Award Will Help Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder;
Establishes Veterans Wellness Treatment Program
SANTA FE – Governor Bill Richardson announced that $350,000 in federal stimulus funds will help veterans and their families cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and transition from combat to civilian life.
The discretionary award from the Government Services Fund will support intensive treatment for veterans, including counseling, peer support and extensive family involvement.
“New Mexico’s veterans need our support not only when they’re overseas, but when they return
from combat as well,” Governor Richardson said. “Many of our veterans have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and other health issues that can be devastating to families if left untreated. I am pleased that this award will help New Mexico veterans reestablish themselves in their communities.”
The first-ever Veterans Wellness Treatment Program will be managed by the state Department of Veterans Services. The department will issue a request for proposals to identify the services to be provided under the grant and to seek a qualified vendor to provide those services.
“There are growing concerns around the country that veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are too often suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other health problems,” said Secretary John M. Garcia of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services. “It is important to do all that we can to help veterans restore their sense of well-being, and sense of inclusion with their families and communities. The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services is
proud to lead this effort.”
About 30,000 of New Mexico’s 178,000 veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, up to 25 percent of veterans nationwide from these wars may have signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.