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Educational Opportunity and Programs

Program Directors

Mrs. Judy Reed, Excelsior College
Excelsior College, Start to Finish program for Veteran Friend of Patriot Hills. The Enlisted Association of the New York National Guard will soon be awarding Educational Incentives for our Veteran Friends of Excelsior College Program.  Finishing your degree = priceless.  Jeannine a graduate of NYS Regents College, which is now grown to Excelsior College.  

Upcoming programs:

Patriot Hills of New York is honored to share our very first Intern from SUNY Cobleskill.  Mrs. Ilowiecki will be serving as our very first outreach to combat military personnel from Saratoga Springs to Central New York.

Patriot Hills of New York will be able to extend our confidential services to our men and women who need an ear to talk too. Our program will start late August for 12 weeks.  PHNY intern will be doing research and job shadowing with one of our Executive Committee Mr. Gerald Barr, the Center for Independence, Military advocate Gerald Barr, in Albany, NY.  Please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to know more.  

 

 

Excelsior College

The Committee of Patriot Hills and Excelsior College collaborate and partner to develop a great educational opportunity for our Veterans/Spouse/Domestic Partner. Our Veterans deserve no less.

Ms. Nanci Beyerl

Peaceful Acres
www.peacefulacreshorse.com

Patriot Hills is looking for Women Veterans that are dealing with stress or trauma and they would like to attend our first pilot equestrian therapy program.

If you are interested please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PAH

Anyone interested in an equestrian program, like Saratoga War Horse and Peaceful Acres.  Please let US know.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

The Enlisted Association of the New York National Guard (EANYNG) and the Military Association of New York (MANY) have endorsed the Patriot Hills of New York's commitment to address the adverse health effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by developing the very first non-profit recreational resort and wellness center for the transition, reintegration and therapeutic healing of veterans.   This facility will be located in New York State. It is Patriot Hills of New York's intent to build partnerships with the Military’s Healthcare System and others in order to generate an integrative wellness center that will be available to all veterans, retirees and their families to help them through their transitional phases of deployments.  The recreational portion will give the veterans and their families an opportunity to reconnect and reestablish their relationships in a natural yet controlled environment that will be conditioned for their needs.  

Issue:

Since October of 2001, approximately 1.64 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq and other countries in support of the war.  The psychological toll of these deployments, including prolonged exposure to combat-related stress over multiple rotations, may be disproportionately high compared with the physical injuries of combat. It is estimated that the total societal costs of these conditions range from $4.0 to $6.2 billion depending on whether the costs of lives lost to suicide are included.

With the increasing concern about the high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), suicide, and depression, safeguarding the mental health of our service members and veterans is an important part of ensuring the future readiness of our military force and compensating and honoring those who have served our nation.  Moreover, in the wake of recent reports and media attention, public concern about the care of the war veterans is extremely high.

For our men and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, we need look no further than the Vietnam veterans, who have taught us much about war, psychological trauma, and the legacy it leaves behind. Thus, a new generation of warriors whose psyche is shattered joins the ranks of warriors from wars past, as well as their families, who have also made great sacrifices for our country. These families may now face an uncertain future of drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and broken families putting an added strain on an already exhausted health and social services system.  Our men and women returning from War are asking for a comprehensive holistic approach in order to successfully reintegrate and readjust to civilian life.

Patriot Hills of New York is honored to announce the collaboration and partnership with Dr. Ed Tick and Kate Dahlstedt, Soldier’s Heart.

www.soldiersheart.net

Veterans in the greater NYC area,

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health are conducting several treatment studies. Dr. John Markowitz reached out to Patriot Hills to offer to Veterans and their families an opportunity to be a part receive some help.


Veterans in the greater New York City area who have PTSD may be eligible for a 14-week, no-cost, no medication talking therapy in a research program at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. This is not a VA program. Please call Helena Rosenfeld at (212) 543-6747 for more information and entry screening. We also have other no-cost PTSD treatment programs available as well as no-cost psychotherapy for depressed spouses and partners of veterans.

Army Suicides on the Rise in 2009

The number of confirmed or pending suicides in the Army for the first seven months of 2009 is nearly equal to the number for all of 2008, figures released showed.

Sixty-two active-duty soldiers committed suicide from January through July, while another 17 reservists killed themselves, according to a report in the San Antonio Express-News.

The deaths of 34 active-duty soldiers and 28 reservists remain under investigation, bringing the total number of confirmed or pending suicides to 141, just two from the total for all of 2008 when 143 soldiers killed themselves.

Over the same period last year, the Army saw confirmed active-duty and 32 reservist suicides.

"It's not that the Army lacks programs to confront the problem of suicide." said Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire, director of the Army's Suicide Prevention Task Force. "The long-term challenge is determining which programs are most effective for our soldiers, and ensuring Army leaders - from junior noncommissioned officer to the most senior leaders - know how to help their soldiers take advantage of these programs."

The Pentagon has said the typical Army suicide victim is a 25- to 26-year-old Angio NCO, and that two-thirds of all suicides come from the ranks of war zone veterans.

Both trends continue this year, according to the newspaper, with 88 serving at least one combat tour. Some of the dead this year have deployed three times and 11 were in the war zone when they killed themselves.

Key Facts:

  • About 1/3 of returning service members report symptoms of a mental health or cognitive condition.
  • Roughly 1/2 of those who need treatment for these conditions seek it, but only slightly more than half who receive treatment get minimally adequate care.
  • The capacity of Dept. of Defense (DoD) and the Veterans Administration (VA) to provide health services has increased substantially, particularly in the areas of mental health and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  • There is a large gap between the need for mental health services and the use of those services.

Barriers to Care

  • The New England Journal of Medicine published a study concluding that 17% of veterans returning from Iraq reported symptoms of PTSD; however, few soldiers were receiving treatment.
  • Only 53% of returning troops who met criteria for PTSD or major depression sought help from a provider for these conditions in the past year. The gap is even larger for those reporting a probable TBI: 57% had not been evaluated by a physician for a brain injury.
  • According to VA statistics, 10% of veterans seek medical help at VA hospitals.  Some go to private clinics while others may not seek help at all.
  • Military service members report barriers to seeking care that are associated with fears about the negative consequences of using mental health services. Many veterans do not seek help due to the stigma of appearing weak; others fear any delay that will keep them from reuniting with their families and significant others as soon as possible.
  • Most of these concerns center on confidentiality and career issues—seeking mental health care might cause career prospects to suffer or coworkers’ trust to decline.
  • The VA also faces challenges in providing access to returning service members, who may face long wait times for appointments, particularly in facilities resourced primarily to meet the demands of older veterans.  Although the VA believes that they will be able to control the wait time over the next few years.
  • The U.S. military does not have enough mental health professionals to meet the growing number of emotionally damaged war veterans.  Training for mental health professionals is inadequate.
  • A survey of 133 military mental health providers done from 2003-05 shows that 90% of the psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers reported no formal training or supervision in four PTSD therapies recommended by the Pentagon and VA.
  • Staffing is down. Psychiatrists and psychologists deployed overseas deplete resources at home, and burnout makes it hard to keep skilled therapists on staff. A 2005 Army study showed one of three mental health providers deployed in the war zone report high burnout or low motivation or morale.

Health Care Costs

  • Estimates of the cost of PTSD and major depression for two years after deployment range from $5,900 to $25,760 per case.

If 100% of those needing care for depression, PTSD, or co-morbid PTSD and depression the costs could be reduced by as much as $1.7 billion, or $1,063 per returning veteran. These savings come from increases in productivity, as well as from reductions in the expected number of suicides.

Solution: Patriot Hills of New York Resource and Wellness Center

Health readjustment in the days and weeks following homecoming is vital to the health and wellness needs of our service members.  While Vet Centers, clinicians, and readjustment counselors are essential in the healing process, the soldiers and their families also need a positive and nurturing environment where they can relieve the stress of those experiences as they reconnect with their loved ones and re-establish their roles in the family structure.  Moreover, service members and veterans need ways to obtain confidential services without fear of adverse consequences.

With proper education, early intervention, and social support, we can mitigate potential adverse health effects of trauma and prevent acute traumatic stress from becoming a chronic disorder.  By incorporating safe and effective strategies that provide early intervention and promote wellness and self-care, we empower our service members and veterans to take charge of their health and well-being, while at the same time, reducing health care costs and improving the overall quality of life in our communities.

Patriot Hills of New York Committee has submitted our request for 501(c) (3) non-profit organization status to develop this state-of-the-art recreational and wellness center that can serve as a model that can be replicated regionally across the US.  Patriot Hills of New York Committee’s primary objective will be to provide superior customer service, delicious health-conscious cuisine, comprehensive spa and therapeutic body treatments, indoor/outdoor physical activity, children’s programs, multi-cultural spiritual counseling, and interactive educational programs facilitated by renowned health and wellness professionals.

The reach and complexity of Patriot Hills’ mission and vision requires strategic alliances.  To that end, the Patriot Hills of New York Committee is proactively establishing collaborative strategic partnerships with experts in the fields of integrative medicine, academia/research, tourism/hospitality, as well as military organizations, VA hospitals, Tricare, philanthropic foundations, community groups, and front-running health and wellness organizations.

Patriot Hills of New York will also provide information and outreach through training and development, conferences and informational workshops specifically designed to inform and empower its clients to make lifestyle changes to assist in healing from the effects of trauma by learning new skills in self-care to minimize its impact, maintaining good health and reducing susceptibility of premature degenerative diseases.
 
The success of the Patriot Hills of New York initiative will be measured by confidential surveys and data-collection in concert with its strategic partners to ensure balance and objectivity.  Medical science and society as a whole would benefit from a deeper understanding of how trauma evolves over time and the effectiveness of integrative health and wellness approaches to healing.

What is mesothelioma?

It is a rapacious cancer that attacks the internal lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. More than 30 percent of Americans beset with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos during military service.  According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are currently 25 million living individuals who have served in the United States' armed forces. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these living veterans were exposed to toxic asbestos-containing materials during military service.  Asbestos dot com offers complete information on mesothelioma & veterans, lists of occupations, ships, and shipyards that could have put our Veterans at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases.  Additionally their Veterans Assistance Department offers extensive experience in filing VA claims and can help any veteran coping with mesothelioma receive benefits from the VA system.

Resources Opportunities

Sources:

Government Accounting Office, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: DOD Needs to Identify the Factors Its Providers Use to Make Mental Health Evaluation Referrals for Servicemembers. GAO-06-397

Hoge CW, Castro CA, Messer SC, McGurk D, Cotting DI, Koffman RL.  Combat Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mental Health Problems, and Barriers to Care.  NEJM.  2004;351:13-22.

National Center for PTSD. Findings from the National Vietnam Veterans’ Readjustment Study.  www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_nvvrs.html

Tanielian T and Jaycox LH, eds., Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation, MG-720-CCF, 2008, 492 pp., available at veterans.rand.org

Tanielian T, Jaycox LH, Schell TL, Marshall GN, Burnam MA, Eibner C, Karney BR, Meredith LS, Ringel JS,
Vaiana ME, and the Invisible Wounds Study Team, Invisible Wounds of War: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation, MG-720/1-CCF, 2008, 64 pp., available at veterans.rand.org

USA Today.  Psychologist: Navy Faces Crisis. Jan 16 2007