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Napolitano, U.S. Military Mental Health Programs Prepare for Rise in Returning Vets

March 18, 2010

(Washington D.C.)- Yesterday, as a prelude to Mental Health Month in May, co-chairs of the Mental Health Caucus Rep. Grace Napolitano and Rep. Tim Murphy convened congressional members, veterans groups, and mental health organizations to listen to a panel of representatives from each branch of the U.S. military describe their efforts in providing mental health services for returning military service members and their families. Those in attendance shared ideas and discussed how to communicate and work together more effectively. 10,000 troops per month began returning home at the beginning of March, and each presenter explained what they were doing to meet veterans’ mental health needs and prepare for future drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Our wounded warriors have made great sacrifices for us abroad, and they have earned the right to the mental health services they need at home,” Napolitano said. “The military, government officials, and the organizations present here today must provide funding and support at every level, from Congress down to local communities, so that veterans and their families can restore their lives to some semblance of normalcy. We must be effective and responsive to avoid a dangerous waiting game for those soldiers who return home with mental health issues.”

“We are here to listen,” Murphy said. “We are passionate in the Mental Health Caucus to help you in every way you need to help our service men and women.”

Presenters agreed that given the continued rise in suicides, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and alcohol misuse among returned military members, more must be done to meet their mental health needs.

“We don’t necessarily need more programs, what we need is to make sure that the programs we have are reaching the people who need them,” said Colonel Elspeth Cameron Ritchie from the US Army’s Children’s Mental Health Program. “We need to focus on training all kinds of new mental health providers to meet the demand.”

In January, the Army reported that more soldiers died by suicide than by enemy fire in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. It is estimated that 27 percent of service members returning home are at risk for mental health problems.

“We need to attack the stigma surrounding mental health from the very top to the lowest level team leader,” said Greg Goldstein, Program Manager for the US Marine Corps Combat Operation Stress Control Program. “We are beginning to incorporate stress control into all facets of a marine’s life.”

Future forums on mental health in the armed forces are being planned. The Mental Health Caucus will continue to examine military mental health issues at a briefing on May 13 during Mental Health Month. On May 6, the Caucus will hold a briefing for Children’s Mental Health Day, and on May 20, it will hold “Mental Health 101: Suicide Prevention Training on The Hill.” Mental Health Month was established last year when the House passed a Congressional Resolution authored by Napolitano.

“As more soldiers return home with wounds that are mental as well as physical, our programs must provide them and their families with the healing and support they need,” Napolitano said. “We must help them readjust physically, financially, and mentally – our country owes them nothing less.”

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