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The Hidden Effects of Combat-Related PTSD on Spouses
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (2014) reported that approximately 20% of service members who served in Iraq or Afghanistan developed combat-related PTSD. Mental health issues following combat tours are not exclusive to service members. de Burgh et al. (2011) stated that spouses of service...
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The Silent Battlefront of Veteran Suicide and the Measures Being Taken to Help Them
On Friday, May 30th, 2014, I woke up to one of the most devastating phone calls I’ve ever received. My best friend for almost a decade, Joshua Drury, who was in his mid-thirties at the time, had taken his life. Joshua had served many years in the U.S. Army prior to our meeting. While he told us...
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Fighting for Our Nation’s Veterans
Family members have a unique role to play in the mental health of our nation’s veterans. With the current system overwhelmed by mental health service needs and unable to provide adequate access, family members serve at the critical front line of our veteran’s mental health needs and are the...
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Returning Veterans and Readjustment
While most individuals successfully transition from military to civilian life, a certain number do not – often leading to confrontations with clinicians, law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Understanding these individuals goes a long way towards preventing encounters from...
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Innovative Treatment Choices for the Military Family
The military family system deserves to be given easy access to the most outstanding clinical treatments that we now have to offer. We are in the process of developing novel psychotherapeutic interventions for the heroes that have taken on the duty of defending our country with honor, commitment and...
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Integrating Mental Health Services in a Primary Care Setting for Veterans
When it comes to the treatment of military veterans, often one provider just isn’t enough. This particular population, which faces disproportionately higher rates of mental illness than others, can benefit greatly from integrative and collaborative treatment by a mental health clinician, in...
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MHA Vet2Vet Program: Leading the Way in Peer Support
Mental Health Association in Orange County, Inc. (MHA) is pleased to provide Orange County’s only Vet2Vet Peer Networking Program, also known as the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Project. The program is named in honor of Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer, an Army Medic who served in Iraq,...
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New York State Tailors Treatment Services for Veterans with Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
New York State and the country at large face formidable challenges in meeting the behavioral health needs of veterans returning from active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS) and its treatment provider...
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Saying Thanks to Those Who Have Served
The weather report was that the temperature would be in the mid-80s, but on the golf course it seemed as if it had reached about 90 degrees, with high humidity. It turned out to be the hottest day of the year; which further explained why it was a challenge to walk the 9 holes on this hilly course....
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The Veterans Mental Health Primary Care Training Initiative: Training a Healthcare Workforce to Meet the Mental Health Needs of Returning Veterans
The New York State Psychiatric Association (NYSPA) is taking a lead role in working to meet the mental health needs of veterans returning from combat duty through its Veterans Mental Health Primary Care Training Initiative (VMH-PCTI). The VMH-PCTI, which provides educational programs on mental...
