ptsd Vet Center first appointment today (PTSD) now what?

[fiasco2g]

Had my first appointment with the vet center counselor today and he says I have PTSD. He said I would need to see the VA mental health doctors for a diagnosis for a claim. Do I need to setup an appointment for a C&P exam or do they have a regular PTSD screening? I have filed an intent to file for my other issues in January 2016 so I only have until January to get my diagnosis and submit my claim.

I will be seeing the vet center counselor for treatment so should I setup a va appointment or wait for a C&P claim exam after submitting my fully developed claim? Thanks.

[PCW]

You have a couple of different ways to go here, but first - even though you have a PTSD diagnosis, you must also have an in service "stressor" and a nexus tying them together. Keep that in mind as you begin the claim process. Secondly, the PTSD diagnosis must be by a VA Psychiatrist or Psychologist. You can get the VA diagnosis a couple of different ways:

1) Schedule an appointment with your VA doc and request a referral to mental health. He/she may ask why - just tell them you are in treatment for PTSD at the Vet Center and would like pursue treatment at the VA. It may take a few appointments to accomplish the diagnosis, however if you do indeed have PTSD the diagnosis will be favorable. An added benefit of a VA diagnosis and any following treatment is that all your treatment records are available online to the benefits side of the house throughout the claim process.

2) Or you can file, continue treatment at the Vet Center, and have the VA schedule a C&P. The C&P doctor can make a diagnosis of PTSD for the VAs rating purposes.

You will be scheduled for a C&P in either case. Also keep in mind the exam is forensic in nature, and the examiner is not there to treat your symptoms.

If you file an FDC be sure to include any treatment records from the Vet Center. Once the claim is submitted you cannot any add any new claim data (non VA), as it will revert to a standard claim.

It would also be beneficial to you personally and your claim to show a history of treatment.

Good luck!

[Mark D Worthen PsyD]

8 hours ago, PCW said:

If you file an FDC be sure to include any treatment records from the Vet Center.

That is an excellent point. Many, many vets do not know that they need to request Vet Center records separately from any other VA medical records. 

I recently wrote a long detailed page on how to request veterans military records and medical records, and I put the Vet Center info in red with arrows pointing at it because it is so often overlooked! 

http://ptsdexams.com/veterans-military-records/#vet-center-records

All the best,

Mark

Edited June 19, 2016 by Mark D Worthen PsyD
typo

[fiasco2g]

Ok. So my VSO told me today to just keep going to the vet center and then request my records when I get ready to file. I already did the intent to file in January 2016. So I do not need a DBQ from a doctor since the va will do a PTSD C&P correct. Just want to make sure my VSO is giving good advice saying there is no need to go see a va doctor for PTSD until the C&P exam. Thanks.

Yes I was in iraq, have stressor, comabt action badge. etc. Just need to write a stressor letter at some point for the claim and get my vet center records.

Edited June 20, 2016 by fiasco2g

[Mark D Worthen PsyD]

On 6/20/2016 at 2:27 PM, fiasco2g said:

Ok. So my VSO told me today to just keep going to the vet center and then request my records when I get ready to file. I already did the intent to file in January 2016. So I do not need a DBQ from a doctor since the va will do a PTSD C&P correct. Just want to make sure my VSO is giving good advice saying there is no need to go see a va doctor for PTSD until the C&P exam. Thanks.

Yes I was in iraq, have stressor, comabt action badge. etc. Just need to write a stressor letter at some point for the claim and get my vet center records.

What your VSO told you is correct. 

I almost always found that a combat veteran's stressor statement(s) were very helpful. In other words, particularly since I am not a veteran, it helped me more fully understand how horrible and traumatic the event(s) were. 

Be sure to use VA Form 21-0781 - STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF CLAIM FOR SERVICE CONNECTION FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) - for your stressor statement(s). You can type or handwrite them. As long as your handwriting is legible, it's perfectly fine to do it that way. What you're writing is something exceptionally personal and painful, and what's more personal, in terms of written communication, than handwriting? 

There are some guides to writing to VA, such as:

StateSide Legal - VA Disability - Step 3: Gather and submit evidence (general advice on writing a letter to VA - it's down near the bottom of the page).

Swords to Plowshares -  WRITING YOUR PTSD STRESSOR STATEMENT

Nolo - How to Write a Stressor Statement for a PTSD Claim for Veterans Disability Compensation

I thought I had read some good advice about a stressor letter on veterans law attorney Chris Attig's blog (http://www.veteranslawblog.org/), but I searched on his site and couldn't find it. His site is a little hard to search, so I could have missed it. Btw, the content on his site is excellent IMHO. 

@fiasco2g - I hope this helps. I very much admire, respect, and appreciate your service, and sacrifice, to our nation. 

All the Best,

Mark

[Berta]

Fiasco, with the CAB on your DD 214 VA should concede the stressor but still I fully agree with Mark that stressor statements should be prepared with the advice above in mind. 

I have an article here somewhere as well on what is and what isn't a stressor, but that applies to anyone without PH, CAB, or CIB on their DD 214.

Good point too Mark, that those Vet Center records are separate from the regular VA med recs.

I worked as a volunteer at a vet center  in 1984-85.As a civilian and widow, at that time of an Army vet, I thought I was volunteering to bake goodies for special occasions or clean their bathrooms or answer the phones.

They voted me into the PTSD combat group instead, when the vets got to know me, and that experience has continued to shape the rest of my life.

 

 

[fiasco2g]

thanks Mark ,Berta, and PCW