Friday Five: Facts About Veterans and Mental Health

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- Recent studies tell us that nearly a third of veterans who seek care through Veterans Administration (VA) health centers receive mental health diagnoses.

- Almost one in five veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq will experience mental illness.

- Approximately 30 percent of veterans treated in the veterans health system have depressive symptoms, two to three times the rate of the general population.

- More Vietnam veterans have now died from suicide than were killed directly during the war.

- Approximately 40 percent of homeless veterans live with mental illnesses.

After all our veterans have done for us, it is important that they be supported when dealing with mental illness. Visit NAMI National's Veterans Resource Center  for more information about resources for veterans and their families.

For more information about mental health in southwestern Pa. be sure to visit NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania online and keep up with our blog with a subscription to our RSS feed!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Happy Veterans Day

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Happy Veterans Day from NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania!

Be sure to thank a veteran today for all they've done for our country and our freedoms.

A Soldier's Heart

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In time for Veterans Day, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has created a compelling four-part multimedia series titled "A Soldier's Heart".  The series discusses the impact of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on soldiers and their families and loved ones.  The series features the stories of four soldiers (Derrick Earley, Carrie Kleeh, Mike Cranmer and Don Bankosh) dealing with PTSD and the impact it has had on their lives. 

For more information about PTSD and other mental health issues be sure to visit NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania online and keep up with our blog with a subscription to our RSS feed!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Veterans Resources

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On Thursday, Nov. 11 Americans all over the country will be celebrating Veterans Day to honor those that have served in our country's armed forces.

The people who are currently serving, those who have served and their families face unique stresses and need mental health information and treatment tailored to their needs.  NAMI National has created an online Veteran's Resource Center to consolidate the best and most useful online resources for veterans and their families. The Veterans Resource Center has current information on a variety of topics, including public policy resources, information for family members, information on issues specific to women veterans, resources for active duty service members as well as information on accessing mental health care and other health services. 

For more information about mental health in southwestern Pa. be sure to visit NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania online and keep up with our blog with a subscription to our RSS feed!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Support for Veterans - A Community Effort

On Oct. 21, VA Pittsburgh will be hosting the conference Support for Veterans - A Community Effort.  The focus of this conference is to help care providers and the religious community better understand some of the physical and behavioral health issues associated with reintegration into the community.  The conference is intended for care providers and the religious community who have contact with veterans, their spouses and children. 

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Event details:

Date:  Oct. 21

Location: VA Pittsburgh (7180 Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15218)

Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

For more information, contact Kimberly Hall at 412-244-1244 or visit the Allegheny County Veterans Services home page. For more information about mental health and related services, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website!

Life-Saving Legislation for Troops

There is no better time than Veteran's Day to announce an important piece of legislation that has become law, thanks to our friend and colleague, Matt Kuntz, Executive Director of NAMI Montana, and Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus.

The legislation requires medical screenings for returning combat troops to help identify and treat post-combat related behavioral health issues.

The legislation, which is modeled after a program currently used by the Montana National Guard, requires the military to provide screening for every Soldier, Marine, Airman or Sailor before he or she deploys to combat as well as six, 12 and 24 months after their return. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that once fully implemented, this new requirement would result in the need for an additional 150,000 mental health assessments every year.

The purpose of this screening is to identify Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, suicidal tendencies and other behavioral health issues to identify which service members are in need of additional health care and treatment.

Matt Kuntz, who was the keynote speaker at NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's 2009 annual conference, championed this effort in memory of his step-brother Chris Dana, who died by post-traumatic stress related-suicide 16 months after he returned from Iraq.

"I can't tell you how much I've appreciated NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania's support throughout this advocacy effort," Kuntz said. "Your efforts will make a major difference in the lives of service members and their families."

To read the full press release and see video footage of Sen. Baucus, click here.