RhodeIsland
09-17-09, 06:38 PM
WASHINGTON (Sept. 17, 2009) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki joined The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General
Hospital (MGH) to launch a new initiative to help returning OEF/OIF
Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic
brain injuries and their families.
"The coordination of the Department of Veterans Affairs' programs with
those of other departments and agencies, philanthropic and volunteer
organizations, and with world class foundations and volunteer groups, is
critically important," Secretary Shinseki said. "When those efforts
include distinguished institutions such as The Red Sox Foundation and
Massachusetts General Hospital, Veterans win."
PTSD is a recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or
experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or
serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear,
helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war. Feelings of fear,
confusion or anger often subside, but if the feelings don't go away or
get worse, a Veteran may have PTSD.
"It takes tremendous courage for a Veteran to step forward and ask for
help," says Dr. John A. Parrish, director of Home Base, who served as a
medical officer in the Marines Corps during the Vietnam War. "In New
England alone, thousands of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
who may be in rough shape psychologically avoid treatment because of
this stigma."
VA is a world leader in the research, diagnosis and treatment of PTSD,
providing specialized PTSD programs at its medical centers and clinics.
In 1989, the Department created the National Center for PTSD, which
promotes research, trains health care professionals and serves as an
information resource for researchers and clinicians around the world.
"The hidden wounds of war are being addressed vigorously and
comprehensively by VA," Shinseki said "Our ability to increase mental
health capacity to serve combat Veterans continues to be a top
priority."
VA Boston Healthcare System will work in coordination with MGH and
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to provide high quality
patient-centered care and implement a fully integrated system to enhance
a comprehensive communication system between program components. They
will work with MGH to establish an outreach clinic on the campus of MGH
to assist in the coordination of care of OEF/OIF Veterans seen at the
MGH.
The program will work to:
* Provide diagnosis and clinical care for OEF/OIF
Veterans with PTSD and TBI;
* Offer outreach and support services to families of
affected Veterans;
* Conduct innovative research to deepen the
understanding of these problems and develop better treatments for them
* Educate community health care providers about the
diagnosis and treatment of these complex disorders.
Shinseki joined The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General
Hospital (MGH) to launch a new initiative to help returning OEF/OIF
Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic
brain injuries and their families.
"The coordination of the Department of Veterans Affairs' programs with
those of other departments and agencies, philanthropic and volunteer
organizations, and with world class foundations and volunteer groups, is
critically important," Secretary Shinseki said. "When those efforts
include distinguished institutions such as The Red Sox Foundation and
Massachusetts General Hospital, Veterans win."
PTSD is a recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or
experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or
serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear,
helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war. Feelings of fear,
confusion or anger often subside, but if the feelings don't go away or
get worse, a Veteran may have PTSD.
"It takes tremendous courage for a Veteran to step forward and ask for
help," says Dr. John A. Parrish, director of Home Base, who served as a
medical officer in the Marines Corps during the Vietnam War. "In New
England alone, thousands of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
who may be in rough shape psychologically avoid treatment because of
this stigma."
VA is a world leader in the research, diagnosis and treatment of PTSD,
providing specialized PTSD programs at its medical centers and clinics.
In 1989, the Department created the National Center for PTSD, which
promotes research, trains health care professionals and serves as an
information resource for researchers and clinicians around the world.
"The hidden wounds of war are being addressed vigorously and
comprehensively by VA," Shinseki said "Our ability to increase mental
health capacity to serve combat Veterans continues to be a top
priority."
VA Boston Healthcare System will work in coordination with MGH and
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to provide high quality
patient-centered care and implement a fully integrated system to enhance
a comprehensive communication system between program components. They
will work with MGH to establish an outreach clinic on the campus of MGH
to assist in the coordination of care of OEF/OIF Veterans seen at the
MGH.
The program will work to:
* Provide diagnosis and clinical care for OEF/OIF
Veterans with PTSD and TBI;
* Offer outreach and support services to families of
affected Veterans;
* Conduct innovative research to deepen the
understanding of these problems and develop better treatments for them
* Educate community health care providers about the
diagnosis and treatment of these complex disorders.