Department of Veterans Services
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
How do I get Help or More Information?
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
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PTSD is an anxiety disorder resulting from a psychologically stressful event beyond the scope of "normal" human experience. The trauma may be experienced alone (rape or assault) or in the company of groups of people (military combat). Stressors producing PTSD include:
This disorder is more severe and longer lasting when the stress is of human design. According to statistics, prior to March 1998, 101,978 veterans were receiving compensation for PTSD. |
Vet Centers
| Vet Centers are nationwide systems of community-based counseling centers that provide counseling for psychological war trauma. The centers are staffed by interdisciplinary teams including psychologists, social workers, nurses, and paraprofessionals.
Services are designed to assist combat-affected and other veterans attain a well-adjusted post-war work and family life.
Current law extends eligibility for the program to any veteran who has served in the military in combat operations during any period of armed hostility. But, initially the Vet Centers were designed and implemented by the Veterans Administration in 1979 for Vietnam veterans. The Veteran Administration currently operates 206 Vet Centers in the 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia and Guam. |
VA Medical Center Programs
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While PTSD treatment is available through all of VA's 171 medical centers, a VA network of 124 facilities offers specialized inpatient and outpatient treatment.
There are also Programs For Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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National PTSD Center
| In 1989, VA established the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder -- a center for clinical research, training, and information on PTSD. The center initially consisted of five divisions with distinct, but complementary responsibilities: Behavioral Science, Clinical Neurosciences, Education, Evaluation, and Executive and Resource Center Divisions. Growing recognition of the dimensions of PTSD has brought new programs, such as the Women's Health Sciences Division, located at the Boston VA Medical Center, and the Pacific Islands Division in Honolulu. Among its many programs, the Center maintains a web site (www.dartmouth.edu/dms/ptsd) with information about PTSD and a bibliographic database of more than 13,000 articles. |
How do I get Help or More Information?
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One of our Veterans Service Representatives is available to discuss PTSD claims or any veterans' related issue with you. Jeanne Thick, Director |