PTSD

"Program will reach out to veterans in Bend, The Dalles, Eugene, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, and other communities"

May 28, 2009 -- Washington, D.C.- Continuing efforts to make sure all of Oregon’s veterans have access to the quality medical care they deserve, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D- Ore.) announced today that the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center will receive $1.9 million to improve mental health treatment for veterans in rural Oregon.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- Advances in neuroscience research could benefit the Army, particularly in areas of soldier training and education. However, an emerging trend of using individual variability in neural processes such as cognition, stress response, and decision making to improve group performance is likely to challenge conventional approaches to training and educating soldiers, says a new report from the National Research Council.    » read more »

27 May 2008 -- The U.S. military says newly diagnosed cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among American troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan climbed nearly 50 percent last year, bringing a five-year total to nearly 40,000.

US soldier rests during 12-hour battle in Karbala, Iraq: Photo by Ashley Gilbertson (CC)

Officials Tuesday released figures that showed Marines and Army soldiers were most affected. These are the forces bearing the brunt of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.    » read more »

Senator Clinton, Reps. Maloney, Nadler, Fossella & Towns Say New Study Shows Continued Need for Strong Federal Response to WTC Health Crisis

May 20, 2008 -- New York, NY – Today, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Vito Fossella, and Edolphus Towns said that a new study by Mount Sinai School of Medicine showing high rates of psychological distress among World Trade Center responders underscores the need for a strong federal response to the health impacts of the 9/11 attacks.

World Trade Center, 9/11: Photo by macten (CC)    » read more »

May 16, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today sent the following letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake, calling on him to investigate reports that a psychologist at a Texas Veterans Affairs (VA) facility told staff members to refrain from diagnosing veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in order to reduce costs.

Barack Obama rally, Portland, Oregon: Photo by Brian Brewer (CC)    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2008 – With growing recognition of the toll post-traumatic stress disorder has taken on U.S. forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department may consider awarding Purple Heart medals to combat veterans afflicted with it.

Purple Heart

“It’s an interesting idea,” Gates said when asked about the concept during a May 2 media availability at Red River Army Depot, Texas. “I think it is clearly something that needs to be looked at.”

Gates’ comment followed his visit the previous day to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he toured the post’s Recovery and Resilience Center, which is using a holistic approach to treating troops with PTSD.    » read more »

April, 2008 -- Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan — 300,000 in all — report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Soldiers on patrol in Samarra, Iraq

In addition, researchers found about 19 percent of returning service members report that they experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent reporting both a probable brain injury and current PTSD or major depression.    » read more »

January 30, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on a study linking brain injury and PTSD among servicemembers returning from Iraq. The study, conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, was published in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The report is available on the web at http://content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/NEJMoa072972v1.pdf    » read more »

Nov 12, 2007 -- In observance of Veterans' Day, Edwards discusses plan to restore sacred contract between our government and our veterans    » read more »

Pilot program looks to provide permanent housing, medical assistance and job training for disabled vets

November 7, 2007 -- MANTENO – As Veterans Day nears, Blagojevich Administration officials today hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Prince Home at Manteno – a first-in-the-nation pilot program to help disabled, homeless veterans in Illinois. The program is designed to provide permanent housing for homeless and disabled veterans, including veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).    » read more »

October 25, 2007 -- Santa Fe – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced his proposal to expand treatment for veterans and their families suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

At the request of Governor Richardson last fall, a team led by the Governor’s Behavioral Health Czar, Linda Roebuck, has been meeting to improve coordination of behavioral health services for military personnel in New Mexico.    » read more »

October 23, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Christopher Bond (R-MO) sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, requesting a full accounting of service members’ psychological injuries, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), since October 2001.    » read more »