The National Alliance on Mental Illness released a report entitled Parity for Patriots: The Mental Health Needs of Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families. Here is a section of the report that is particularly important.
"The U.S. Department of Defense must move more forcibly to end discrimination associated with invisible wounds of war. Reducing the stigma of mental illness will enhance opportunities to deliver prompt, effective treatment to military service members and families who live with PTSD, depression and other mental health conditions. Examples of immediate steps that can be taken to eliminate stigma and barriers to seeking help include:
- Military leader accountability for stigma and suicide: Military leaders throughout the chain of command should be required to focus on preventable psychological injuries and deaths, which should be part of their efficiency reporting process. Suicides are preventable just as are the heat and cold injuries of service members for which leaders are routinely relieved of command.
- Purple Heart for psychological wounds: Posttraumatic stress and other mental health injuries, that are the result of hostile action, including terrorism, should be eligible for award of the Purple Heart with the same level of appreciation and recognition as those awarded to warriors with visible wounds.
The Veterans Health Administration must increase service capacity by expanding provider networks to include community mental health agencies and private practitioners. The VHA should monitor the degree to which contract providers accept veterans and families as clients and should adjust networks to make care available when and where it is needed. Ongoing training in military-informed mental health treatment should be a basic requirement for contract providers. Improved distance delivery through technology should be implemented to remove the travel burden from veterans and improve the use of professional care giver time."
Please remember our military service personnel on this holiday.