PTSD Monthly Update: December 2011

PTSD Monthly Update

In This Issue

 

This Month's Feature

PTSD Research

For Providers

For VA Providers

PTSD in the News

December 2011

This Month's Feature
Holiday Wishes and 2011 in Review

People placing wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery

We wish you joy this holiday season. The end of the year is often a time to look back and reflect. This month we bring you highlights of some items of note that were featured throughout 2011.

Stay tuned for new material in 2012!

"There's an App for That"

PTSD Mobile App PTSD Coach Mobile App: Free to download for Android, iPhone, iPad, and iTouch. This app can help you learn about, and manage, symptoms that commonly occur after trauma.

PTSD Treatment Can Help

There are effective treatments for PTSD.

Understanding PTSD Treatment allows you to read and hear about which treatments work best and what to expect from therapy.

  • Full color 8 page booklet
  • Flash based course with video
  • Spanish version available

Help Finding Assistance

If you have experienced trauma or know someone who has, learn Where to Get Help for PTSD:

PTSD Research

The Survey of the Experiences of Returning Veterans (SERV) is a longitudinal study aimed at describing gender differences in the experiences of returning Veterans. 750 women and 750 men will be asked to participate in telephone interviews for this study and will be followed over the course of a year. Learn more about the SERV study.

For Providers

  What is PTSD Brochure for printing

Materials You Can Print

Download PTSD Materials for Printing with printing instructions.

Find brochures, wallet sized tri-fold cards, guides and booklets, to share with your patients or distribute at community events.

 

Free Online Courses on PTSD

PTSD 101 is a web-based curriculum that offers over 20 courses related to PTSD and trauma. Continuing education (CE) credits are available for most courses - newer courses will offer CEs soon. The first courses of the series based on the revised VA/DoD PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline are now available, including:

 

Risperidone Study Shows No Benefit

This year a large multi-site trial of risperidone as an adjunct agent for SSRI poor/partial responders showed that there was no benefit (in comparison with a placebo group) for adjunctive use of this agent. Read the Clinician's Guide to Medications for PTSD and how the VA/DoD PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline has been revised as a result.

  Legend/links for all products

Making Providers' Jobs Easier

We know providers are busy people. To make it easier for you to do your job, the Professional section of the website has three ways to find needed tools:

  1. Locate materials by topic in the left hand navigation list.
  2. Find types of products, courses and materials by category.
  3. Use the clickable icons (shown above) to go directly to the type of resource you want.

VA Providers

Web page for VA Staff

Consultation Program

The Specifically for VA Providers and Staff web page links to additional PTSD resources for VA staff, including courses on "Caring for Women Veterans" and "Research on Women Veterans". Also access free PTSD consults from the PTSD Consultation Program for VA providers or call 1-866-273-8255.

 

PTSD in the News

CNN: More Women in Combat Means More Mothers with PTSD Mother and child smiling"The percentage of women in the military has doubled in the last 30 years."
Read more

New VA Substance Abuse Program Locator Launches
Substance abuse often co-occurs with PTSD. Now VA Substance Abuse programs can be located online. While all VA Medical Centers provide substance abuse and PTSD care, the VA Substance Abuse Program Locator - like the VA PTSD Program Locator - helps you find specific targeted programs.

Psychologist Named VA Mental Health Chief
"Antonette Zeiss is transforming mental health care for Veterans and promoting more interdisciplinary mental health services." APA Monitor, December. Read more...

Gift for Professionals
Complimentary access to Journal of Traumatic Stress' Virtual Issue on Returning From the War Zone.

 

Please encourage your colleagues and others to subscribe to this monthly listserv!

Sincerely,
The Staff of the National Center for PTSD

National Center for PTSD - White River Junction, Vermont 05009
Visit our website: www.ptsd.va.gov