Veterans Gain Access to Additional Health Care Benefits for PTSD
Veterans Day was yesterday. In light of this national holiday it is important that we consider the effects of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has on our veterans and the resources available to them.
PTSD is a medically recognized anxiety disorder that can develop from 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. This disorder is not uncommon among veterans. It is also a disorder which many Career Support Systems customers suffer from.
Recently, the Secretary of Veterans affairs, Eric K. Shinseki, has announced a step forward in making the process easier for Veterans to access their disability compensation for their PTSD related disorders. The Federal Register published a final regulation to simplify the process for a Veteran to claim service connected to a PTSD. Virginia reduced the evidence needed to qualify for this service, if trauma is related to hostile military or terrorist activity.
Employers that hire Veterans are eligible for a Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) which the Career Support Systems employment consultant can assist the employer with.
The Hiring Veterans Toolkit is another valuable resource available to employers to help them navigate the challenges of hiring veterans with PTSD and TBI. |
GA to Move People Out of State Hospitals in Olmstead Settlement The Justice Department and the state of Georgia have reached a settlement that people with mental illness and developmental disabilities can obtain services in their communities rather than be forced to live in institutions. Georgia will stop admitting individuals with developmental disabilities to its state-run hospitals by July 1, 2011, and will transition all individuals with developmental disabilities already living in the hospitals to community settings by July 1, 2015. The state also agreed to set aside $15 million for specific targets for creating housing aid and community treatment for people with disabilities. The state will spend $62 million next year to make the improvements.
The action follows decisions by Justice to file briefs and join Olmstead-related lawsuits in several states, including New York, North Carolina, Arkansas, California and Illinois. |
