The Salt Lake (UT) Tribune (7/24, Moulton) reports, “The more severe combat a warrior experiences, the more likely he or she is to later attempt suicide, new research at the University of Utah’s National Center for Veterans Studies shows. It might seem like common sense, says David Rudd, the center’s scientific director and the dean of social and behavioral sciences, but it had never before been empirically validated, he says.” The Tribune also notes that psychologist Craig Bryan, the center’s new associate director, says research that Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department have been funding over the last 10 years is “going to actually shape the way” mental healthcare is delivered in both the US military and in the civilian world.
VA Unveils “About Face” Online Resource For Troops, Veterans With PTSD. The digital edition of the Army Times (7/23) reported, “The Veterans Affairs Department has a new resource for troops and veterans who think they might have” post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Times added, “‘About Face’ offers online assessments and videos to help current and former service members recognize PTSD symptoms and get help.” The Times noted that VA is trying to expand its mental health services. The agency’s secretary, Eric Shinseki, said VA must do all “it can to help veterans identify possible indicators that they may be suffering from PTSD.”
Related Links:
— “U. study: Combat puts soldiers at high suicide, PTSD risk, “Kristen Moulton, The Salt Lake Tribune, July 23, 2012.