WASHINGTON – In the aftermath of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, more private mental health care providers are treating returning service members and veterans, but they need special training to be better equipped to deal with the unique issues of the war veterans.
The Center for Deployment Psychology stepped in in 2006 to fill that need. The trains licensed counselors and practitioners on the latest treatments for mental health conditions that are particular to the U.S. military by conducting conferences around the country, most recently this week in Washington.
The Give an Hour Foundation, another nonprofit aimed at improving health care service for returning troops, has been providing mental health services for years to the military by more than 7,000 civilian practitioners across the country.
The training, for which the practitioners pay a fee, is especially valuable for veterans, service men and practitioners in areas where mental health treatment may be limited, officials of the Center for Deployment Psychology said.
“Even though South Dakota is very rural, there are lots of veterans.” said Connie Birgen, a licensed counselor at the University of South Dakota attended the CDP Washington conference. Birgen said her father served in the Korean War and she is happy to be in the position to help today’s veterans as they deal with issues from their overseas service.
Dr. Paula Domenici, of Bethesda, Md., agreed, “We don’t want to repeat what we saw with Vietnam. Where a lot of troops came home and they struggled for years with something like a chronic PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.”
The center offers a great deal for doctors. “Every two to three years I come,” said Tony Doran, a psychologist who practices in Annapolis, Md. “It offers an update on any treatment. I’m learning a lot.”
He said about 10 percent to 20 percent of his patients are active duty or veterans of the military, and some have suffered at least mild traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Domenici and Van Dahlen said a barrier to treatment is the stigma that many in the military believe is associated with mental health problems.
“The biggest concern that people in this community have is that the country is going to turn their attention away from the 2.6 million men and women who served in the last 12 years,” Founder and President of the Give an Hour Foundation, Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, said. “That’s a mistake and that’s dangerous because these issues unfold over time.”
“We have treatments that can help individuals,” said Domenici, “and the sooner they get them, the better.”