New Site: National Resource Directory

National Resource Directory 11/22/08. The National Resource Directory is an online partnership of "shared care" providing information on, and access to, services and resources for wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, their families and families of the fallen, and those who support them from recovery and rehabilitation to community reintegration. It is maintained by the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs. The information in the Directory is from federal, state and local governmental agencies; veteran service and benefit organizations; non-profit community-based and faith-based organizations; academic institutions, professional associations and philanthropic organizations. To learn more about the features and capabilities of the National Resource Directory, please click here. NRD

'de-boot' Camp

EXCLUSIVE: Filner advocates 'de-boot camp' for returning GIs 11/20/08. A key House leader is proposing to establish a "de-boot camp," where returning service members would undergo mandatory diagnosis for brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in order to reduce instances of domestic violence and suicide. The Washington Times

Post-TBI Therapy

Oh, what a feeling! 11/20/08. People who have lost the ability to interpret emotion after a severe brain injury can regain this vital social skill by being re-educated to read body language, facial expressions and voice tone in others, according to a new study. University of New South Wales via Eurekalert!

Obama Pledge to VA

Obama pledges two-year budgets at VA 11/20/08. “First and foremost, the way our nation provides funding for VA health care must be reformed,” he said in an Oct. 28 letter to the president of the American Federation of Government Employees. “My administration will recommend passage of advance appropriation legislation for the FY 2010 appropriations cycle, instead of yearly continuing resolutions that lead to delays in hiring and facility construction,” Obama said. FederalTimes.com

Veteran Unemployment

Explaining the Increase in Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers During the Global War on Terror 11/19/08. Examines the causes of the increase in the number of veterans claiming Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers since 2002. RAND

Post-Suicide Attempt Prognosis

Prognosis after attempted suicide impaired by psychiatric disorder 11/19/08. People who have attempted suicide at some point in their lives are more likely to actually succeed in committing suicide at a later date. The risk is particularly high for people with serious psychiatric disorder, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. Karolinska Institutet via Eurekalert!

Gulf War Syndrome

Deep brain mapping to isolate evidence of Gulf War syndrome 11/19/08. As a congressionally mandated report reveals one of every four veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf conflict suffers from Gulf War syndrome, statistical scientists at Southern Methodist University are analyzing brain scan images from a nationwide sample of veterans displaying symptoms. Southern Methodist University via Eurekalert!

Georgia VA Inspection

Healthcare Inspection Allegations Regarding the Homeless Women Veterans Program VA Medical Center Atlanta, Georgia [08-02317-26] 11/18/08. The purpose of the review was to evaluate allegations that a female patient committed suicide as a result of inadequate care by the Homeless Women Veterans Program (HWVP). The complainant also alleged that women veterans fear reprisal from HWVP staff and Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) managers are uninvolved in programs. VAOIG

Missing Paperwork Protections

Missing Paperwork Protections 11/17/08. VA has set up special procedures for processing claims from veterans, family members and survivors whose applications for financial benefits from VA may have been mishandled by VA personnel. USDVA

Travel Reimbursement

Travel Reimbursement Increase 11/17/08. A has increased veterans’ mileage reimbursement for travel to VA facilities for medical care. U.S Department of Veterans Affairs

Gulf War Illness

Gulf War research panel finds 1 in 4 veterans suffers from illness caused by toxic exposure 11/17/08. At least one in four of the 697,000 US veterans of the 1991 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness, a condition caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides and a drug administered to protect troops against nerve gas, and no effective treatments have yet been found, a federal panel of scientific experts and veterans concludes in a landmark report released Monday. Boston University via Eurekalert!

TBI Prognosis

Predicting the future for patients with severe traumatic brain injury 11/17/08. "How will our loved one come out of this?" After an accident that results in severe traumatic brain injury, the answer to this simple question can change everything. The latest study carried out by Dr. Elaine deGuise, Joanne Leblanc, and Mitra Feyz at the McGill University Health Center describes the tools that are most effective at providing an objective answer to this question almost as soon as patients leave intensive care. McGill University Health Centre via Eurekalert!

Paving the Road Home: Returning Veterans and Behavioral Health

SAMHSA News Highlights Resources for Veterans 11/15/08. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released the latest issue of the Agency's newsletter that highlights activities and resources for returning veterans. The September-October issue of SAMHSA News reports on an August 2008 conference called Paving the Road Home: Returning Veterans and Behavioral Health, and offers information on treatment for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, employment, and resources for children of military families, among other topics. SAMHSA