ptsd H.r. 327 Proposed Law (in House Of Va Affairs)

[spike]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I felt it important enough to post here a very important Proposed Bill. I am copying and pasting the Bill Summary Below. Like to hear your thoughts. I think it's long overdue that they provide a service for PTSD Veterans and Veterans Alike.

Provided by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

Honorable Bob Filner, Chairman

Summary of H.R. 327, as amended

Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop and implement a comprehensive program

to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.

Section 1 – Short Title

• This Act may be cited as the “Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act”

Section 2 – Sense of Congress

• The special needs of veterans suffering from PTSD and elderly veterans who are at high risk for

depression and experience high rates of suicide should be taken into consideration during the

development and implementation of this Act.

Section 3 – Comprehensive Program for Suicide Prevention Among Veterans

• VA shall develop a comprehensive program that includes the components described in Section 4.

Section 4 – Components of Program

• Staff Education - requires the VA to provide education and training for VA staff, contractors, and

medical personnel who have interaction with veterans.

• Screening - directs VA to regularly screen and monitor all veterans who receive medical care in the VA

health care system for risk factors for suicide and to provide for referral of veterans at risk for suicide for

appropriate counseling and treatment.

• Tracking – requires VA to track veterans.

• Counseling and Treatment – directs VA to provide for referral of veterans at risk for suicide for

appropriate counseling and treatment.

• Designation of Suicide Prevention Counselors - requires VA to designate a suicide prevention counselor

at each VAMC.

• Best Practices Research - mandates VA to research the best practices for suicide prevention among

veterans, including best practices for helping veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma.

• Research – requires VA to work with HHS, NIH, CDC, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Service Administration when conducting research. Requires VA to conduct mental health research on

veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma.

• 24-Hour Mental Health Care - requires VA to provide for the availability of 24-hour mental health care

for veterans.

• Hotline – provides for a toll-free hotline to be available at all times.

• Outreach and Education for Veterans and Families - provides outreach and education for veterans and

their families to promote mental health.

• Peer Support Counseling Program – creates a peer support-counseling program where veterans can

volunteer as peer counselors to assist other veterans with mental health and readjustment problems.

Section 5 – Report to Congress

• Requires the VA to report within 90 days of implementation on status, timeline and costs for complete

implementation within 2 years, and recommendations for further legislation to improve suicide

prevention programs.

[allan]

I hope it pases Spike.

I have the feeling, that any funding for Vets that needs his signiture, he'll veto.

I also feel that congress needs to include in their bills, protection rights of veterans.

Any false statements made on the behalf of a federal employee, in order to deny benefits, should be a felony offence.

Veterans seeking care & benefits for PTSD, should not have to have their soul wounded twice, in order to recieve them.

How, does a veteran on patrol in a war zone, get his claim for PTSD denied on the basis, he wasn't actually in combat?

How many of these students do you think will be harrased over seeking care for their PTSD, called liers, fakers, or have their experiences dismissed as,"NOT IN ACTUAL COMBAT" or trying to cheat the govenment out of funding?

Every student at that school will be alowed to have free treatment for PTSD. Even if they were on vacation at the time.

Veterans? They can expect anything to be said to them or about them in order to discourage them from recieving benefits.

Think these students will have any trouble finding attorneys to represent them, if they were treated like our returning troops?

If bills don't contain laws protecting veterans, veterans will continue to take their lives out of frustration & taking a back seat to funding this war.

[sixthscents]

allan... as in allanopie?

Just curious you post like him... from another place

Bob Smith

[sixthscents]

This is actually good.... hell nobel even...

I hope it passes, I just dont see him trying to kill it now though, unless its tied into something else..... is it?

I mean the political fallout over a program designed to help veteran not kill themselves... but hes not worried about fallout anyway I suppose..... I well I have only myself to blame... I voted for him... it was because I just believed that there hasd to be a real and vital reason for Iraq... and if tehre was, then changing in mid stream would only further endanger our troops. I have come to believe that there really wasnt... (sign) sorry this is political and I really shouldnt be bringing it up...

I hope this passes though... I really do.

I think that the recent post by the sailor is indicative of the whole PTSD mess. I wasnt even PTSD and they put me thru test after test... same questions every time, same answers... same GAF... what a waste... sure I was diagnosed with depression but so is every other chronic pain sufferer on average anyway... why go thru the motions? Just take the first GAF, do it right and make the award... same for PTSD sure you need to establish the level of disability/functionality but... does it have to be so belittleing. They treat you like a bug under glass, and its some pakistanie, or 23 yrs old soch major..... working on their masters...

You get tested on intake, you get tested on C&P you get tested on pain management.. hell i get tested about once a year because I am an at "risk" patient.... its a circus, and putting our fragile soldiers , sailors, airmen and marines thru this is just despicable.... these men and women dont need this extra stress, and the money problems all pile on so quick, I cant think of a single claim where money hasnt been reaching or past critical.... bankruptcy, foreclosure...

its just wrong... not for me, or even most of you all who I now.. we are ok now, but these new men and women... they are facing a much "harder" system I think than I did in 2002, and since.... I just dont know what to do except what we are...

sorry, still no sleep so Im a bit down... pain meds just make you not care that you hurt, they dont get rid of the pain.....

Bob Smith

Edited April 19, 2007 by sixthscents

[spike]

This was something that the House of Veterans Affairs has created and passed at their level. I believe it has one more step to go and then signed into law.