NAMI shines light on Orlando's efforts in mental health

SAM COCHRAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AWARD was awarded to Lt. Deanne Adams (CIT Orlando, FL)at the convention. She is an amazing woman and there are great things being done here in Florida too many people don't know about. This is a little bit about Lt. Adams.

Pathways Drop-In Center for the Mentally Ill
posted by Bruce Larson on May 28, 2008 6:49:29 PM
Jeff is homeless and stays at a makeshift "home" in an empty field under a Verizon Wireless billboard. His mother and brother also are temporary residents in this same field. She sleeps in a small pup tent and Jeff and his brother either sleep on a large piece of cardboard or under tarps spread across the limbs of two trees when it rains. This family also shares something else in common, they are all suffering from mental illness.

"Without the Pathways Drop-In Center, I don't know where I would be or what I would be doing right now, "Jeff said. "It gets me off the streets and keeps me focused on what I need to do," he continued.

Pathways Drop-In Center is a safe place where Jeff, his family, and others with mental illness can receive help. Located at 30th St. and S. Orange Blossom Trail, the center has helped these members of our community for over fifteen years.

The rules are strict and there are seven pages of them. But they are designed to make everything easier for everyone who comes to the center. Alcohol and non-prescribed drugs are forbidden and anyone breaking this rule faces a mandatory thirty day suspension from the center. Not everyone has access to the services. Each one applying must show documentation of a mental illness or undergo a psychiatric evaluation, usually performed by Lakeside Alternatives Behavioral Health Care.

The center is open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Complete, hot meals are served at any time during these hours and the center typically sees about sixty qualifying people every day.

Pathways also provides showers, laundry facilities, internet access, a pool table, telephone access, a television room, a room to rest or nap, and group games and activities. The center also encourages prescribed treatment compliance.

The President and CEO of the Pathways Drop-In Center, Nelson Kull, was diagnosed with schizophrenia while in his early teens. Kull is responsible for all facets of the center's design and financial administration. He presently serves on the consumer panel of the Florida National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the board of the Mental Health Association (MHA) of Central Florida. Kull has also served on the board of the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities in Florida (2001), the Human Rights Advocacy Committee (1997-2000) and the Florida Council on Community Mental Health (1998-2000). Kull receives disability income and does not accept any salary from Pathways.
go here for more of this
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/community_altamonte_blog/religion/index.html

We also heard from Judge Mark Speiser on treatment instead of jail.

This is a bit about him.
JUDGE RULES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL
by Howard Finkelstein


Over the last few years Broward County has taken many remarkable steps to more humanely handle the unique needs of mentally ill and mentally retarded persons who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Although the Mental Health Court has received most of the attention, notoriety and praise it is only one of the many new and progressive developments that have been or will be implemented.

All of these developments, however, have one thing in common. They are the direct result of the work, efforts and vision of one person.
That person is the Honorable Circuit Court Judge Mark Speiser.

Judge Speiser, without precedent and only his vision to guide him, created the Mental Health Task Force. This Task Force brought to the table all of the parties that impact the treatment of the mentally ill in the criminal justice system. They include prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, those in the mental health system, private providers and relevant political players. Judge Speiser began a meaningful dialogue that still continues to this day. The purpose of this dialogue is to gain control of what a past Grand Jury called a "leaderless and rudderless ship" that was, and to a great extent, still is our mental health system.

Some, but certainly not all, of the accomplishments to come out of this dialogue as a result of Judge Speiser's firm but gentle guidance:

1). A more user friendly crisis stabilization facility for the benefit of law enforcement as well as the person in crisis. This allows for a greater possibility that law enforcement will divert the person in crisis to the mental health system rather than jail.

2). Altering the probable cause affidavit forms that are used by all police agencies to allow for a designation of a possible mental disability. This would increase the ability to identify and divert appropriate mental health cases to the mental health system and out of the jail system.

3). Sensitivity training for police officers so that they can more effectively and humanely interact with persons who are mentally ill or mentally retarded.

4). Getting the Department of Children and Families to fund a position that will place a psychiatric nurse in the Mental Health Court.

5). Accessing available grant money so that additional and better services and treatment can be provided to those suffering from mental illness and drug addiction. In addition Judge Speiser was and still is one of the guiding forces of Broward County's Drug Court.

In this writer's opinion, the most important change that Judge Speiser has brought to Broward County is a new attitude and a new way that the criminal justice system views, interacts with and dispenses justice and /or treatment to those suffering from mental illness, retardation and addiction. Judge Speiser has introduced a new dawn. One that is more understanding , compassionate and humane. His efforts, vision and heart have been a grand gift. He has most definitely helped those afflicted with mental illness and drug addiction. But he has also helped us, for he has led the way so that we can begin to leave behind our collective shame and start treating our brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers and husbands and wives as family rather than animals. For this we should all be grateful.
go here for more
http://www.browarddefender.org/mhealth/volume_i2_mental_health.htm

Then there is Michelle Saunders.

Mental health advocates meet in Tampa listen 01/10/08 Seán Kinane WMNF Evening News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
There is such widespread incarceration of people with mental illness that jails have become the largest mental health care providers in many communities, according to a report released in November by the Florida Supreme Court.
The report on how the state’s courts and social support systems manage citizens with mental illness recommends that mentally ill patients be moved out of jails and into treatment facilities that are almost always less expensive. An advocacy group for people with mental illness or substance abuse, Florida Partners in Crisis, held a board meeting today in Tampa.
John Petrila is a professor with the Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) at the University of South Florida. He co-chaired the Policy, Legislative, and Finance Workgroup for the Supreme Court’s report.
Michele Saunders is the executive director of Florida Partners in Crisis, which she called a diverse coalition coming together with one purpose, to better fund the mental health and substance abuse system. One way to do that, according to Saunders, is to focus on legislation in Tallahassee, including a renewal of the Criminal Justice Mental Health Substance Abuse Reinvestment Act.
Saunders said increasing reinvestment funding is one of the recommendations in the Florida Supreme Court report and Florida Partners in Crisis will seek funding from the Legislature for others.
John Petrila said the Legislature has to follow up on the Supreme Court’s recommendations.
Saunders agrees that investing in up-front services will save the state money in the long run.
Mark Speiser is a circuit court judge in Broward County and is chair of the Florida Partners in Crisis Board. He said it was important for people with mental illnesses to have access to appropriate treatment.
One way to keep people with mental health issues out of the criminal justice system and get them needed care is through mental health courts. The country’s first mental health court was established in Broward County in 1997.
Within the next few months, Hillsborough County will begin a felony mental health court to reduce the criminalization of mental illness, headed by Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Debra Benhke.
Benhke said there are advantages to having a mental health court as opposed to keeping everyone in the criminal court system.
Judge Speiser said the Mental Health Court in Broward County serves as a successful model for the one in Hillsborough.
The group Mental Health America of Greater Tampa Bay will host a Mental Health Brainstorming Council on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 9 a.m. until noon at St. Lawrence Catholic Church on Himes Avenue in Tampa.
Learn more:
Florida Partners in Crisis
Supreme Court Mental Health report
FMHI
Previous WMNF report on Broward County’s Mental Health Court
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
For information on the Tampa Bay Region Mental Health Brainstorming Council II meeting Feb. 2, contact Scott F. Barnett at (813) 972-2618.
http://www.wmnf.org/news_stories/5094

For all the complaining I do about what is not being done with mental health, it feels good to know some things are being done right. I love to post them whenever I find them but this convention gave me a lot of hope as well as a lot of headaches. More on this later.

Cop-shock and awful

We all know about the National Guards and Reservists being deployed into Iraq and Afghanistan, over and over again, while we expect them to just go back to work in between deployments. We know of the strain it puts on them and their families, their financial problems caused because they have to give up their incomes on their regular jobs and businesses, but what we don't talk about is when they are also cops.

From every state, the member of the National Guard and Reservists are coming in with PTSD rates hovering about 50%. A lot of them are cops, which in itself can cause PTSD depending on where they are from, the level of violence and other demographics. While some department heads are also veterans of combat, fully aware of the wounds caused by trauma, there are too many who are not aware at all. This is changing.

At the NAMI convention, while I found things to complain about, I also found much to be hopeful for. Since this was a mental health convention, privacy has to be protected. The person I spoke to regarding the cop/combat forces, shall be called "Spartan" until I have permission to tell his story fully. He's traveling back home today so hopefully, I can get his permission sometime this week. He's a fascinating man.

"Spartan" is head of a police department. He's fully invested in taking care of his men and very aware of the PTSD issue they are coming back with. He's making sure the rest of his department is trained to understand them as well as the people in their community they serve. Keep in mind, that when they become a cop, they do so with the same ideals of protecting and serving the same way the members of the regular military members do only they are going to war against criminals, placing their lives on the line on a daily basis. When they also happen to be members of the National Guard or Reserves, deployed into Iraq and Afghanistan, cycled back to their police uniform then cycled back into their combat gear, this adds to the stress they are under.

"Spartan" is fully aware of the sexual trauma in the military and he's doing what he can to learn more about it as well as what he can do for them. We spoke several times during the convention simply because the first time he saw me, he saw the IFOC badge from a distance and thought I was a cop as well. He wanted to learn as much as possible about teaching the people in his command as well as how to raise awareness in his community. "Spartan" has only been involved with this for less than a year and in that time he has learned a great deal. This was one of the most hopeful moments of the convention for me. He's so involved in this, I was surprised he has not been doing this work for years.

There are wonderful things being done in communities across the nation. Police commanders are opening their minds and their hearts to get not only their own into treatment for PTSD but are training their departments to respond with wisdom, being able to look at a "suspect" as a person in need of help or a person in need of jail.

Judges are now developing treatment programs instead of sending the wounded and mentally ill to jail where they are only cycled back to society and then back to jail with no one addressing their illness sending them into contact with the police in the first place. These judges are not just sending them into treatment, they are requiring the "defendant" to show they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, preparing probation officers to address these individuals differently when they do not report with the full knowledge of the mental health issues instead of criminal inclinations.

Taking an active, fully invested attitude is moving mountains within the police force itself and in these communities.

What is found is that the jails are no longer used to house the mentally ill. It is not only morally right, it is financially right as well. It is good use of tax payer funds to treat these people instead of locking them up.

As the awareness became an issue to address the needs of the cop/combat forces, it also raised awareness of the needs of the community. Judges and police officers are joining NAMI, not just to learn but to become advocates. Changes are happening and these are truly wonderful times we are entering.

I keep saying that I search daily for some positive news coming out. I get tired of posting problem after problem, heartache after heartache. It feels good to be able to post on something that is being done right. "Spartan" is a hero to me with what he's doing for his department and the community he lives in.

Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
International Fellowship of Chaplains
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

What if you could save them? Would you?

The NAMI convention is still going on. Today, I had a bit of an eye opener. When it comes to mental health issues, Florida isn't as bad as I thought it was. Don't get me wrong. It isn't great and to tell you the truth it pretty much sucks the condition the mental health of Floridians is right now, but there are some great things going on. Things are changing because people are standing up and doing whatever it takes to make a difference. That was my eye opener.

One of the sessions I took today was Treatment, Not Jail: Investing in Rational Systems Change. The idea is a simple one. Why lock people up in the prisons instead of taking care of their mental health care? It doesn't make sense to toss them in jail and then after they "paid their debt to society" release them back into society still with mental illnesses and without any help addressing the illness. What you get is a bunch of people pretty much living their lives in and out of trouble and in and out of jail.

The question is, if you could save their lives would you? Think of it this way, when they are mentally ill, most of them are homeless and doing whatever it takes to survive. Some are doing drugs and drinking as addicts. Some are doing it to self-medicate. When it comes to veterans with PTSD, they are more likely to do street drugs and drink because they have been provided with no other alternative to stop feeling the way they do. This is what I want to focus on later.

Here are some numbers about Florida

Spending on Mental Health has been flat for ten years.
Florida ranks 48th in per capita spending on mental health and substance abuse
(Florida is ranked 12th when it comes to forensic spending though)
125,000 booked into jail annually who happen to have a serious mental illness.
150,000 children are involved within the Juvenile Justice system.
These figures were presented by Michelle Saunders, LCSW and executive director of Florida Partners in Crisis of Orlando.

As I sat listening to her presentation all I could think about is what I've been trying to do and how hard it is for our veterans to be dealing with PTSD, fully aware that within the numbers I heard today, many of them were veterans. Far too many of them are veterans who would not have the wound of PTSD had it not been for going into combat and serving this nation.

The other presenter was Judge Mark Speiser from Broward County/Fort Lauderdale. He was talking about what he's been doing trying to change the attitudes of the judges and the court system to send the ill for treatment and the guilty to jail. Sending people with mental illness does not make sense to him and is far from being the right thing to do. It also provides no justice. Good Lord, it's a moral thing as well as a financial choice we make. It costs a lot more to lock someone up in jail than it does to take care of their health needs.

Anyway, again my mind turned back to the veterans.

My view has always been that if they get help as soon as the signs of PTSD rear their ugly head, PTSD stops getting worse. I want to hit it head on. The only way to do this is to provide the education of what PTSD is to the general public, the troops and their families. This will tackle two of the biggest problems when it comes to PTSD. First awareness, so that the veteran will not go on getting worse while "waiting to get over it" and it is stopped before they get so inflicted by PTSD that the quality of their lives is diminished to the point they see their families fall apart, end up wounded and without any support. It will cut down on homelessness among veterans, cut down on divorce rates and if they get into the proper treatment they will not need to turn to street drugs and alcohol to do the job of what legal prescription medication and therapy can provide. In other words, crime goes down and so does the prison population as well as drunk driving accidents and deaths. We need to get them evaluated as soon as possible to keep PTSD from getting out of control and increase the quality of the veteran's life. Is that too much to ask?

What does it cost to provide education?
Travel for the educator. Gee with the price of gas that is pretty expensive but I bet we can deal with that and maybe even toss in a hybrid car to save some cash. (Make mine blue please)

Time for the educator. Face it, the rest of the country does not have people as dumb as I am and they are not all willing to work for free. They need to be paid. Hell, I'd do it for $50,000 a year which is a lot better than I'm making now which is nothing.

Material to provide the education. Got that one covered on the videos I've done and they are all for free and as far as facts and figures, most of them are on my blog and they didn't cost me anything but time to collect because they are free on the net.

Now think of this. Not only will this effort save all of the above, it will go a long way into reducing the stigma of PTSD and get them in the door faster than prolonging the suffering and also, here's the kicker, save their lives! What hope is there for them of getting better when every door is shut in their face at a time when they think there is something wrong with them in the first place? Even with the fact they know there is something wrong with them, if they don't understand what that "something" is, they will not seek help until they know and understand what it is.

Would you save their lives if you could? Then why don't you? I do it all the time and it's not as hard as you think it is to get them to understand what is going on inside of them is normal considering they survived something far beyond what is part of daily "normal" life. Now think about this. If I can save 20 lives without any money or advertising, how many lives could be saved with both of those things? How many could be saved if a lot more people were aware of what can be done and were actually doing them instead of just pointing at the problem? Now add in the money that can be saved and bingo, what Florida is finally taking a look at will pay off in the end and stop Florida from being at the wrong end of the stick. If how we can for the "lesser" among us is the measurement of who we are, then that is exactly where Florida is. Two are worse than this state. This is not a good thing! We can make it a great thing though if we listen to the people who spoke at the conference today and the rest of the people I've been listening to over the past 25 years.

More on the convention tomorrow. I'll be there all day but I'm taking my lap top with me.

McCain on Mental Health:have better personal responsibility"

I haven't been posting much yesterday and today because I'm at the NAMI Convention in Orlando. Lucky me, it's so close, I get to sleep in my own bed. The convention is over on Monday and will climax with Jane Pauley getting an award.

Contact: Christine Armstrong of NAMI, +1-703-312-7893, christinea@nami.org


WASHINGTON, June 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will holds its annual convention in Orlando, Florida on June 13-16, 2008, featuring leading experts, policymakers and individuals and families living with mental illnesses, who will address a range of issues, including the latest scientific and medical advances -- as well as Election 2008 and criminal justice issues.


NAMI will honor TV journalist Jane Pauley with its highest award for contributions to public education about mental illness.


The convention also will include "ask-the-doctor" sessions and discussions of Florida programs.

WHO: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's
largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to
improving the lives of individuals and families affected by
mental illness.

WHEN: June 13-16, 2008

WHERE: Rosen Centre Hotel
Orlando, Florida
9840 International Drive
Orlando, Florida 32819
Phone: (407) 996-9840

WHY: Get the latest news on scientific research, innovative mental
health programs, problems in the healthcare system, and human
interest stories. Cover veterans, children and multicultural
issues and hopes for recovery for all people living with PTSD,
depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other illnesses.

FULL SCHEDULE: http://www.nami.org/convention/program


VIP SPEAKERS AND HONOREES

-- Jane Pauley, TV journalist
-- Thomas Insel, M.D., director, National Institute of Mental Health
-- Nora Volkow, M.D., Ph.D., director, National Institute on Drug Abuse


FLORIDA SPEAKERS AND PROGRAMS

-- Judge Steven Leifman, 11th Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County
-- Judge Mark Speiser, 17th Judicial Circuit Court, Broward County
-- Louis de la Parte, Department of Aging & Mental Health, Florida Mental
Health Institute at the University of Southern Florida
http://www.usf.edu
-- VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8), Bay Pines
-- Polytrauma Center, VA Medical Center, Tampa
-- Florida Partners in Crisis, Orlando
-- Florida Borderline Personality Disorder Organization, St. Petersburg
-- GEO Care, Miami
-- Treasure Coast Forensic Treatment Center, Indiantown
-- South Florida Treatment and Evaluation Center, Miami
-- Vincent House, Pinellas Park
-- Aspire Behavioral Health, Inc., Osceola


ASK-THE-DOCTOR SESSIONS ON:

-- Anxiety Disorders
-- Bipolar Disorder
-- Borderline Personality Disorder
-- Depression
-- Medications
-- Mood Disorders Across the Lifespan
-- PTSD
-- Schizoaffective Disorder
-- Schizophrenia
-- Kids Get to Ask the Doctor

This convention is a big deal. I needed to point that out considering what I am about to post about McCain.

Where the candiates really stand on mental health
The 2008 Presidential PrimariesBringing Mental Healthcare to the BallotExplore the CandidatesThe National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has sent a questionnaire to all presidential candidates in each party. We also encouraged candidates to provide us with other relevant materials or explanations of their positions if they did not have time to respond to our questionnaire.NAMI does not endorse specific candidates and any materials posted are intended for educational purposes only. They should not be used by any affiliate to endorse a candidate.

Non-profit charitable organizations, including NAMI affiliates, are prohibited by law from endorsing specific candidates.Questionnaire View a copy of our candidate questionnaire.

Democrats
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New YorkQuestionnaire response
John Edwards, former Senator from North CarolinaQuestionnaire response
Mike Gravel, former Senator from AlaskaResponse pending
Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio Response pending
Sen. Barack Obama of IllinoisQuestionnaire response

Republicans
John Cox of IllinoisResponse pending
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City Response pending
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas Response pending
Rep. Duncan Hunter of California Response pending
Alan Keyes of Maryland Response pending

Sen. John McCain of Arizona Senator McCain has provided NAMI with this Mental Health Statement in lieu of a response to our questionnaire. The Campaign has informed us that it is Senator McCain’s policy not to respond to questionnaires.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas Response pending
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts The Campaign has informed us that it is Governor Romney’s policy not to respond to questionnaires.

As with all candidates, we have asked whether they have information that they would like to submit on their mental healthcare/healthcare positions and the response is pending.

Fred Thompson, former Senator from Tennessee Response pending
http://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-candiates-really-stand-on-mental.html

John McCain was invited, along with Senator Obama, to send a representative to the conference. Obama did. McCain did not bother to send anyone. He did however send a letter and if I can get my hands on a copy of it later, I will post the whole thing. Needless to say, McCain not bothering to take any of this seriously enough did not go over too well. There were some boos when it was announced he didn't think it was important enough to send anyone.

McCain's statement on Mental Health proved he knows absolutely nothing about it. Considering the points hit in his letter addressing the needs of American's suffering with lacking mental health care boiled down to "better personal responsibility" the man proved not only that he is clueless but so is his mental health advisor. He thinks the fitness and lifestyle play a bigger role in mental health than all the facts contributing to mental health illnesses. A typical Bush lackey, he focused his letter on addressing the cost of mental health instead of what could be done to address mental health issues and thus contributing to the driving down of costs because we actually came up with solutions, better care, better treatment and better programs to address the need. McCain said he has a "strong record" on mental illness and has been "a leader on homeless veterans" issues. Bull!

Obama, not only answered the questionnaire NAMI sent him in January, he also sent a representative to the convention to answer questions. Dr. Katrina, (not sure of spelling of her last name and can't find it on line) gave informed answers proving that Obama gets all of this. She hit the rights points on what is important, what the problems are and what needs to be done. She talked about the veterans coming back, the problems re-deployments add to the stress along with everything else that has been posted on this blog. In other words, ladies and gentlemen, this is yet another case of what you see is what you get. What you have seen in the avoidance of taking care of the troops and what they need from the Bush administration is more of what we'll get if McCain replaces his buddy. It will be more of the same of nonsense about "personal responsibility" when it is a mental health issue and when the troops do try to take personal responsibility for their needs, the VA and the DOD let them down along with this abomination of an administration oblivious to the suffering of the troops and our veterans. If you think mental health care in this country has been suffering this far, we will be sent into the dark ages when people with mental illness were considered bewitched by evil spirits~

There was a question and answer time after and I stood at the end of the line figuring I'd never get a chance to ask my question. I was wrong. There was enough time for me. I stood at the microphone and made this statement wearing my Chaplain T-Shirt.

"I've been working with veterans for 25 years and 15 years of that online. I am a certified, ordained Chaplain with the International Fellowship of Chaplains, licensed and insured, yet I'm not good enough for the VA. They will not use any Chaplain that is not "their kind of Chaplain" yet the IFOC is used all over the country. What can be done to change the rules the VA has that over 30 years old?"

The answer I got was that she was not aware of this but she was writing it down as I asked my question. She said she would check into it. I believed her.

The problem with the VA is that the need is so great, and getting worse, while they have to play by rules that will not fill in what the need is and where it is. People like me who have been living with this all on a daily basis are not welcomed within the VA because we lack what they consider "appropriate credentials" at a time when you would think they would be begging us to help out. PTSD is killing them! Lives are on the line and getting worse for all of our veterans but people like me are just not "good enough" for the VA. It's not the people who work for the VA that are the problem. The last two people I spoke to about this on the phone trying to figure out how I could go to work for the veterans (and manage to get paid for it after all these years) were very compassionate and felt really bad but there was nothing they could do about it.

There will be more about this convention over the next few days as time allows but that is what happened in a nut shell today that needs to have attention paid to it with all seriousness unlike McCain who couldn't even take it seriously enough to send someone to speak for him.



Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

Clarence Jordan, NAMI Board of Directors, Healing PTSD

Healing does not mean curing. It would be irresponsible for me to ever use that word. But there is healing. You can live a better life instead of just existing in it.

People tried to tell Clarence Jordan there was something wrong, but he didn't want to listen. A lot of veterans didn't want to hear others noticed there was something wrong inside of them. They all know there is something wrong, but either they do not know what it is or have this idea in their head there is something "wrong" with them and they try to hide it. They have yet to understand PTSD is a wound. Trauma is Greek for wound!

Excerpts of a Presentation by Clarence Jordan, NAMI Board of Directors
Military Mental Health Briefing
American Psychiatric Association
HealthyMinds.org
Washington Press Club
April 30, 2008

As a 15-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, I know how combat situations, and even the basic aspects of military life, put unique stressors on those of us who serve and our families.

I can say now with the clarity of hindsight that I struggled for many years with mental illness when I was active duty in the Navy.

While the signs of a problem were there, and more than one person tried to point them out to me, I completely denied that anything was wrong.

My mental illness ultimately led me to leave the military, and for nearly a decade I bounced from one job to another and from city to city.

It wasn’t until 1998 that I finally had to face the fact that I had a problem. At the time, I was using alcohol and other drugs to keep from dealing with the realities of my life, and that approach ultimately led me to trouble with the law.

I owe a debt of gratitude to the judge who gave me the choice of going to jail or going into treatment. It was the push I needed to start turning things around.

I went to the local community mental health center in Nashville where I was living and met with several doctors who evaluated my condition. I ultimately was diagnosed with depression and I stayed in treatment at that health center for another 12 months to work through the issues I was experiencing.

I’m living proof that having a mental illness does not mean you can’t live a happy, productive life. Since leaving that initial treatment, I’ve not only held responsible jobs but I’ve gotten actively involved with the National Alliance on Mental illness where I do training and advocacy work to help others achieve their potential.

I think it’s important for people to realize that there are different types and levels of mental illness, and that the most important thing they can do if they think they have a problem is to step forward and talk to a mental health professional to find out.

I personally had no base of experience or knowledge about mental illness that would have led me to believe I had a problem. Furthermore, my personal "image" of someone with a mental illness when I was in the military was definitely not me.

I can honestly say that I loved my time in the military, but I realize looking back that it was an environment that was not good for me. In addition to my own lack of awareness about mental illness, there was, at that time, a serious lack of any information about the topic provided through the military.

And it was definitely not something that soldiers talked about.

While I think that this situation has improved, I was not surprised to learn that more than 60 percent of military members responding to the APA survey reported they were concerned that having a mental illness would have a negative impact on their career.

That says to me that we need to continue our efforts to make sure that people understand that mental illnesses are real. And that they’re treatable.

Through my work with NAMI, I’ve seen countless people overcome mental illness, and through appropriate treatment and management of their conditions, they go on to lead positive, meaningful lives.

I had a wonderful support network of family and friends who stood with me through my darkest hours, and I will forever be grateful to them. I know it’s not an easy journey, but it is journey that can be successful.
http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=63018&lstid=275

The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007

Subject: Your help needed to support Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Legislation Federal and State

Thank you to those of who have already sent letters supporting the State Mental Health Parity & Substance Abuse legislation, over 200 individuals have already done so.Today the bill was passed through the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.
If you haven’t already please take a moment today and send a letter by email or mail to Governor Charlie Crist, Senate President Ken Pruitt, House Speaker Marco Rubio, Representative Aaron Bean of the House Healthcare Council, Senator Rhonda Storms of the Senate Children, Families, and Elders Committee and to your local legislative delegation. This letter should register your support for mental health and substance abuse parity legislation.
Ask these leaders to act on this critical issue during the upcoming legislative session.In addition, we are encouraging you to Please forward the below message about tomorrow’s vote on H.R. 1424 the Federal Parity Bill, “The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007” to your networks today.Thank you!
The full U.S. House is scheduled to vote on H.R. 1424, “The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007,” late tomorrow, Wednesday, March 5th.
Please call your U.S. Representatives in D.C. today and ask them to vote for passage of H.R. 1424 and to oppose any amendments that would weaken the legislation. Find your Members of Congress by visiting www.congress.org or by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.H.R. 1424, introduced by Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN), seeks to eliminate discrimination in insurance coverage by requiring group health plans that currently offer coverage for drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness to provide those benefits in the same way as benefits provided to all other medical and surgical procedures covered by the plan.In addition, H.R.1424 contains the following four key provisions:
Protection of State laws: H.R. 1424 contains clear language stating that stronger State laws are protected and not preempted.

Out-of-network benefits: H.R. 1424 requires where there is out-of-network coverage for medical and surgical conditions, that there is also an out-of-network option for substance use disorders and mental illness.

Transparency:H.R. 1424 requires that plans make medical necessity criteria and reasons for any denials of reimbursement available to participants and beneficiaries upon request.

Requirement for covered conditions: H.R. 1424 would cover all the conditions and disorders in the DSM-IV.

Please call your U.S. House Members today and ask them to vote for H.R. 1424 tomorrow on the House floor.

What goes with having PTSD

From a very uninformed individual. I'm so tired of seeing our veterans being attacked, treated as if they are any less worthy, any less patriotic, any less wounded than the others when PTSD is a wound. It comes with a long list of problems associated with it. Read on.

New York Times smears our troops across America, again
By Tim Sumner Suppose that the reporter who proposes to write the article says it will be a searing indictment of the US military’s inadequate attention to post-traumatic stress disorder. Suppose further that you are not a complete idiot. ...9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong... - http://www.911familiesforamerica.org

Now here are the facts.

From National Alliance On Mental Illness
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Although the symptoms for individuals with PTSD can vary considerably, they generally fall into three categories:


Re-experience - Individuals with PTSD often experience recurrent and intrusive recollections of and/or nightmares about the stressful event. Some may experience flashbacks, hallucinations, or other vivid feelings of the event happening again. Others experience great psychological or physiological distress when certain things (objects, situations, etc.) remind them of the event.
Avoidance - Many with PTSD will persistently avoid things that remind them of the traumatic event. This can result in avoiding everything from thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the incident to activities, places, or people that cause them to recall the event. In others there may be a general lack of responsiveness signaled by an inability to recall aspects of the trauma, a decreased interest in formerly important activities, a feeling of detachment from others, a limited range of emotion, and/or feelings of hopelessness about the future.

Increased arousal - Symptoms in this area may include difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability or outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, becoming very alert or watchful, and/or jumpiness or being easily startled.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be terrifying. They may disrupt your life and make it hard to continue with your daily activities. It may be hard just to get through the day.

PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not happen until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you probably have PTSD.

There are four types of symptoms: reliving the event, avoidance, numbing, and feeling keyed up.

Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms):

Bad memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. You may feel the same fear and horror you did when the event took place. You may have nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger: a sound or sight that causes you to relive the event. Triggers might include:

Hearing a car backfire, which can bring back memories of gunfire and war for a combat veteran
Seeing a car accident, which can remind a crash survivor of his or her own accident
Seeing a news report of a sexual assault, which may bring back memories of assault for a woman who was raped

Avoiding situations that remind you of the event:

You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event.

A person who was in an earthquake may avoid watching television shows or movies in which there are earthquakes
A person who was robbed at gunpoint while ordering at a hamburger drive-in may avoid fast-food restaurants
Some people may keep very busy or avoid seeking help. This keeps them from having to think or talk about the event.
Feeling numb:

You may find it hard to express your feelings. This is another way to avoid memories.

You may not have positive or loving feelings toward other people and may stay away from relationships
You may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy
You may forget about parts of the traumatic event or not be able to talk about them.
Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal):

You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. This is known as hyperarousal. It can cause you to:

Suddenly become angry or irritable
Have a hard time sleeping
Have trouble concentrating
Fear for your safety and always feel on guard
Be very startled when someone surprises you

This area applies to the New York Times piece

What are other common problems?
People with PTSD may also have other problems.
These include:

Drinking or drug problems
Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
Employment problems
Relationships problems including divorce and violence
Physical symptoms
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_what_is_ptsd.html

There are already bloggers out there going after the New York Times for reporting on the violence committed by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. While the reporters did a fantastic job on the report, they only scratched the surface. These reports have come out since the beginning. I'm not just talking about the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, but since the beginning of wars. They happened to Gulf War veterans. They happened to Vietnam veterans. They happened in every war.

The only difference between history and now is the change in the name and a great understanding of what trauma does to the human mind and soul.


If anyone wants to find someone to blame for these reports coming out then they need to blame the people who have been reporting on and focusing on PTSD since the beginning of time. Blaming the messenger will only take the focus off the problem and prevent the stigma of PTSD from ending.

Where the candiates really stand on mental health

The 2008 Presidential PrimariesBringing Mental Healthcare to the Ballot
Explore the Candidates
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has sent a questionnaire to all presidential candidates in each party. We also encouraged candidates to provide us with other relevant materials or explanations of their positions if they did not have time to respond to our questionnaire.
NAMI does not endorse specific candidates and any materials posted are intended for educational purposes only. They should not be used by any affiliate to endorse a candidate. Non-profit charitable organizations, including NAMI affiliates, are prohibited by law from endorsing specific candidates.
Questionnaire View a copy of our candidate questionnaire.
Democrats
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New YorkQuestionnaire response
John Edwards, former Senator from North CarolinaQuestionnaire response
Mike Gravel, former Senator from AlaskaResponse pending
Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio Response pending
Sen. Barack Obama of IllinoisQuestionnaire response

Republicans
John Cox of IllinoisResponse pending
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City Response pending
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas Response pending
Rep. Duncan Hunter of California Response pending
Alan Keyes of Maryland Response pending
Sen. John McCain of ArizonaSenator McCain has provided NAMI with this Mental Health Statement in lieu of a response to our questionnaire. The Campaign has informed us that it is Senator McCain’s policy not to respond to questionnaires.
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas Response pending
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts
The Campaign has informed us that it is Governor Romney’s policy not to respond to questionnaires. As with all candidates, we have asked whether they have information that they would like to submit on their mental healthcare/healthcare positions and the response is pending.
Fred Thompson, former Senator from Tennessee Response pending


This is from an advocate for veterans. She has PTSD and Agent Orange

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT VETERANS GO AND SPEAK AT CANDIDATE'S TOWN HALLS MEETING. I DO NOT ENDORSE ANY CANDIDATE. I AM GOING TO THEIR MEETINGS TO INFORM THEM ON THE LACK OF HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MR EDWARDS ABOUT THE LACK OF CARE AND PTSD & MST. AT EVERY MEETING I ATTEND I DO SO IN MY CLASS A'S TO BEEN IDENTIFIED AS "THE VETERAN". DRESS AS A VETERAN AND NO ONE WILL TURN YOU AWAY IN FRONT OF SO MANY REPORTERS. SPEAK AND SPEAK THE TRUTH FOR ME AND ALL OF US. I TAKE WITH ME STATEMENTS FROM MEN AND WOMEN... AND THE ONES THAT I HAVE PERMISSION TO HAND OUT I GIVE TO THE STAFF OR TO THE CANDIDATES.

OBAMA WAS OVER TWO HOURS LATE AND DID NOT GIVE ANY EXPLANATION OF WHY HE WAS LATE ( by that time I WAS IN TERRIBLE PAIN...STAYED IN BED FOR ALL OF THE NEXT DAY AND I DIDN'T GET TO GO AND SPEAK TO HILLARY) AND HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT VETERANS. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL REPORTERS AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM THEM SOON. SENATOR CLINTON TONIGHT SPOKE ABOUT PTSD, RAPE AND MST. WE HAVE TO JOIN TOGETHER IN ONE VOICE TO DEMAND OUR VA RIGHTS. AND DO IT NOW... VETERANS ARE THE LARGEST GROUP OF AMERICA.!!!!!!



SEMPER FI

DUTY HONOR COUNTRY

AGNES M "IRISH" BRESNAHAN CAPT US ARMY SIG C 1971-1977 100% SC CNS & IU CHEMICAL AO/ EXPOSURE IN THE UNITED STATES

Reducing Stigma for American Soldiers

Registration Now Open for Training Teleconference:Reducing Stigma for American Soldiers
Register to Participate
The SAMHSA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma Associated With Mental Illness invites you to participate in a free teleconference training titled, “Reducing Stigma for American Soldiers.”
Date: Thursday, December 20, 2007Time: 2:00PM – 3:30PM (Eastern)
To register for this training teleconference, please click here for our registration page. Please pass this invitation along to interested friends and colleagues. Please note: Registration for this teleconference will close at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, December 18, 2007.
We will email the telephone number for the training teleconference to all registered participants on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.
Training Summary
Nearly 1.4 million men and women make up the existing ranks of active duty military personnel, serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, but research shows that America’s soldiers may not seek help when they are experiencing a mental health problem.
A 2004 study of 6,000 military personnel involved in ground combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan found that of those whose responses indicated a mental health problem, only 23 to 40 percent sought psychiatric help.1 Many who did not cited fear of being stigmatized as a reason.2 In June of this year, the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health acknowledged that “Stigma in the military remains pervasive and often prevents service members from seeking needed care” and made dispelling stigma one of their goals.3
This training will:
Explore research on soldiers, including veterans, and mental health stigma.
Offer first-hand accounts from people who have experienced mental health stigma in the military.
Provide an overview of strategies that may help to promote mental health recovery and reduce stigma among members of the military.
1-2 S.G. Boodman. (November 6, 2007.) The other wounded. The Washington Post, last accessed 11/16/07.
3 Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health. (2007). An achievable vision: Report of the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health. Falls Church, VA: Defense Health Board, last referenced 11/29/07.
Send in Your Questions
We invite you to send in your questions related to mental health stigma in the military in advance of the teleconference. Speakers will answer as many questions as possible during the teleconference. Please send your questions by e-mail to stopstigma@samhsa.hhs.gov.
Please note that sending a question does not guarantee its inclusion in the teleconference. We will provide the speakers' contact information so that you may pursue your answer after the call. If you provide your name and organization at the time you ask your question, we may use it during the call. Anonymous questions also can be submitted.
Presentations
Presentation materials for this event will be available in two file formats: PPT (MS PowerPoint) and PDF (Portable Document Format). Please check back on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 and download one of the files.
Event Speakers
We are in the process of confirming presenters for this event. Check back to see who will be speaking!
Steve Robinson, ONE Freedom, Inc.Steve is a retired non-commissioned officer who served twenty years in the Army. He has held every job from Private to Platoon Sergeant and has also been rated in an Officer slot during his career. Since retiring in October 2001, Steve has become an advocate for veterans. He has been called to testify numerous times before the House and Senate on matters pertaining to Force Health Protection and emerging mental health issues related to this generation of returning war veterans. In his work at ONE Freedom, Steve helps veterans and their families recognize and deal with the complex issues that arise from prolonged, multiple deployments. He helps to break down the stigma of seeking help and teaches individuals and families skills to mitigate the effects of wartime trauma.
Abel Moreno, Vets4VetsAbel Moreno is the Media Outreach and Marketing Coordinator for Vets4Vets, a veterans' peer support organization dedicated to helping Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feel good about themselves and heal from any negative aspects of service and war. Abel served 7 years in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division 307th Engineer Battalion as an L.E engineer. He served one deployment in Afghanistan and one deployment in Iraq. He supported the 3rd Brigade Combat team along with L.E support with Charlie Company 307th Engineer Battalion. Duties performed were fortification, engineer recon, convoy security and demolitions. Abel received the Combat Action Badge, three Army Commendation medals, and two Army Achievement medals.
Rob Timmins, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Rob Timmins is the Field and Outreach Director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), America’s first and largest Iraq and Afghanistan veterans group. He was an Infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division for the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served in Najaf, and then Mosul. Rob escorted fuel convoys, went on patrol, and raided buildings for weapons caches, and also provided security for UN officials and helped Civil Affairs with reconstruction projects. He is an authority on the war in Iraq and issues affecting troops, military families and veterans. Rob holds a B.A. in Sociology from the College of Staten Island and continues to serve his country as a legal specialist with the Army Reserves.
Training Sponsors
This teleconference is sponsored by the SAMHSA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center), a project of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The session is free to all participants.

Senator Martinez what are you doing for veterans and mental illness?

Thank you for the links Senator but what about helping the veterans? What are you doing about the fact Florida is now 49th in the nation on taking care of the mental health needs of our citizens?


I went to a NAMI meeting last night so that I could find out what this state was doing for veterans with PTSD. After all, we are the second largest veterans population in the nation. I introduced myself and immediately I was greeted with news that the VA was asking NAMI what they had for PTSD veterans. Needless to say, I volunteered for whatever they needed me to do.

Central Florida's Orlando NAMI is doing fantastic work on behalf of the people and their families dealing with mental illness and homelessness. Just like all NAMI chapters, they are dedicated because they have family members they live with and feel so much compassion for others they dedicate the rest of their lives to others suffering the same issues and problems they face.

The question is, what are you Senator doing about any of this in Florida? What is Senator Nelson doing about any of this?

Naturally my passion is with our veterans and my heart is tugged by our homeless veterans because I know first hand what these veterans and their families go through. I also know that no matter how hard I work to get these veterans to understand what PTSD so they decide to go for help, I cannot make sure the help is there for them. You can. Not only can you Senator, you have to do it. You have to stop talking about what you've done and start talking about what you need to do and what needs to be done especially here in Florida and then do it!

There would be no need for all of these organizations across the state killing themselves working to fix what Florida refuses to do if you did what you are supposed to do along with the rest of the elected.

The only thing I agree with you is that these organizations need support from us. The veterans however, especially those dealing with PTSD need support and emergency action from you. So Senator, what are you going to do? Try getting informed on what is going on in your own state and the devastation being laid on the families of these soldiers you want us to support when they come home wounded and are not taken care of.

Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com

Supporting Our Military Families This Holiday Season
As we gather with our families and friends during the holiday season, let us remember the sacrifices by the brave men and women serving our nation overseas. By giving up their time to defend our freedom and bring freedom to others, many of the more than 190,000 soldiers serving our nation abroad have also given up their ability to be the main provider for their family. In no time of the year is their absence felt greater than during the holiday season. In the spirit of the holiday season – a time for generosity and goodwill toward others – consider the financial and emotional strain lengthy deployments can have on America’s military families. During their time of need, please consider sending a donation to one of the service organizations listed below – or a military support organization of your choosing – serving our service men and women, their families and our wounded veterans.

These organizations help to ease the financial distress of the holiday season for military men and women and their families. They do this by providing interest-free loans and grants for emergency needs such as food, rent and utilities. They also provide assistance in the form of grants and no-interest loans for educational purposes. Military families already suffer the stress of having a loved one deployed overseas. During this time of year, there is perhaps no better way to honor the families of our bravest Americans than by donating to a military service organization.
Sincerely,

Senator Mel Martinez

Military relief organizations:
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society http://www.nmcrs.org/
Army Emergency Relief http://www.aerhq.org/
Air Force Aid Society http://www.afas.org/
Coast Guard Mutual Relief http://www.cgmahq.org/
Wounded Warrior Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.com/

NAMI Launches Veterans Resource Center on Mental Health; Online

NAMI Launches Veterans Resource Center on Mental Health; Online
November 6, 2007
Arlington, VA—The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has established an online Veterans Resource Center www.nami.org/veterans to help support active duty military personnel, veterans and their families facing serious mental illnesses such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

"We are a nation at war," said NAMI executive director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. "The war includes mental illness. Many veterans who return from active duty face a second war at home, confronting profound mental health problems. Their families also are affected."

The Center’s resources include a growing compilation of fact sheets, self-help information, online discussion groups, research and policy updates, and links to government agencies and other private organizations. NAMI has made the Center a priority to meet a growing need.

Almost a third of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq confront mental health problems. In 2006, the suicide rate in the Army reached its highest level in 26 years.

Approximately 30% of veterans treated in the Veterans health system suffer from depressive symptoms, two to three times the rate of the general population.
Earlier this year, the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives told NAMI’s annual convention that more Vietnam veterans have now died from suicide than the 55,000 who were killed directly during the war in the 1960s and 70s.

Approximately 40% of homeless veterans have mental illnesses. Approximately 57% of this group are African American or Hispanic veterans.

Families of soldiers deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq face increasing pressures from repeated and longer tours of duty. Unlike civilian suicide rates, greater numbers of young soldiers are taking their own lives, with broken relationships or marriages considered to be factors.

"The human toll of any war is felt for years to come," Fitzpatrick said. "NAMI hopes to expand the Center’s resources over time and provide whatever support we can through our other programs."
click post title for the rest

Claims of PTSD being "over-used" avoid reality

"Trauma survivors have a different outlook. There is a new sense of danger and vulnerability," he said. "But it doesn't mean you're not resilient."

Forum looks at storm victims, war veterans
Groups have much in common
By MEGHA SATYANARAYANA
megha@sunherald.com

War and a hurricane - when it comes to mental trauma, the two aren't so different.
This was one conclusion of a forum Thursday night featuring two mental-health professionals and a Sun Herald staff writer. The seminar was about post-traumatic stress syndrome, the recognized precursor of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mental trauma after the storm fell into two categories, said Steve Barrilleaux, director of Outpatient Services at Gulf Coast Mental Health Center in Gulfport. There were those with no mental-health problems before Katrina, who afterward began feeling anxiety and depression for the first time. Then there were those with pre-existing issues, which the hurricane exacerbated.
go here for the rest
http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/172947.html

"But these symptoms alone are not enough for a PTSD diagnosis, which he said is overused." Barrilleaux went on to claim.

If anything, it is under diagnosed.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Navy Psychologist Warns of Mental Health Provider, PTSD Training Shortfalls

From USA Today:


From his distant vantage point treating Marines at a base in Iwakuni, Japan, [Navy Cmdr. Mark] Russell, 46, has been speaking out for three years that the U.S. military faces a mental health crisis in the treatment of its combat veterans.

He has fired off memos to higher command and has gone public with his views, an unusual step for many in the military. Russell discussed his concerns in phone and Internet interviews. "We cannot provide the standard of care to treat PTSD via psychotherapy when we can barely keep up with new referrals and have to manage crises while filling in for the staffing gaps and vacancies due to deployment, attrition or no billeting," Russell says. "This is why I have been so outspoken."
http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/2007/01/navy-psychologist-warns-of-mental.html

From NAMI
How common is PTSD?
Studies suggest that anywhere between 2 percent and 9 percent of the population has had some degree of PTSD. However, the likelihood of developing the disorder is greater when someone is exposed to multiple traumas or traumatic events early in life (or both), especially if the trauma is long term or repeated. More cases of this disorder are found among inner-city youths and people who have recently emigrated from troubled countries. And women seem to develop PTSD more often than men.

Veterans are perhaps the people most often associated with PTSD, or what was once referred to as "shell shock" or "battle fatigue." The Anxiety Disorders Association of America notes that an estimated 15 percent to 30 percent of the 3.5 million men and women who served in Vietnam have suffered from PTSD.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?Although the symptoms for individuals with PTSD can vary considerably, they generally fall into three categories:

Re-experience - Individuals with PTSD often experience recurrent and intrusive recollections of and/or nightmares about the stressful event. Some may experience flashbacks, hallucinations, or other vivid feelings of the event happening again. Others experience great psychological or physiological distress when certain things (objects, situations, etc.) remind them of the event.
Avoidance - Many with PTSD will persistently avoid things that remind them of the traumatic event. This can result in avoiding everything from thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the incident to activities, places, or people that cause them to recall the event. In others there may be a general lack of responsiveness signaled by an inability to recall aspects of the trauma, a decreased interest in formerly important activities, a feeling of detachment from others, a limited range of emotion, and/or feelings of hopelessness about the future.

Increased arousal - Symptoms in this area may include difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability or outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, becoming very alert or watchful, and/or jumpiness or being easily startled.

It is important to note that those with PTSD often use alcohol or other drugs in an attempt to self-medicate. Individuals with this disorder may also be at an increased risk for suicide.
go here for the rest

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=
By_Illness&template=/ContentManagement/
ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10095

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and the CNN Medical Unit

It's no surprise that most people who endure a traumatic event suffer from some symptoms of PTSD, but the effects will often subside. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 8 percent of men and 20 percent of women go on to develop PTSD and roughly 20 percent of those people develop a chronic lifelong form of it. The condition is associated with other ailments such as increased risk of heart disease in men.

In terms of children, Stanford researchers found that severe stress can damage a child's brain. They looked at children suffering from PTSD as result of severe abuse and found that they often suffered a decrease in the size of the hippocampus - a part of the brain involved in memory processing and emotion. What's even more startling is that this effect on the brain may make it even harder for them to process normal stress for the rest of their lives. These days, more and more money and attention is being directed towards PTSD research, due in great part to the war. As troops come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as 13 percent are found to have PTSD. There can be thousands more whose conditions go undiagnosed.

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta
/2007/08/back-to-va-tech-ptsd-concerns.html

Anyone can claim whatever they want if they have a title after their name but if they have no, or little, background dealing with PTSD, they will make claims that are not educated ones. I've read what they've had to say for 25 years. The professionals who write what is lived with and through are the ones I trust. If they come out with claims that PTSD is over used, I don't trust them.

There have been too many cases of someone having PTSD and not being diagnosed with it. Over 22,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan were given "personality disorder" markers instead of PTSD. Max Cleland, triple amputee, ex-senator, ex-head of the VA, was diagnosed with depression and treated for that since Vietnam, but it turned out, he too had PTSD.