Submitted by Armen Hareyan on May 20th, 2008
Volunteer Mental Health Professionals Will Respond to a Growing Public Health Crisis for Thousands of Veterans and Their Families.
Heeding the call of the unmet mental health needs of returning soldiers and their families Give an Hour (GAH) and the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) announced today a major expansion of a nationwide effort to help U.S. veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
GAH and APF, the philanthropic and educational arm of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), will be using a $1 million grant from the Lilly Foundation to recruit and educate volunteer mental health professionals, who will become part of a network aiming to bridge the gap in mental health services for soldiers returning from service, as well as their families. Among troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, approximately 40 percent of soldiers, a third of Marines, and half of the National Guard members report psychological problems, but mental health services are in short supply.
Details of today's announcement were made public by the three organizations at the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) building on Capitol Hill -- one week prior to the nation's Memorial Day holiday. The ROA represents the interest of the soldiers of the Army National Guard, who suffer high rates of post-combat psychological problems, exacerbated by repeat deployments, detailed front-line combat positions and little access to the services of military treatment facilities.
"This all-volunteer effort provides badly needed support to help our veterans, many of whom come home with mental health needs," said U.S. Representative Steve Buyer (R-Indiana), Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "I applaud the hard work of Give an Hour, the American Psychiatric Foundation, and the Lilly Foundation, which are stepping up to help those who have selflessly served."
Efforts will be made to create a large, national, volunteer network over the next three years to address postwar mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), drug abuse, anxiety and depression.
"This grant will allow us to get out the message that help is available. We want to normalize what our military personnel and their families are experiencing and support the sacrifices that they are making by providing critical mental health support at no cost," said Barbara V. Romberg, Ph.D., founder and president of GAH. "We will be educating the military community and broader public about these mental health needs in hope of helping veterans keep their lives and families intact."
GAH is recruiting mental health professionals to volunteer one hour each week for a minimum of one year to provide direct services in person, by phone or in consultation with schools and community organizations that serve the military community. Services are wide-ranging and include marital and family therapy, substance abuse counseling and treatment for PTSD. APF brings strong ties to the psychiatric community and is actively encouraging psychiatrists to join the network.
"This grant will help us reach our goal of recruiting 10 percent of the 400,000 mental health professionals in the United States by 2015 to assist in this effort," said Dr. Richard K. Harding, M.D., president of the APF. "It is an ambitious goal, but we are confident it can be achieved."
The Department of Defense (DoD) is making an unprecedented attempt to encourage personnel to seek mental health treatment, but a significant increase in demand, in some areas, has forced the rationing of services, created long waiting lists and limited individual counseling sessions. In addition, some members of military families such as parents, siblings and unmarried partners do not qualify for care through the Veterans Administration or DoD but are affected nonetheless by the mental health of the veteran.
"We're privileged to be able to give something back to our troops, but we know there's still much more to be done," said Steven Paul, M.D., executive vice president for science and technology and president of Lilly Research Laboratories. "Lilly is fully committed to assuring that the best possible medicinal treatments are available, but unfortunately, we also know that having access to the best care -- in this case mental health services -- is essential."
Source:
Eli Lilly and Compan 
Comments
#1 More professionals needed for these veterans
I'm a veteran with PTSD. Never realizing the anger, the lack of self-esteem and the frustration with life that I carried for years was the PTSD and that PTSD could be treated, I bummed around the country for 25 years. Then something clicked when I saw news articles about the Tail Hook and Aberdeen Proving Grounds fiascos. I went to the Vet Center for a "quick" consultation and was I surprised to learn I wasn't crazy after all. It's been 15 years since that first breakdown and I've come a long way, Baby!
I finished college and got a degree in psychology. I'm frustrated now because I don't have the money to get my masters so I can continue the lifeline I received from the Vet Center. My hands shake and I bawl big, fat tears when I see yet another article that says the suicide rate for soldiers keeps going up each month, because I remember when once suicide was the first thing I thought about when I got up in the morning and the last thing I thought about at night...for over 25 years. My counseling helped me to realize that suicide is not a normal thought process...but it is for those with PTSD and I know what that feels like. I'm desperately trying to find an organization that will send me to graduate school so I can reach out to people who need the same type of help I once needed. I know I can do this if given the opportunity.
I'm 60 years old and most of my friends are looking forward to retirement. I have a job now that I'll probably retire from in the next five years, but right now I'm looking forward to going to graduate school and getting a job as a counselor. Weird? yes. Necessary? absolutely! I'd work for free if they would let me.
One more thing, I remember the pain of being a Vietnam era veteran. No one was there to catch our tears or extinguish our fears. No one. We cannot let our latest veterans think no one cares or no one understands.
I have two ideas that keep gnawing at me: (1) organize a program where Vietnam veterans and Iraq/Afghanistan veterans can help each other; and (2) begin a nationwide assist dog program for soldiers with emotional problems. How can anyone kill themselves when those trusting eyes of their dog begs them to stay alive or when there's another veteran who cares enough to sit up all night and listen to the fears of a new veteran.
Got any suggestions on how I can get a scholarship to go to graduate school?