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki recently announced the department would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce to help meet the increased demand for mental health services.  The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has developed an aggressive national recruitment program to implement the hiring process quickly and efficiently.

“The mental health and well-being of our brave men and women who have served the Nation is the highest priority for this department,” said Secretary Shinseki.  “We must ensure that all Veterans seeking mental health care have access to timely, responsive and high-quality care.”

 

VA has developed an aggressive national mental health hiring initiative to improve recruitment and hiring, marketing, education and training programs, and retention efforts for mental health professionals, to include targeted recruitment in rural and highly-rural markets. This will help VA to meet existing and future demands of mental health care services in an integrated collaborative team environment and continue to position VA as an exemplary workplace for mental health care professionals.

 

It is critical for VA to proactively engage psychiatrists and other mental health care providers about the vital mission to deliver high-quality mental health services, especially for returning combat Veterans.

 

“The VA mental health community is aggressively transforming the way mental health care services are provided to the Veteran population. As the mental health care workforce continues to increase, VA is committed to improving Veterans’ access to services, especially for at-risk Veterans,” said VA’s Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel. 

 

The national recruitment program provides VHA with an in-house team of highly skilled professional recruiters employing private sector best practices to fill the agency’s most mission critical clinical and executive positions.  The recruitment team consists of 21 national, dedicated health care recruiters targeting physician and specialty health care occupations. These recruiters also understand the needs of Veterans because each member is a Veteran. 

 

VHA has also established a hiring and tracking task force to provide oversight for this initiative to move the process forward expeditiously in a focused manner to ensure challenges, issues, or concerns are addressed and resolved.  This task force is accountable for reporting progress in hiring of mental health professionals in these occupations: psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, mental health technicians, marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors.

 

VHA anticipates the majority of hires will be selected within approximately six months and the most “hard-to-fill” positions filled by the end of the second quarter of FY 2013. VA has an existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff that includes nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.

 

Interested mental health care providers can find additional information about VA careers and apply for jobs online at www.vacareers.va.gov.  To locate the nearest VA facility or Vet Center for enrollment and to get scheduled for care, Veterans can visit VA’s website at www.va.gov.  Immediate help is available at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net or by calling the Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (push 1) or texting 838255.