New Help for Veterans with PTSD, substance abuse disorders

Proposed Rules Change Would Make it Easier for Vets to File for PTSD-Related Benefits

Here's a bit of overdue good news for our veterans who are living with PTSD and/or substance abuse disorders.

First, the Veterans Administration is looking to make it easier for some vets to qualify for PTSD-related benefits. Previously, many vets had to provide evidence of a traumatic event during their military service. (Because, while experiencing the event/s that caused your PTSD, the first thing were worried about was making sure you'd be able to prove it later.)

Under the proposed change, the veteran's lay testimony will be sufficient evidence, subject to review by a psychologist or psychiatrist to confirm that the event/s were sufficient to cause the vet's PTSD and were linked to the vet's military service.

Combat veterans and former prisoners of war are already allowed to qualify using a streamlined process, according to the report, so they will not be affected by the proposed change.

According to the report, "The proposed change is aimed in large part at the many troops in the current wars whose jobs do not involve combat with the enemy but nonetheless may experience traumatic events that lead to PTSD, such as combat support personnel and health care providers."

The VA is accepting comments about the proposed change through October 23rd. If you know a vet with PTSD, are a vet with PTSD, or care about our nation's duty to our veterans, please take a moment to hop over and comment now.

Be Careful! The comment site, www.regulations.gov, is one of the most difficult to navigate that I have ever seen!

New Non-Profit Organization Aims to Fund More Care for Vets with PTSD

Yesterday saw the announced launch of the Veterans Healing Initiative, a non-profit seeking to bridge the gaps between available VA-funded treatment for vets living with PTSD and/or substance-abuse disorders and the huge need generated by the current wars.

According to the VIA's mission statement,

At VHI we will:

• Raise funds for licensed existing treatment centers across the country that provide evidence-based, best practices, dual-diagnosis treatment for substance abuse and PTSD and have a dedicated veterans treatment track
• Fund growth of veteran-focused recovery programs, create capacity and uncover treatment models that can be replicated nationally
• Develop a consortium of treatment programs that will work with federal, state and local agencies to facilitate the growth of and ongoing research into comprehensive dual-diagnosis care for men and women veterans
• Work collaboratively with federal, state and local agencies, Veterans Drug Courts and other charitable organizations to promote and develop veteran recovery programs
• Expand the growing national dialogue about these disorders through public service ads, fundraising initiatives, conferences and on-line resources to create new programs for veterans and their families

The organization's founders and Board of Governors are an eclectic group of business, mental health, and media professionals. They have already recommended some programs -- though there is no indication on the organization's Web site that those programs have received VHI funding yet. And, of course, we'll want to keep track of their budget in terms of how much is being raised and how much ultimately ends up directly helping our vets.

Still, this seems like progress to me. Comments?

Image courtesy of Dom Cruse via flickr.