Of critical concern is whether veterans have the information they need to take the best advantage of their GI Bill benefits. A high proportion of airmen injured in combat experience mental health issues. Source: Bridging Gaps in Mental Health Care. There are 5.5 million spouses, siblings, parents, children, and friends devoted to the care of those injured fighting America's wars, and often their own needs are neglected. Find out how to access VA mental health services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST), depression, grief, anxiety, and other needs. The post-9/11 GI Bill was the largest expansion of veterans' education benefits since passage of the original GI Bill in 1944 and gives veterans the opportunity to move ahead in civilian careers. Subscribe. Los Angeles, CA 90073, Mailing Address: Mental Ailments Increasing War veterans and those still in the service often suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, depression, and thoughts of suicide. “We knew there was an epidemic in the industry,” she said. But some areas of care for PTSD and depression need improvement. “We thought, there’s gotta be an easier way to deliver and share this kind of information for people,” Aviles said. For some, returning to civilian life may feel like another battle that poses a variety of challenges that must not only be fought, but also understood and accepted in order to be successfully overcome. Drawing upon decades of experience, RAND provides research services, systematic analysis, and innovative thinking to a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms. So yeah, I’m sick, and I’m going to affect someone else.' And I was prepared for that," said Larson. This study makes recommendations for improving awareness of supports among Detroit-area veterans and connecting them with services. Recovery and reintegration are likely to take a long time. Department of Veterans Affairs Re-establishing and even re-evaluating relationships with family and friends. They also detailed high use of alcohol and illicit substances, which Aviles said is often due to ease of access in the workplace. Veterans of Foreign Wars Services range from veterans benefits processing, clinical treatment, life coaching, and confidential one-on-one consulting. Addressing military sexual trauma, adding questions about self-harm to suicide risk assessments, and restricting access to lethal suicide means may help reduce the risk of suicide for women veterans. Military sexual trauma is both sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurs in military settings. Although marital satisfaction among military couples declined from 2003 to 2009, the divorce rate among them remained steady. One in ten of those who are homeless are veterans, 50 percent are disabled and three-quarters of homeless veterans have mental health issues. Depression can have long-term effects that make it hard to function in civilian life. And so, I ended up paying for my own care after that for a while," said Larson. It's about all the Marines I’m taking care of. It’s a strength," said Larson. While there's more help now for struggling veterans and service members, Larson knows asking for it is still just as hard. Quality health care is critical as veterans return to their communities. But depression can also manifest in physical problems, such as headaches, fatigue, stomach problems, and pain. Leader of a platoon, Larson was responsible for more than 50 Marines, working to earn their respect while training them for war. “But there’s very little to no information on what to do when there is a mental health crisis.”, Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.