In honor of National PTSD Awareness Day, which falls every year on June 27th, Representatives Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Peter King (R-Seaford) applauded the creation of a Department of Defense (DOD) pilot program, which they initially secured as part of the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision Reps. Israel and King secured authorized the DOD to create a pilot program to enhance DOD efforts in research, treatment, education and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injuries for service members.
Rep. Israel said, "Too often we have seen our system fail our service members suffering from traumatic brain injuries, substance abuse, and mental health issues. There are a plethora of private organizations performing great work in these fields that if given the chance to partner with the Department of Defense will lead to an improvement in the lives of our brave service members. The pilot that Rep. King and I fought for will create a public-private partnership with the DOD and community partners to make sure those who put their lives on the line for our country have access to the care they deserve."
Rep. King said, "We owe it to the men and women who put themselves in harm's way to ensure they have the support and access to the very best in health care, treatment and outreach. The pilot program that Rep. Israel and I helped implement will go a long way to doing just that."
The Community Partners in Suicide Prevention program , will provide funding for community partners to conduct outreach and education efforts related to mental health, substance use disorders, TBI, and suicide prevention. A community partner is a private non-profit organization or institution that engages in one or more of the following: (1) research on the causes development and innovative treatment of mental health and substance use disorders and traumatic brain injury in members of the National Guard and Reserves, their family members, and their caregivers; (2) Identifying and disseminating evidence-based treatments; (3) and Outreach and education to soldiers, their families and caregivers, and the public about these health concerns. At the conclusion of the pilot, DOD will evaluate the program and issue a report to Congress.
This common-sense program was authorized through the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310), which was agreed to in the House by a vote of 299-120 on May 18, 2012. The provision Rep. Israel and Rep King secured in the bill in Sec. 706 directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to enhance the efforts of the Department of Defense in research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders and traumatic brain injury in members of the National Guard and Reserves, their family members, and their caregivers through community partners.