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Archive for August, 2010
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
The Department of Labor (DOL) is funding the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP), which will be managed by the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center (PVMSEC). The program helps veterans who have been in prison. Possibly more significantly, the program also helps those who are still facing criminal charges as an alternative to sentencing. The program was designed to prevent homelessness among veterans, which is a very rampant problem.
More veterans than ever are returning from combat suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Many times soldiers returning from combat and suffering from these issues find themselves in trouble with the law. The IVTP seeks to help these veterans as many find themselves homeless following their prison terms.
Tens of thousands of soldiers end up detained in State and Federal prisons; and when that happens, veterans are not given the chance to be fully diagnosed and therefore treated for conditions such as PTSD and TBI. Diagnosis and treatment may very well have prevented incarceration in the first place.
In 2004, there were approximately 140,000 veterans locked up in State and Federal prisons. Additionally,
- 46% of veterans in federal, and 15% of veterans in state prisons, are incarcerated for drug offenses;
- 61% of locked up veterans meet the psychological diagnostic requirements for substance dependence or abuse;
- Over 50% of the veterans serving time in federal prisons served in the military during wartime; and
- At least 10% of all inmates are veterans.
Ideally, there would be perfect communication between VA doctors and those doctors associated with the courts and responsible for providing medical care to prisoners. Veterans cannot be brought back from these wars and left alone to deal with their conditions, which are a direct result of their participation in these wars.
The IVTP can and will play a crucial role in many veterans’ lives. Veterans have to be treated before they get to the point of addiction and poor choices because of their mental state. Homelessness will not end in the veteran population without more proactive measures.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program, mental health treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, VA healthcare system, veteran homelessness, veterans in prison, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, August 30th, 2010
Although many headlines seem to point in the opposite direction, military personnel committing suicide is not normal. Suicides have always been present in military the same way they have always been present in the private sector. Over the last couple years, however, there has been a drastic rise in the rates of military personnel taking their own lives. The branches of the military have all launched individual suicide prevention programs, but according to a Department of Defense (DoD) report last week, none of them are as effective as they could be.
A DoD, Congressionally ordered task force issues the report, which included the recommendation that the Pentagon should establish a high-level office dedicated to coordinating all the suicide prevention programs across all the military branches. Between 2005 and 2009 over 1,100 soldiers took their own lives. There is currently an increase in the occurrence of suicides among soldiers, with the highest amount of suicides being attributed to Marines and Army personnel.
There are an incredible amount of suicide prevention programs currently in place worldwide across Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps installations. Each branch, however, developed their own programs with their own agendas and those programs were developed too quickly because their need was immediate.
The task force’s report celebrated the effort the branches made in developing their programs, but recommended these programs be tuned up to correct their inefficiencies. The report made 76 recommendations as to how these programs could function much more effectively by changing their focus and closing up existing gaps in treatment.
If you are a veteran contemplating suicide, please know that there is help out there for you both within and outside the VA. In addition to counseling you may be eligible for vocational programs, housing programs, substance abuse treatment programs, and disability benefits.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Military personnel suicide, Suicide prevention program, VA health care, VA healthcare system, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in General, VA News, Veterans' Resources | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Veterans returning from overseas deployments and abusing drugs is not a new story. Depending on the decade, the drugs being abused will change. Veterans of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan seem to be abusing prescription drugs more than other generations of combat veterans and more than most other commonly abused drugs.
Because of the dangerous trend the federal government sees developing, they have issued a grant to study the potentially volatile problem. The government gave the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) $288,714 for research into the issue.
UAMS researchers will join forces with the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System. Together, they will collect and study 6 years of data on veterans and prescription drug abuse, which will be supplied by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The research will focus on evaluating how effective current VA policies are when VA doctors and physicians prescribe opioids as painkillers to veterans in need. The VA will release new guidelines later this year detailing new procedures to be used when opioids are prescribed.
Every year tens of thousands of veterans are diagnosed with pain requiring prescription painkillers. More than half of those could very well demand a treatment including the use of opioids. In an effort to curb the abuse of prescription drugs, those prescriptions must be handed out responsibly.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: VA Health Care System, veteran drug abuse study, veteran prescription drug abuse
Posted in General | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
The National Veterans Training, Exposure, and Experience (TEE) tournament is being held in Riverside, Iowa, from September 6-9, 2010. Participants will learn, among other things, about golfing with disabilities and the golf tournaments will be held at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort and 4 other area golf courses.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Iowa City VA Medical Center sponsor the TEE tournament, which is in its 17th year. Visually impaired veterans as well as those suffering from other disabilities will build their self-esteem and develop skills by playing:
- Adaptive golf;
- Bowling;
- Kayaking;
- Horseshoes; and
- other activities.
The TEE tournament was originally only designed for those veterans suffering from visual disabilities or who were blind. In 2009, the tournament opened participation to veterans with other debilitating conditions such as:
- Amputations;
- Spinal cord injuries; and
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
The TEE Tournament started as a local event, but in 2008 stepped up to become only 1 of 6 of the VA’s national rehabilitation programs. The TEE tournament had 36 participating veterans its first year and already has 200 signed up for this year’s tournament. Any veteran who is currently under care of a VA medical facility is eligible to participate and veterans ranging from WWII to the current two wars will be represented.
Every participating veteran in this tournament proves having a disability does not mean it is impossible to live an active life. That the number of participating veterans grows every year shows there are more veterans with disabilities refusing to be held back by their various conditions.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, Iowa City VA Medical Center, TBIs, TEE Tournament, VA health care
Posted in Disabled Veterans, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Events | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Many returning veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have anxiety issues including fears of being in public places and around big groups of people. Other veterans struggle with being wounded and still others from varying forms of anxiety. A charity called America’s VetDogs helps these veterans regain some sense of control over their lives.
Veterans from all over the U.S. come to the VetDogs campus in Smithtown, N.Y. to be matched up with a dog specifically trained to care for that veteran. Dogs trained at this facility are used to console patients at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers across the country, to include Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Additionally, two “combat stress” dogs live with psychotherapists in both Tikrit and Mosul, Iraq and two more will be sent over this month. These dogs provide emotional assistance to military personnel suffering from:
- Sleep disorders;
- Homesickness; or
- Battle-related anxieties.
The dogs’ training is specific to the veteran they are paired with. If necessary, they help with picking up dropped items, balance problems, and carrying small backpacks. Military personnel suffering from PTSD are given dogs able to sense environments, such as crowds, they may find stressful and physically act to prevent the soldier from getting too close to the situation.
Service dogs are credited with helping many patients recover at VA hospitals all over the country. These dogs have been integrated in psychotherapy sessions because of their ability to relax patients, which makes it easier for soldiers to access their emotions. The dogs physically touch the veterans when they sense them clamming up and it helps those veterans to release.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: America's VetDogs, Disabled Veterans, mental health treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, service dogs, Veterans' Resources, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans | No Comments »
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
On the morning of August 30, 2005, Richard Kellar believed he was in the best hands as he went to the Denver Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital for a triple-bypass surgery. Kellar came out of surgery, however, with a surgical clamp about the size of a large paper clip left behind his heart. Chief. U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel is overseeing the federal trial now underway.
Kellar was offered a $100,000 settlement before trial even started. He rejected it, however, because he didn’t feel it was enough money to compensate him given both his medical and financial issues and is now seeking $15 million.
According to Kellar’s testimony, the surgeons knew the surgical clamp was missing at the end of the surgery but failed to notify him it could have been left inside his chest.
The clamp was eventually discovered during an MRI at Sky Ridge Medical Center in 2006. Kellar was told to return to the Denver VA Hospital where he underwent a fluoroscopy to inspect his chest. Examining doctors told Kellar the surgery required to remove the clamp was too risky but it should cause no harm as it was embedded in the muscle. This didn’t ring true as Kellar was experiencing various physical problems he blames on the presence of the clamp:
- Shooting pains in his head and neck; and
- Numbness in his hands.
U.S. Attorneys questioned whether these ailments existed prior to the clamp being left in his chest. This is only one of the issues the Judge must decide and the trial is expected to conclude soon.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Denver VA Hospital, medical malpractice lawsuit, Richard Kellar, VA healthcare, VA lawsuit, VA medical facility, VA surgical error
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Ecstasy (MDMA) to treat veterans suffering from PTSD in a trial treatment. The approval is specifically for use on veterans suffering from PTSD that has proven resistant to other, more traditional treatments, such as:
- Psychotherapy;
- Anti-depressants;
- Relaxation training; and
- Attending support groups.
It is certainly a controversial decision by the FDA, but it may be a necessary one. The use of the MDMA must be coupled with psychotherapy. Nevertheless, many people will consider this a breakthrough in how mental health problems are treated. Early and small scale experiments have produced positive results.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Denver will most likely be the site of the trial treatment program the FDA has approved. The Denver VA has demonstrated a history of success in treating people unresponsive to traditional treatments.
An initial test showed 10 of 12 subjects very responsive to this particular treatment. Combining MDMA with psychotherapy produced the best results in the trial group and was therefore determined to be the most effective method. This test was compared against a placebo group given the same amount of psychotherapy sessions but not the MDMA. The placebo group resulted in only 2 of the 8 participants showing considerable improvement. There is a striking distinction between the results from the two groups.
Using MDMA to treat PTSD will hopefully prove to be groundbreaking work. MDMA works in a way no other current medication can and will hopefully result in relief for those veterans suffering from PTSD proven to be resistant to traditional treatments.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Ecstasy, MDMA, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD treatment, VA health care, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans, VA News, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was recently questioned about the whereabouts of $6.3 million they were given for research into traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The money was intended for a Texas research facility. The Director of that facility was fired after it was discovered $2 million of that $6.3 million was unacceptably diverted. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has offered an explanation of how those funds were used.
Sec. Shinseki’s explanation letter, which was two weeks late, was sent to Senator Richard Barr (R-N.C.), who is a ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Representative Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the Chairman of the Investigations Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee. Both men called Sec. Shinseki’s explanation “insufficient.” According to Barr and Miller, Sec. Shinseki’s explanation in no way clarifies why the $6.3 million, which was supposed to go directly towards TBI research, has yet to be used in TBI research.
Sec. Shinseki’s explained, with no additional details, $3.4 million went towards “lease payments, operation expenses, staff salaries, and the relocation.” Additionally, $450,000 will eventually be used to “establish treatment protocols” at the Waco, Texas location. Sec. Shinseki’s letter closed by stating “[a]ny remaining funds will be used to support health-care operations and appropriate research activities.”
Senator Burr and Rep. Miller asked Sec. Shinseki to specifically account as to how the appropriated money was sidetracked from its original intent. Both men pointed out the VA’s Inspector General’s conclusion that of the $6.3 million, none of it was used for its intended purposes of research and clinical services for veterans suffering from TBI.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, misappropriated funds, TBI Research, Traumatic Brain Injury, VA healthcare system, Veterans disability
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
On any given day, almost 300,000 veterans suffer from the symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One of the biggest problems many of these veterans face is getting treatment. The Warrior Salute Program (WSP) uses distinctive solutions to help those in need.
The Warrior Salute Program helps soldiers suffering with TBIs and PTSD re-learn skills demanded by civilian life in order to help them live independently. The way the soldiers re-learn depends on their individual progress and success with particular therapies. One person may use music therapy whereas another may adjust through learning a new skill.
For their first participant, the WSP used private partnerships to provide a furnished apartment as long as the veteran was attending therapy. Further, the veteran is given two meals a day and as his therapy ends, the WSP will help him find a job. The WSP currently survives on these private partnerships as well as local fundraising.
The Warrior Salute Program could very well serve as a pilot program on a national scale. It would however, require a series of private agencies to partner with both the VA and the military.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, mental health treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, TBI, Veterans Mental Health, Warrior Salute Program
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Veterans' Resources | 1 Comment »
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Two years ago the military changed the way they discharged troops suffering from combat stress under pressure from Congress. If soldiers suffering had a pre-existing personality disorder, they are given an administrative discharge as opposed to a medical discharge. Because of that change, soldiers were left without any benefits, including medical care.
These types of discharges have now been focused on “adjustment disorder.” Under fear soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are being thrown through a loop hole and not given the correct medical discharge, Sen. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) is asking the military for more information on how many soldiers have been discharged because of adjustment disorders. If soldiers suffering from PTSD and/or TBI are given administrative discharges, which includes adjustment disorders, they will be sent into the civilian world with no medical coverage.
Adjustment disorder refers to how a person handles a traumatic event. The military’s policy is that if these symptoms last longer than 6 months, the person’s diagnosis is changed to PTSD. If a soldier is discharged with PTSD, that soldier is honorably medically retired with a disability rating of 50% at the least and medical care. The symptoms of adjustment disorder are very similar to those of PTSD:
- Flashbacks;
- Nightmares;
- Sleeplessness;
- Irritability;
- Anger; and
- Avoidance.
According to a former JAG officer, switching a diagnosis from PTSD to adjustment disorder is both common and illegal. When a soldier has an adjustment disorder because they’re adjusting to combat-that is called PTSD and that is how the discharge should be given. There is no reason for what probably amounts to hundreds of soldiers being discharged with PTSD and not receiving benefits.
Learn more about soldiers being discharged for adjustment disorder instead of PTSD and not being given medical benefits.
If you are a veteran and suffering from PTSD and fighting the VA to get disability compensation, contact LaVan & Neidenberg, a veterans law firm located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We represent more than 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.
Tags: Adjustment Disorder, Disabled Veterans, Medical Discharge, PTSD, TBI, VA Benefits, VA Health Care System, veterans disability claims, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
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