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PTSD/SUBSTANCE ABUSE COMMITTEE REPORT
By TOM BERGER, CHAIR
During the past year, the PTSD/Substance Abuse Committee
continued its advocacy efforts with Congress, the Department
of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and other
federal agencies and commissions to initiate, improve, and
expand the mental health and substance abuse resources and
programs for our nation’s veterans as directed by Committee
Resolutions PTSD 1-95, PTSD 2-95, PTSD 3-95, PTSD 5-95, PTSD
4-99, PTSD 1-05, and PTSD 2-05.
In doing so, the committee
also has focused on raising awareness about PTSD, TBI, MST,
suicide, and related mental health and substance abuse issues.
We do this through testimony on Capitol Hill, public presentations,
educational outreach, media interviews, and through partnerships
with other veteran-focused organizations such as the Veterans
of Modern Warfare and the Student Veterans of America.
In
addition, the following items were passed by the 110th Congress
following advocacy efforts by this committee and its chair
during the past year:
- The Josh Omvig Suicide Prevention
Bill
- The extension of the two-year window (now extended
to five years) for VA sign-up by veterans of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
Two new tri-fold publications were produced
under the direction of the committee during the past year.
The first, “PTSD:
What Every Veteran and Every Veteran’s Family Should
Know,” was completed in time for the 25th anniversary
of The Wall celebration in November, and was distributed
at the VVA health information tent on the Mall during Veterans
Day activities.
The second tri-fold, “Suicide Risk
and Prevention—Assistance and Resources,” is
being printed and will be made available for distribution
shortly.
PTSD seminars were presented by the committee chair
at VVA’s
Joint Region 3 and Virginia State Council Convention in May
2007, at the California State Council meeting in January,
and at the Texas State Council meeting in February.
Two committee
members continue to serve and represent VVA on the VA’s
Substance Abuse Quality Assurance and Research Initiative
Executive Committee. VVA’s PTSD/SA Committee
chair represents VVA on several other government committees,
including the VA’s Committee for the Care of the Severely
Mentally Ill, the VA’s Mental Health Quality Enhancement
Research Initiative Executive Committee and its Depression
Subcommittee, the VA’s South Central Mental Illness
Research and Education Clinical Center, the National Leadership
Forum on Behavioral Health-Criminal Justice Services CMHS
National GAINS Center, and the Steering Committee for the
National Trauma Campaign of the National Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration.
None of the accomplishments
noted above would have been possible without the support,
encouragement, and help of PTSD/SA Committee members and
the cooperation of the VVA Women Veterans, Homeless Veterans,
Health Care, Government Affairs, and Veterans Incarcerated
Committees, along with the VVA Government Relations staff,
the VVA Communications Department, and the VVA officers,
Board members, and staff.
Committee members: Tom Berger, Chair;
Fr. Phil Salois, Vice Chair; Randy Bane, Pat Bessigano, Liz
Cannon, Tony Catapano, Bob Corsa, Marsha Four, Sandy Miller,
Wayne Reynolds, Ed Ryan, Jim Shott, and Dan Stenvold. Special
Advisers: Kathy Andras, Kathleen Aylward-Barnes, Suzanne
Blohm-Weber, Frances Cartier, Donna-Marie Crowell, Felicea
Catapano, Dee Hagge, Paul Harrigan, Diane Kuhn-Nicholson,
Mary Miller, and Nancy Switzer. Staff Liaison: Mokie Pratt
Porter. Members in Memoriam: Randy “Doc” Barnes,
Steve Mason, and Linda Van Devanter.
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©2006-
2008, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8605 Cameron
Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910