PTSD Summit urges new legislation for military veterans
The American Military Veterans Foundation held a PTSD Summit in Cape Coral Thuesday to educate state, county and city leaders of the growing epidemic of PTSD and suicide in the veteran community.
The PTSD Summit committee started in September 2016 when an spike in veteran suicides was noticed in the community. They decided it was time to reach out to government leaders for support and discuss the next step towards making “Camo Alert” a reality.
The alert would notify the public when a veteran coping with PTSD was missing in the community. The notification would work similair to an Amber Alert.
Heading the efforts locally are National Board of Director for The American Military Veterans Foundation, Keith Cambell.
“We are coming together with other veterans organizations, law enforcement and government to gap the loop holes in the current legislation,” said Cambell. “We want to see faster turn around on missing PTSD veterans.”
According to Cambell, there was a recent incident of local veteran who sought out help, but was denied by the VA.
He turned out to be a suicide risk.
A missing person’s report was filed, because the man didn’t meet the laws’ current endangered person’s critera. It then took six hours to locate him, which was too late.
“The endangered criteria needs to be reevaluated,” Cambell said.
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is frequently seen in individuals who have suffered a trauma or life-threatening event. The most common symptoms include reoccurring nightmares, increased jumpiness and trouble sleeping. Sometimes these symptoms increase over time and result in severe depression and an individual’s inability to cope with life.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health on the risk of suicide among U.S. veterans, an estimated 5,000 veterans die by suicide each year. The VA’s Suicide Data Report, 2012 found a higher figure at 8,000 per year. Currently there is no legislature that is targeted at handling PTSD veterans who are in crisis.
Lee County Commissioners Cecil Pendergrass and Brian Hamman, Congressman Francis Rooney, Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Cape Coral Police Department, and members of the Cape Coral City council attended to support the program.
Benacquisto is a supporter of the new legislation and is taking the lead on getting the Camo Alert approved here in the state of Florida.
“We are looking to improve our local VA system with assistance from state and local leaders such as Sen. Benacquisto,” said Cambell.
The organizations are also currently working on the creation of a safety net for those veterans falling through the cracks of the VA system.
“We have created Veteran Safe Zones throughout the state for veterans who are in distress,” said Cambell. “The safe zones will give veterans and or caregivers a place to seek help in the event the veteran feels they are on the edge of suicide or just need someone to speak to.”
Each safe zone will be manned and operated by former armed forces men and women.
The overall hope for the Camo Alert is to get the legislation passed here in state of Florida and then nationwide.
The American Military Veterans Foundation Inc., has been assisting veterans who deal with PTSD in the community for seven years. The foundation’s local office is located at 1490 NE Pine Island Road, # 5D Cape Coral, Fl. Coral, Fl. 33909. For more information, visit their website at www.Ammilvets.org