Legal Help for Veterans blog.
Sep
19

Veteran homelessness slashed by half in six years

News and Press

The number of homeless veterans in the United States has been reduced by 47 percent since 2010. Data indicates an overall decline of 17 percent in veteran homelessness in 2015 alone. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) annual estimate, there were under 40,000 homeless veterans on a given night in January. […]

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Sep
12

Michigan veteran treks 1000 miles to raise awareness for PTSD

News and Press, PTSD

A Michigan veteran completed a cross-country walk in a mission to raise awareness for veteran suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fruitport native Marty Wills trekked 1,000 miles to Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. He began the two-month journey in Muskegon on Memorial Day. Wills carried with him an American flag […]

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Aug
31

Virtual reality opens up world of possibilities for PTSD treatment

News and Press, PTSD

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find relief with a new and surprising form of therapy. A clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California Institute of Creative Technologies is using virtual reality to treat the condition. Dr. Albert “Skip” Rizzo spent over a decade designing 14 virtual reality worlds to help veterans […]

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Aug
29

VA study reveals reality of veteran suicide rates

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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Aug
26

Sleep disorders are on the rise among veterans

Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press

Sleep is an essential part of a person’s wellbeing. However, many veterans are not getting the sleep they need. Recent research shows sleep disorders have increased six-fold among former service members over the past decade. The largest rise in sleep problems has been linked with patients who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), combat experience or […]

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Aug
24

VA under fire for plan to promote advanced practice nurses

News and Press, Veterans Law

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is facing criticism for a controversial proposal that would allow highly trained advanced practice nurses to treat veterans without a physician’s oversight. The agency said the plan is part of an overall effort to improve veterans’ access to VA health care by reducing long wait times. Patients have […]

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Aug
22

Vandals destroy graves of Michigan veterans over Memorial Day Weekend

News and Press

Fourteen headstones at a historic cemetery in Flat Rock, Michigan, were destroyed on the eve of Memorial Day weekend. Some of the graves belonged to veterans of wars in the early to mid-1800s. The cemetery was the original burial site of Revolutionary War veteran Michael Vreeland and his descendants who served in the military. Vreeland […]

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Aug
19

Veterans may benefit from mental health treatment

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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Aug
09

Veteran Volunteers Needed for PTSD Marijuana Study

News and Press, PTSD

A study is being conducted to figure out if smoking marijuana can help relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. To help confirm the researcher’s hypothesis, the study will require that 76 combat veterans smoke up to two joints a day for 12 weeks. The $2.2 million study will be conducted at Johns Hopkins University […]

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Jun
28

Veterans Find Inner Peace, Alter Brain Function following University of Michigan Study

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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