May 26, 2008
Lilly Foundation Awards $1 Million to Provide Mental Health Care for Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans
The Eli Lilly and Company Foundation has announced a $1 million grant to Give an Hour and the American Psychiatric Foundation to expand a national effort to meet the unmet mental health needs of returning U.S. soldiers and their families.
GAH and APF, the philanthropic arm of the American Psychiatric Association, will work to recruit mental health professionals to volunteer an hour each week for at least a year to provide services such as marital and family therapy and substance-abuse counseling in person, by phone, or in cooperation with schools and community organizations. The volunteers will become part of a national network that addresses postwar mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, drug abuse, anxiety, and depression over the next three years.
Among troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, approximately 40 percent of soldiers, a third of Marines, and half of National Guard members report psychological problems. While the U.S. Department of Defense has encouraged personnel to seek mental health treatment, a significant increase in demand has forced the rationing of services, created long waiting lists, and limited individual counseling sessions in some areas. At the same time, some members of military families do not qualify for care through the Veterans Administration or DOD, even though they are affected by the mental health of the veterans in their families.
"This grant will allow us to get out the message that help is available. We want to normalize what our military personnel and their families are experiencing and support the sacrifices that they are making by providing critical mental health support at no cost," said Barbara V. Romberg, founder and president of GAH. "We will be educating the military community and broader public about these mental health needs in hope of helping veterans keep their lives and families intact."
“American Psychiatric Foundation, Lilly Foundation, and Give an Hour Join Forces to Provide Mental Health Care to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans.” Eli Lilly and Company Foundation 5/19/08.
Primary Subject: Health
Secondary Subject(s): Human Services
Location(s): National
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Considering that the profits last year of Pharma corporations were greater than those of all the rest of the stock market combined, that's a pathetic amount.
If this leads to more being spent on meds, it's a clever investment strategy for Lilly. But, as we know, psychotropics have dubious results
and can hold dangers. NAMI has also jumped on the Veterans bandwagon very recently and will be happy to take your calls, and ask for your donations. Does their center offer anything of substance? You be the judge.
The Army has already got plans for alternative treatments in place:
read about army bioenergy here
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