Posts Tagged ‘tbi’
Delegate Bulova Comments on HB 1691
Supporting Our Veterans
This session I had the honor to serve as chief co-patron of legislation introduced by Delegate Chris Stolle (R-Virginia Beach) designed to help veterans who have fallen on tough times. Based on successful programs in New York and Pennsylvania, House Bill 1691 allows local courts to establish special dockets for veterans and active military service members who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury and run into trouble with the law.
According to a 2008 RAND Corporation study, nearly 20 percent of our service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Many more suffer from traumatic brain injury – both diagnosed and undiagnosed. Fewer than half of these individuals actually seek treatment for PTSD or depression. Unfortunately, while trying to recover, some of these veterans fall into drug and alcohol abuse or commit minor crimes and end up in the criminal justice system. It is during these trying times that our veterans need our assistance the most.
The premise behind HB1691 is to provide alternatives to incarceration when possible and to ensure that judges are aware of the rehabilitative programs offered by state and federal agencies as well as local veterans organizations. In New York the program had a 90% successful completion rate, without a single case of recidivism. The legislation was spearheaded by the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, which represents over two dozen veteran service organizations in Virginia, and passed the House and Senate unanimously. …more…
TBI Study
The RAND Corporation is conducting one-on-one telephone interviews with military members and veterans who were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and received treatment for TBI during the past five years.
The RAND Corporation is also conducting one-on-one telephone interviews with spouses or family members of military members or veterans who were diagnosed with TBI and received treatment for TBI during the past five years.
The goal of the interviews is to learn about the information needs of military members, veterans, and their families getting help for TBI so that care for military members and veterans with TBI can be improved.
Interviews will last about 45 minutes. Each spouse or family member participant will be paid $25 for their time.
If you are interested, please send an email to RANDTBI@rand.org or call RAND at 800.419.9566 to find out if you are eligible to participate.