Monday, August 6, 2012
House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman: There is Still More We Need to Do
AUG 6, 2012 Issues: Health Care, Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, issued the following statement on his bill, The Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (H.R. 1627), being signed into law:
“Today, our government took action and corrected the injustice of ignoring the health and wellbeing of Camp Lejeune Marines and their families. After more than a decade of fighting for healthcare, these families will finally have access to the care they rightly deserve and desperately need through the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. I want to especially thank Jerry Ensminger for never giving up hope that we would come together and do what is right.
“This new law also represents nearly two years worth of work by Congress to ensure that America’s veterans receive the healthcare, benefits, and services promised to them. I would like to thank all the Members of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees for their bipartisan work to make this law a reality.
“There is still more we need to do, however, on behalf of veterans, their families, and survivors. Too many veterans are stuck in the disability claims backlog, a system long overdue for reform; veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of war are waiting too long for treatment through VA; hundreds of thousands of veterans are still standing in unemployment lines; and the specter of sequestration still looms over the heads of our veterans.
“It is my hope that Congress and the President will continue to work across party lines to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs for the 21st Century and ensure world-class care and benefits for America’s veterans.”
To learn more about the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, click here.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
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.
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:
SELF TESTS FOR PTSD, DEPRESSION & MORE AVAILABLE HERE:
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:
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:
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.
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."
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