A Former Congressman Is Working To Help Veterans By Tackling Mental Illness
Source: Huffington Post
A tragic reality for U.S. veterans and their families is that once a serviceman or woman returns home, they may not remain safe, or even free -- all because of untreated mental health problems.
"These veterans come home and they're POWS -- they're hostages to the illness," former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) told The Huffington Post Wednesday. Kennedy, who founded the Kennedy Forum, a mental health policy incubator, was in Chicago on Veterans' Day for the annual conference of the forum's Illinois branch.
While 6,828 military personnel have died in the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the number of veterans who returned home only to die by suicide is estimated to be about four times higher. About 10 percent of veterans end up behind bars.
"We take away their freedom when they get home," Kennedy said, referring to veterans caught in the nation's mental health crisis. "This is an epidemic."
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/veterans-mental-health-patrick-kennedy_564386cee4b08cda34870da3
In Chicago today, someone was standing up for Vets so they can get better treatment for mental health problems. This got some national publicity, and I believe that these issues are totally underreported. In my opinion this is one of the saddest results of these wars. Has always been, and I think we should do more.,,,,,,,
further into the story, I read this:
In the absence of mental health treatment, it's not uncommon for veterans (who are also often dealing with other re-entry challenges like unemployment or divorce) to wind up in jail -- often, Kennedy said,.." because untreated mental illness manifests itself in criminal behaviors like substance abuse." ............
so I start wondering who is this guy?...It turns out this Patrick Kennedy is the son of Ted Kennedy and he has written about his own substance abuse problems and his own alcoholism.. I might add he admits to having a bi polar disorder and has written about problems of alcoholism in his immediate family. So, this rich guy, is trying to help those poor vets who have no access to the kind of help he has received. In a story about him, I read that he says that he is, "...five years sober.." So, he knows something about addiction as well as about mental health issues..
.And...I am wondering how many really rich guys from a very famous family who turn out to be addicts, spend their time trying to help poor vets get better mental health care..?
= new reply since forum marked as read
