Florida Vietnam Veterans of America warns of growing PTSD veterans

Considering everything I've been tracking, I bet Ben Humphries is right, or at least close to it. Keep in mind that less than half of the veterans needing help seek it.

Department of Veterans Affairs adding mental health staff on Treasure Coast
By Cynthia Washam
Posted June 18, 2012

"Probably 50 or 60 percent have PTSD," said Ben Humphries, a Vero Beach resident and Florida president of the Vietnam Veterans of America. "You experience death. You're in constant fear. You're on guard all the time."

Veterans frustrated by long waits for mental health care can expect some relief when the Department of Veterans Affairs boosts its staff at the West Palm Beach Medical Center and Treasure Coast clinics.

VA officials expect to hire 40 mental health clinicians and eight support personnel locally within the next six to 12 months. A quarter of them will work at outpatient clinics in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. The expansion is part of the federal department's nationwide effort to meet the growing need for veterans' mental health care. The VA provides free treatment for service-related health problems.

"We decided we would see everybody (seeking mental help) within two weeks," said Dr. Alberto Fernandez-Milo, chief of mental health services at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center.

Ed Maxwell, vice president of the Martin County chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, heralded the news. He's known veterans who have had to wait up to six weeks for nonemergency counseling.

"The staff on mental health has been way too thin," Maxwell said. "It needs to be beefed up because we're going to be bringing the troops back."
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