In This Issue. PTSD, Assessment, and Disability. Subscribe. Latest Issue: PTSD Research Quarterly. March 2012 Issue. Feature Topic.

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1 In This Issue Feature Topic PTSD Research For Providers For VA Providers PTSD in the News March 2012 Issue Subscribe Feature Topic PTSD, Assessment, and Disability Latest Issue: PTSD Research Quarterly RQ Vol. 22(4) PTSD Disability Assessment Authors: Marx, B. & Holowka, D. Forward this to others so they can subscribe to the PTSD Monthly Update or other products by the VA s National Center for PTSD: Following trauma, most people will experience some reactions. These symptoms should decrease over time, but for some their symptoms continue to cause problems or even disabilities. If so, it is time to be assessed to see if it may be PTSD. Assessment The diagnosis of PTSD is most often made by a licensed mental health provider. The types of trauma that cause PTSD are not limited to military experience. PTSD can be brought on by other life threatening or scary events people experience in civilian life as well. PTSD treatment can help. Learn more about: How is PTSD Measured? What Can I Do if I Think I Have PTSD? Disability

2 This image cannot currently be displayed. How PTSD effects someone s life, differs by person. The condition can be mild to very disabling. PTSD can become very serious and even with treatment, it can be debilitating. For civilians, Social Security Disability or Federal Disability Retirement may be available for PTSD. VA disability compensation is a benefit paid to a Veteran because of injuries or diseases that happened or were made worse by active military service. To receive VA disability compensation, first it must be established that a current disability is service-connected. This means that the disability started during active military service, or that a disability that existed prior to active military service was aggravated during service beyond the natural course of the disease or condition. Learn more about VA Disability Compensation. Find fact sheets on how to submit a VA compensation claim for PTSD or call your local VA Medical Center to ask about benefits. Veterans Service Organizations (VSO's) also offer free guidance on completing claims. Also see: Help for Veterans with PTSD Get Help with VA PTSD Care, Benefits, or Claims Other Updates for the Public Have you seen the new look for the PTSD website? We took your feedback from usability testing and made improvements! Look for our mobile compatible site coming soon! Encourage Veterans and their families to draw on the strength of others to get help for common problems, including PTSD, money stresses, and family

3 concerns at Make the Connection. PTSD Research National Center for PTSD researchers are conducting a study on Veterans seeking VA PTSD disability compensation. The randomized controlled trial will help answer whether evidence-based, standardized disability assessment methods result in less variation, more complete information, and greater accuracy than the usual practice of unstructured clinical interview. Results are expected soon. For Providers Assessment for PTSD Assessments for PTSD can vary widely depending on their purpose as well as the training of the evaluator. Licensed mental health providers usually determine PTSD diagnoses but many others also complete evaluations. The National Center for PTSD provides information on the best assessment instruments available for your use. Training is also available, including training on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the gold standard for PTSD assessment. Educational Series: From the War Zone to the Home Front A free series of 14 live, online trainings for community primary care, mental health, VA and all providers on supporting the mental health of Veterans and families. Free CEs are available. Register now.* 3/22 Keeping military families emotionally strong: Couples therapy for PTSD 3/29 Challenges facing other family members when a Veteran has PTSD

4 4/5 Supporting resiliency in military connected children: The PACT Model 4/12 Impact of combat-related injury, illness and death on military children and families Every Thursday 11:30 am-12:30 pm ET. All sessions archived online. Presented by NCPTSD in collaboration with the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program.* New PTSD 101 Courses Two courses were just added to the PTSD 101 series covering the VA/DoD PTSD Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pharmacological Treatment (Revised): A review of research on medications used to treat PTSD and the relative evidence for psychotherapy versus pharmacological interventions. PTSD and Chronic Pain: Learn about effective treatment approaches to enhance the recovery of our Veterans who have both of these conditions. Clinician s Trauma Update Online (CTU-Online) Stay up with the latest research with brief updates on the latest clinically relevant research. CTU-Online will be sent to your every other month. Learn more and subscribe to the CTU-Online. For VA Providers Download the CAPS from the VA Intranet and complete free online CAPS training. VA PTSD Case Consultation Presentation Series

5 3rd Tuesday of the month, 2-3 pm EST 3/20: Dr. Jennifer Burden on PTSD Residential Treatment. Based on questions posed to the VA PTSD Consultation Program. to sign up. PTSD in the News PTSD, Opiods, and Pain Management: A new VA study investigated the impact of mental health, particularly PTSD, on risks and harm associated with the use of prescription pain medications (called opioids) for the management of chronic pain. Although people with PTSD may experience greater physical pain, efforts continue to decrease unnecessary prescribing. Read more... Modern Wars Influence Psychiatric Thought: In a recent USA Today article, NCPTSD Executive Director Matthew Friedman weighs in on the role the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have had in changing the way mental health disorders are diagnosed. Read more*... Revised VA Rules Help Ex-sailor Wake From 27-year Nightmare: Stars and Stripes reports on VA s revamped handling of disability claims for PTSD related to military sexual trauma - a term covering in-service sexual harassment, assault and rape. Read more... Please encourage your colleagues and others to subscribe to this monthly listserv! Sincerely, The Staff of the National Center for PTSD

6 National Center for PTSD - Executive Division Visit our website: Subscribe to the PTSD Monthly Update No longer want to receive these s? Send Unsubscribe *Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website to a non government site. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of these linked websites.