White River's VA hospital grows for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
By Gregory Trotter
Valley News of Lebanon
Published: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. — The White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center is expanding and evolving to help a new generation of soldiers returning from war.
The first physical proof is the metal frame of the new office building, visible from Route 5, which will eventually house the Executive Division of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
After its slated March 2010 completion, the PTSD center will provide evidence-based research and expert access for VA hospital administrators and regional directors trying to stay abreast of the most effective ways to help soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The center will also inform the care at the White River facility, as more young men and women in military uniform begin to populate the campus.
“This is about meeting the needs of patients like this young man,” said Andy LaCasse, spokesman for the VA Medical Center, nodding toward a young soldier in full dress bustling past. “Until two years ago, the majority of our patients were World War II veterans but we’re going to start seeing more young people like him.”
There are about 4,000 veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraq Freedom in Vermont, according to a PTSD center news release. That number stands to increase after the National Guardsmen and others return. Vermont and New Hampshire will each have approximately 1,800 young men and women deploying by the end of the year.
read more here
http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2009/11/04/features/health_fitness/free/id_377694.txt
Showing posts with label White River Junction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White River Junction. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
3 Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers opening in October
VA Opening Rural Health Resource Centers
Last update: 12:18 p.m. EDT Aug. 18, 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will open three Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers on Oct. 1 to better understand rural health issues for veterans and develop special practices and products to implement across the country.
"For our veterans living in rural areas, the nearest medical center can be miles away," said VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake. "VA's commitment is to provide the best quality care to veterans regardless of their address. These centers are a major step toward ensuring that commitment is met."
The centers will serve as satellite offices for VA's Office of Rural Health. The eastern center will be located in Vermont at the White River Junction VA Medical Center, the central region in Iowa at the Iowa City VA Medical Center and the western region at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center.
Each resource center will be staffed with administrative, clinical and research staff who will identify disparities in health care for rural veterans and formulate practices or programs to enhance the delivery of care.
"VA has always been committed to providing quality care to rural veterans," said Dr. Michael J. Kussman, VA's under secretary for health. "These centers will allow us to better identify and meet the unique needs of our rural veterans as their population continues to grow."
For the latest news releases and other information, visit VA on the Internet at:
http://www.va.gov/opa.
Last update: 12:18 p.m. EDT Aug. 18, 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will open three Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers on Oct. 1 to better understand rural health issues for veterans and develop special practices and products to implement across the country.
"For our veterans living in rural areas, the nearest medical center can be miles away," said VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake. "VA's commitment is to provide the best quality care to veterans regardless of their address. These centers are a major step toward ensuring that commitment is met."
The centers will serve as satellite offices for VA's Office of Rural Health. The eastern center will be located in Vermont at the White River Junction VA Medical Center, the central region in Iowa at the Iowa City VA Medical Center and the western region at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center.
Each resource center will be staffed with administrative, clinical and research staff who will identify disparities in health care for rural veterans and formulate practices or programs to enhance the delivery of care.
"VA has always been committed to providing quality care to rural veterans," said Dr. Michael J. Kussman, VA's under secretary for health. "These centers will allow us to better identify and meet the unique needs of our rural veterans as their population continues to grow."
For the latest news releases and other information, visit VA on the Internet at:
http://www.va.gov/opa.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
State VA leads the world as PTSD info resource
State VA leads the world as PTSD info resource
By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff
Wednesday, June 25
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder doesn't just affect soldiers and the victims of war. It also strikes the survivors of natural disasters, childhood abuse, rape, assault and genocide.
And in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, it also hurts the families and friends of those suffering from PTSD.
"Living with someone with PTSD affects families in major ways," said Matthew J. Friedman, the executive director of the National Center for PTSD at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction.
Many family members feel they are walking on eggs around loved ones, afraid of sparking an emotional or mental breakdown, rage, depression or even suicidal ideation. Often, it's those wives, husbands and grandparents who turn to organizations such as the VA for help when sufferers fail or refuse to recognize the despair they are subjecting themselves and their families to.
Over the years, PTSD has been called by many names including nostalgia, shell shock and battle fatigue. Those suffering from the disorder were often labeled as cowards or weaklings.
The symptoms of PTSD have been recorded as far back as the 1800s, said Friedman, especially in relation to the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War in Europe. In the late 1970s, researchers of what was then three different fields of study -- the trauma of Nazi atrocities, rape and serving in Vietnam -- realized they were all studying the same syndrome.
go here for more
http://reformer.com/ci_9688618
By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff
Wednesday, June 25
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder doesn't just affect soldiers and the victims of war. It also strikes the survivors of natural disasters, childhood abuse, rape, assault and genocide.
And in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, it also hurts the families and friends of those suffering from PTSD.
"Living with someone with PTSD affects families in major ways," said Matthew J. Friedman, the executive director of the National Center for PTSD at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction.
Many family members feel they are walking on eggs around loved ones, afraid of sparking an emotional or mental breakdown, rage, depression or even suicidal ideation. Often, it's those wives, husbands and grandparents who turn to organizations such as the VA for help when sufferers fail or refuse to recognize the despair they are subjecting themselves and their families to.
Over the years, PTSD has been called by many names including nostalgia, shell shock and battle fatigue. Those suffering from the disorder were often labeled as cowards or weaklings.
The symptoms of PTSD have been recorded as far back as the 1800s, said Friedman, especially in relation to the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War in Europe. In the late 1970s, researchers of what was then three different fields of study -- the trauma of Nazi atrocities, rape and serving in Vietnam -- realized they were all studying the same syndrome.
go here for more
http://reformer.com/ci_9688618
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
White River Junction:Peake answers questions at town hall
Home / News / Local / N.H.
In Vermont, new VA chief hears complaints from veterans
By John Curran
Associated Press Writer / June 23, 2008
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt.—Some had beefs about their medical care. Some came to say how great their doctors and nurses were.
Some wanted an answer about a claim, or to find out what Uncle Sam was doing for homeless veterans. One wanted to know where his military records were.
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake got an earful Monday as about 250 people -- aging veterans, spouses, VA employees -- turned out for the second of two Town Hall-style meetings organized by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. About 175 turned out for an earlier one in South Burlington.
Peake, a West Point graduate and former military surgeon who took the job six months ago, opened the 90-minute meeting at the White River Junction VA Medical Center by telling those gathered for the meeting that his priorities are making the soldier-to-civilian transition a smoother one.
The VA, which employs about 250,000 people and has an annual budget of $80 billion, must improve its "outmoded" system of processing claims and go to a paperless system, he said.
When he opened the room up for a question-and-answer session, no one was shy about calling him on the carpet.
click post title for more
You have to give Peake some credit because he is trying a lot harder than Nicholson ever did.
In Vermont, new VA chief hears complaints from veterans
By John Curran
Associated Press Writer / June 23, 2008
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt.—Some had beefs about their medical care. Some came to say how great their doctors and nurses were.
Some wanted an answer about a claim, or to find out what Uncle Sam was doing for homeless veterans. One wanted to know where his military records were.
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake got an earful Monday as about 250 people -- aging veterans, spouses, VA employees -- turned out for the second of two Town Hall-style meetings organized by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. About 175 turned out for an earlier one in South Burlington.
Peake, a West Point graduate and former military surgeon who took the job six months ago, opened the 90-minute meeting at the White River Junction VA Medical Center by telling those gathered for the meeting that his priorities are making the soldier-to-civilian transition a smoother one.
The VA, which employs about 250,000 people and has an annual budget of $80 billion, must improve its "outmoded" system of processing claims and go to a paperless system, he said.
When he opened the room up for a question-and-answer session, no one was shy about calling him on the carpet.
click post title for more
You have to give Peake some credit because he is trying a lot harder than Nicholson ever did.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
PTSD: If we know what works, why don't we just do it?
More Help for Veterans
White River Junction, Vermont - February 8, 2008
The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin providing more mental health services for veterans returning from recent combat.
VA facilities across the country will expand training programs for psychologists. The internships and postdoctoral fellowship positions will focus on the increased mental needs of veterans-- like treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.
Doctors say, the earlier soldiers can get treatment, the better off they are.
"People with PTSD often don't take care of themselves as well. They are more likely to wind up drinking too much, smoking too much. Not doing the kind of things that help people stay healthy, so by investing a lot of resources in the psychological aspects of healthcare, we think we can make a real dent in their long-term trajectory," explains Dr. Andrew Pomerantz of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is adding over $5.3 million a year to its budget to pay for the expanded training programs. There are currently three postdoctoral fellowships at the VA in White River. Part of the money will pay for an additional one.
Adam Sullivan - WCAX News
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=7845104&nav=menu183_2
When Vietnam veterans came home, they were studied over 30 years ago. What the studies proved was that as soon as treatment began, the healing began. PTSD stopped getting worse when they were being treated with therapy as well as medication. Like an infection spreads untreated, PTSD just worse if you don't treat it. So why are they still delaying getting all of these veterans into treatment programs?
We already know a lot about PTSD because of the Vietnam veterans. There is still a lot to learn from why some treatment works better on some but not on others. Group therapy works great on some but others cannot tolerate it. Veterans centers seem to help more than the VA setting but we don't use more of them across the country waiting for enormous hospitals to be built. We know it is never too late to begin treatment but in the time lost, the wound cuts deeper and hits every other part of the veteran's life. There is a golden opportunity right here and right now to take care of them for the sake of their futures and their families. Why aren't we doing what we know works until we find something better to offer them?
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