Senator Boxer: Expand Military Mental Health Services   

Thursday, May 3, 2007  

I recently joined Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) in introducing the Mental Health Care for our Wounded Warriors Act of 2007.  Our legislation addresses two significant challenges facing the Department of Defense (DoD): the absence of designated, centralized facilities—or “Centers of Excellence”—to research and coordinate all aspects of military mental health policies and services, and the shortage of mental health professionals to provide care to members of the Armed Forces.

The bill would establish Centers of Excellence within the DoD to research and guide the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to prevent, identify, and treat combat-related mental health conditions, emphasizing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries.  The centers would also develop, identify, and disseminate best practices for treatment of combat-related mental health conditions and brain injuries and develop measures to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health illnesses.

The bill would also require the DoD to report back to Congress within 45 days on the need for Congressional intervention to provide financial incentives to reduce mental health workforce shortages, Congressional intervention to amend the duration of service obligation to increase the recruitment of mental health professionals, and increasing the use of scholarship and financial assistance to recruit qualified mental health professionals.

An estimated one in six returning service members has a diagnosable condition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and one in ten service members involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts may suffer a traumatic brain injury. Over one-third of the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans treated by the VA have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, including PTSD, depression, and substance abuse, among others.

Our troops are risking their lives for this country, and we owe them nothing less than the best care in return. These Centers of Excellence will be hubs of scientific research where professionals can determine how best to treat mental health conditions and traumatic brain injuries afflicting combat veterans.

Sincerely,