Mental health strategy backs Aussie veterans
SYDNEY, May 27 (Xinhua) — A new Veteran Mental Health Strategy to support contemporary Australian veterans and their families was released Monday by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Warren Snowdon. The strategy sets out a ten-year framework for providing mental health care to veterans, underpinning the 26.4 million Australian dollars (25.89 million U.S. dollars) veteran mental [...]
Military families may need help with mental health
Tours of duty can last up to 18 months, and studies have shown that one in four children of active-duty service members has symptoms of depression. One in three children experiences excessive worry, and half of children have trouble sleeping, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report. These problems can be even worse [...]
Making soldiers safe at home is essential for mental health
Drummer Lee Rigby died from multiple stab wounds after being attacked outside Woolwich barracks last Wednesday – AP The brutal killing of Drummer Lee Rigby on the streets of Woolwich has raised serious questions about the safety of our soldiers at home, and how such violence could affect their recovery from the psychological toll of [...]
Defence community welcomes mental health boost
The former commander of Australian forces in Afghanistan, John Cantwell, has welcomed extra funding to help defence force personnel battling a mental illness. The Defence white paper released yesterday includes an extra $25 million to expand health cover, counselling and post-discharge medical assessments. Retired Major General Cantwell has warned of a tidal wave of post-traumatic [...]
Defence White Paper focuses on mental health
With Australia’s role in Afghanistan winding down, there’ll be more young veterans returning from the front line than at any point since the Vietnam war. It’s likely to increase demand on mental health services. The new Defence White Paper includes a $25 million boost to help service personnel and their families deal with the problem. [...]
End Mental Health Stigma and Disparity by Awarding the Purple Heart for War …
On 17 April 2013, a diverse group of veteran’s advocate organizations, military service agencies, and national mental health alliances will meet to discuss re-opening a controversial national campaign to award the Purple Heart, one of the oldest and most recognized American military medals, to service members who were killed or wounded by enemy action, for [...]
New VA mental health center puts veterans and families under one roof
BAY SHORE, NY — At a new VA mental health facility here, veterans go to the right, their families to the left — and their doctors meet in the middle. The Unified Behavioral Health Center for Military Veterans and Their Families is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and private health care [...]
Mental health aid on the web
Veterans and Australian Defence Force seeking mental health support will benefit from a new web portal developed by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The new At Ease portal offers pathways to achieving mental fitness and resilience, self-help tools, access to professional support, treatment options, healthy drinking and clinical information for GPs and mental health professionals. [...]
Gillard confronted by soldier with PTSD
Video: Julia Gillard admits to a returned soldier that support for returning military personnel need work. (ABC News) Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been confronted on talkback radio by a soldier who complained about a lack of support for mentally ill veterans. The man who identified himself as “Adam” says he returned from Afghanistan with [...]
Defence failing on abuse: colonel
MITCHELL NADIN - From:The Australian AUSTRALIA’S defence force has knowingly neglected abuse victims, according to a senior army officer who has revealed he was the target of a gay-hate campaign by colleagues. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Morgan told the ABC’s 7.30 program last night that the failure of Australian Defence Force management to adequately deal with his complaint [...]
