PTSD's Purple Heart Medal

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NAMI StigmaBuster Alert: January 12, 2009

PTSD's Purple Heart

A Department of Defense (DOD) advisory group has recommended that current DOD policy not be changed to allow Purple Heart medals to be awarded to soldiers stricken with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The current policy bestows the medal only on soldiers who are "physically" wounded in the line of duty.

Read the story in the New York Times and an excellent editorial in the Kansas City Star. DOD's current policy is as much an outrageous "slap in the face" to soldiers and veterans with PTSD as General George Patton's slapping of a soldier with "shell shock" was in World War II.

DOD can still reverse its policy, despite the advisory group's decision. Please contact the Secretary of Defense and tell him it's time to end stigma and discrimination against soldiers with PTSD. Their wounds are real.

Mailing Address

The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1000

Contact DOD Online

DOD Online Question/Comment Form

Telephone Number

DOD Public Affairs "Leave a Recorded Message" Line
703-428-0711 (not toll-free)

Hi, Ho: Free Teleconference on January 27

The federal government's "ADS Center" which supports the fight against stigma and discrimination is holding an online teleconference on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time) on how to promote acceptance of people with mental illnesses in the work place.

Registration is free. Anyone can submit questions to promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov in advance for speakers to consider. Not all questions will be used in the teleconference, but contact information for speakers will be available. The Center will email registrants further information before that date.

NAMI UPDATE: INCREASE FOR VETERANS

House Passes Increases for Veterans Mental Illness Treatment

August 1, 2008

By a vote of 409-4 the House today passed legislation funding the Department of Veterans Affairs for FY 2009. The bill (HR 6599) includes $3.8 billion for mental illness treatment and $584 million for substance abuse treatment in the VA, significant increases over current year funding. Overall, the Veterans Health Administration budget is set at $40.8 billion for FY 2009 -- $1.6 billion more than the President requested and $3.9 billion more than current levels. It is projected that the VA will serve 5.8 million veterans in 2009.

For homeless veterans, HR 6599 allocates $130 million for the homeless grants and per diem program, rejecting a proposal from the Bush Administration to cut the program by $8 million. This allocation also includes $32 million to hire additional personnel as part of the joint HUD-VA "VASH" program for veterans supportive housing. A separate bill funding the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) appropriates an additional $75 million at HUD for rent subsidies, i.e. the housing side of this joint program.

The bill also includes $500 million for medical research at the VA, $38 million more than the President requested and $20 million more than was allocated in FY 2008. A full summary of HR 6599 can be found HERE:

Next Steps for the VA Budget

With House action on the VA spending bill, Congress has now adjourned for its summer recess and will not return to Washington until the week of September 8. In September, these will be efforts to complete action on HR 6599 before FY 2009 begins on October 1. However, the other FY 2009 discretionary spending bills - including those covering mental illness research, services and housing programs are unlikely to be passed before October 1. As a result these other programs are expected to be funded after October 1 at current FY 2008 levels - perhaps through March of 2009.