On June 10th the latest version of the COMBAT PTSD Act was passed by the Houses’ Veterans Affairs Committee and is now on its way to the floor of the House for consideration.
Developed by Congressman John Hall (D-NY), the COMBAT PTSD Act would eliminate the need for Veterans to prove that a specific incident caused an injury. This requirement has been especially restricting to Veterans that suffer from PTSD.
“Currently there is an onerous burden put on the veteran, especially those diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder to prove combat zone stressors,” said Hall. “Instead of helping these veterans, the VA acts as an obstacle, inflicting upon the most noble of our citizens a process that feels accusatory and disbelieving. The current process is complex, legalistic and protracted, and particularly difficult for veterans because of the stresses and uncertainties involved while facing skeptical and cynical attitudes of VA staff,” (Mid-Hudson News).
It is unclear what the chances are of the Act being passed or what impact it would have on EMDR’s availablility to Veterans.
What do you think of the COMBAT PTSD Act?
July 2, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I’ve had that stack of PTSD questions sitting in front of me to complete for some time now.
I don’t even want to read the first page. Just the thought of having to do it fills me with dread and depression. The task of dragging all that pain and shock back into my life has filled me with constant stress that gives me the “shakes”.
The doctors at the VA hospital have determined that I have PTSD. Why is that not good enough to compensate me for not being able to work for the last ten years?
Is the VA trying to make me commit suicide so they can completely be done with me without it costing them a cent??
Four years I have hung on to the only hope that I have left in my life. Without a positive resolution, and soon as I am have been homeless for over eight years, they will win because my life will be over one way or another. I just can’t take the suspicion, the wait and the rejection any more.
Although I have been off meth for three years, after five years on it every day, my resolve to be straight is weakening with the treatment of the VA bureaucratic nightmare that my service related physical and mental problems have forced me into.
Will this HR 952 bill be a law soon enough to help me??
God help all vets who have problems now or will have later, because to me, our country wants us to just die so that they can be rid of the responsibilities that were promised.
I am at the end of my rope.
July 6, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Mike,
Despite the hurdles that you may be witnessing in your attempts to find treatment, there is help available to individuals suffering as you do. We would be happy to help you locate EMDR therapists in your area, please email us at info@emdria.org or call us at 512.451.5200 so that we can help locate someone. Please know that you are not alone in your suffering and that despite how it may feel, there are people that really do want to help, not watch you suffer. We are extremely grateful for the sacrifices you made for your country and we hope that an EMDR therapist in your area can help you to heal and find happiness again.