The VA is currently sponsoring research to determine if service dogs can help a person with PTSD or not. Resources outside the VA are not well equipped to address the specific needs of veterans, which differ from those of the general population who have PTSD. You can also request contact information from local resources for the American Legion, Foreign War Veterans, or Disabled American Veterans who can advocate for you. Regardless of what you decide is right for you, there are several ways to find a right veterans mental health therapist.
The VFU is a non-profit organization that provides a comprehensive website and resource bank to identify and help veterans and their families who may need help understanding and coping with war-related illnesses. The agency also seeks to further integrate mental and physical health services to reduce the stigma associated with the disorder. Some of its programs focus directly on treating PTSD and building coping skills for injured veterans of today's generation. The VA has launched a variety of awareness-raising campaigns to educate veterans and the general public on the topic of PTSD.
If a veteran or service member is scheduled for a C&P exam, it's important to know ahead of time what to expect and how best to prepare. Given the overwhelming need for PTSD services, families are increasingly turning to community resources outside the VA, such as primary care doctors, behavioral health centers, and hospitals. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other healthcare providers have made progress in managing this crisis, obstacles persist. To help address the shortage of trained PTSD specialists in rural areas, the VA focuses on telehealth, the provision of services by phone or video conferencing.
Your provider can help you determine if you have post-traumatic stress disorder and can offer treatment and support as needed. However, service-related PTSD differs in important ways from other forms of the disorder, and both governmental and non-governmental organizations are quick to educate providers about evidence-based treatments.
