By ERIC NEWHOUSE • Great Falls Tribune
U.S. Reps. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif., introduced legislation Thursday in the House that would require a face-to-face mental health screening for all soldiers before they are deployed on a combat mission, after their tour and every six months for two years following their return.
The bill is a companion measure to legislation introduced in the Senate by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., last month.
“Rehberg’s support on this is critical,” said Matt Kuntz, director of the Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “It’s really wonderful that he’s come on board with this.”
The measure came about because there currently is no psychological baseline for troops heading into conflict, though many service members returning from combat are asked to fill out questionnaires about their mental health.
“I have fought for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) treatment funding, but money can only solve part of the problem,” Rehberg said. “Soldiers need in-person treatment to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.”
At least one in five new veterans are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, Thompson said, there isn’t a system in place nationally that adequately can address those issues.
“This legislation will fill this void,” he said.”It is a practical solution and has already been successfully tested in the field. We owe it to our brave men and women serving our country to make sure that they get the services they have earned.”
The proposed Post-Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009 creates new requirements for identification of PTSD among service members.
Under the act, a service member would be interviewed prior to deployment in order to establish a baseline to measure change upon return from combat. By requiring these interviews to be timely and personal, the bill’s sponsors believe the likelihood of identifying PTSD later is dramatically increased.
“This legislation’s intensive face-to-face screening program will provide the military with a powerful tool to help our injured heroes get help for their post-traumatic stress injuries,” Kuntz said. “Congressman Rehberg’s leadership is critical because he is in position to build a bipartisan coalition to help stop our military’s suicide epidemic.”
Diagnosis is critical in addressing PTSD said Jed Link, Rehberg’s communications director.
“Congressman Rehberg has fought to provide treatment for vets with PTSD, but if they don’t know they have the disorder, if they haven’t been diagnosed, it won’t do any good,” Link said. “So this legislation is an important step forward in that process.”
