RAND » The RAND Blog » Resources for Servicemembers and Veterans with PTSD

Resources for Servicemembers and Veterans with PTSD

by
the RAND Corporation

June 21, 2012

photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Boothe/U.S. Marine Corps

On June 27 we observe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, a day established in 2010 by the U.S. Senate. Policymakers continue to look for ways to best help our nation's servicemembers and veterans with PTSD and other combat related mental health problems.

RAND research has documented the prevalence of post-deployment mental health problems among our newest generation of veterans, examined the delivery of post-deployment mental health care, reviewed the treatment capacity of health care systems in response to PTSD, and estimated the costs of providing quality mental health care to all affected veterans.

Reports

Programs Addressing Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Among U.S. Military Servicemembers and Their Families

Provides overviews and detailed descriptions of 211 programs currently sponsored or funded by the Department of Defense to address psychological health and traumatic brain injury, along with recommendations to maximize program effectiveness.

Promoting Psychological Resilience in the U.S. Military

Many programs are available to increase psychological resilience among service members and families, but little is known about their effectiveness. This report reviews existing programs to identify evidence-informed factors for promoting resilience.

Full Document

Cover: Veterans Health Administration Mental Health Program Evaluation

Veterans Health Administration Mental Health Program Evaluation: Capstone Report

Evaluation of mental health services provided by the VA for veterans with selected mental diagnoses and recommendations for improving capacity and quality monitoring.

Cover: A Needs Assessment of New York State Veterans

A Needs Assessment of New York State Veterans: Final Report to the New York State Health Foundation

Researchers report results of a study of the needs of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans residing in New York state, the existing services available to meet those needs, and the experiences of veterans who have tried to use these services.

Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery

A comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury among servicemembers returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Commentary

Bridging the Gaps in Treating Veterans with Post-Deployment Mental Health Problems

Delivery of evidence-based care to all veterans with PTSD or depression would pay for itself—or even save money—within two years by improving productivity and reducing medical and mortality costs, writes Terri Tanielian.

Commentary

Honor Military Suicide Victims by Preventing More Deaths

Not only would the delivery of quality behavioral care prevent suicides, but it would also aid in the recovery of the nearly 20 percent of service members with post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, writes Rajeev Ramchand.

Commentary

War's Invisible Wounds: Our Veterans Are Not Getting the Care They Need, Deserve

Nearly 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan service veterans who have returned home -- about one in five -- may suffer from combat-stress-related mental health problems. Our veterans ought to get the best available treatments our nation can offer, but they don't, write authors Terry Schell, Terri Tanielian and Lisa Jaycox.

Commentary

Multimedia

The New Generation of Veterans

At this November 2011 Policy Forum, Jonathan Schleifer, policy director for Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America, joined RAND's Terry Schell for a discussion about the challenges faced by and experiences of recent combat veterans.

Listen to the Audio

The War Within: Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military

In this May 2011 Congressional Briefing, behavioral scientist Rajeev Ramchand presents RAND research and analysis on recent increases in suicides among members of the U.S. military.

View the Video

Invisible Wounds Conference Call with Media

RAND experts field questions from the media on the report Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery.