On the recordMay 25, 2011
I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, my amendment seeks to address shortfalls in the current Department of Defense mental health assessment process. Currently, our servicemembers only receive mental health assessments prior to deployment and after returning home. My amendment simply requires the Department of Defense to provide mental health assessments to our troops during deployment, improving chances that post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and other mental health issues are detected and treated early. The amendment also requires that medical records from past unit assignments and the VA be reviewed whenever possible. Currently, these records are rarely considered. As we all well know, our troops are under a constant threat while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many are injured or see their friends injured or killed. And throughout it all, they perform amazingly and should be commended. But these are the exact experiences that lead to serious mental health issues. Yet, despite this ongoing exposure, Mr. Chairman, most do not receive a mental health assessment until they return home from combat, often coping with PTSD, TBI, or depression for months without receiving treatment. By the time they return home, the stigma attached to mental illness keeps many away from pursuing treatment at all. And among those that do, many still fall into drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, and suicide.…
