Legal Help for Veterans blog.
Mental Health
Two senators introduced legislation that seeks to provide cutting-edge medical treatment for veterans struggling with mental health issues. The No Heroes Left Untreated Act will open up treatment options to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Senate legislation aims to establish pilot programs at two Department of Veterans Affairs […]
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Mental Health, News and Press
Kristina Derro, Esq. Beginning this summer, the Department of Veterans Affairs will offer urgent mental health care to thousands of veterans with less-than-honorable discharges. The announcement was made earlier this month by VA Secretary David Shulkin who noted that former service members are more likely to have mental health distress, as well as much higher […]
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Mental Health
A new series of mental health clinics for veterans have opened in an effort to fill a perceived gap in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. Over the past three years, the VA has been criticized for long appointment wait times for veterans seeking care and other shortfalls. The new network of clinics seeks […]
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Mental Health, News and Press, PTSD
Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find relief for their symptoms through the innovative use of virtual reality (VR). Some Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, university centers and military bases have turned to gradual exposure therapy to help former service members heal by reliving the moments that triggered their PTSD. The Miami […]
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Mental Health, News and Press
John Rowan, the National President of Vietnam Veterans of America, has delivered a letter to President Barack Obama as well as President-elect Donald Trump. The contents of the letter includes a plea for a pardon of tens of thousands of post-9/11 service members who were discharged for infractions related to mental health. According to Rowan, […]
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Mental Health, News and Press
A recent study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has revealed more problems with the way hospitals run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are operating. This study looked at how well the VA, for-profit and non-profit hospitals, perform on quality measures for inpatient psychiatric care or Hospital-Based Inpatient Psychiatric […]
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Mental Health, News and Press
Veteran suicide has captured the attention of social media users in a form of viral online activism that mirrors the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014. The goal of the 22 Pushup Challenge is to raise awareness about veteran suicide and programs that support the mental health of former service members and their families. The […]
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Mental Health, News and Press
Around 20 veterans nationwide committed suicide each day in 2014, according to new statistics released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in July. The information highlights the mental health crisis facing veterans today. The veteran suicide rate in the United States has commonly been quoted as an estimated 22 per day. Although the figure has been […]
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Mental Health, News and Press, PTSD
Nearly one-third of veterans who experience trauma are at a higher risk for depression, substance abuse or suicide even though they do not meet all the criteria for a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. The findings of a Yale study highlight the need for doctors to be vigilant when assessing and treating PTSD symptoms in […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, Mental Health, News and Press, PTSD, Veterans Law
Kristina Derro Veteran Advocate The University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System teamed up to study the effects of mindfulness training among veterans suffering from PTSD; the positive results of the study came as a surprise even to the researchers. Mindfulness training can be thought of as a form of meditation and […]
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