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#PTSD Awareness - June 2014

The National Center for PTSD invites you to participate in our PTSD Awareness campaign during the month of June to help more Veterans, their families, and community members understand what PTSD is and its effective treatments.

Check out these 6 Ways to Raise PTSD Awareness. We encourage everyone to learn, connect, and share with others. We've made it easy to share the list as a downloadable handout. Please pass it on to everyone you know because working together as a community is how we can truly make a difference.

Learn About PTSD

Take the mystery out of PTSD: learn what it is, who is affected, and how treatment can help. Find out if you or a loved one has PTSD, and discover ways to get help.

• Take advantage of tools with PTSD Coach Online
• Hear from Veterans and their clinicians at AboutFace.
• Find mobile apps to help you manage PTSD symptoms

Visit the National Center for PTSD website for more information.

Connect With Others Who Can Help

Give support. Get support. You can make a difference today in someone's life. For many people, it can be hard to reach out for help. Read tips on how to overcome barriers to care, and know that there is support for family and friends too.

Share With Others to Spread the Word!

Please spread the word to help raise awareness of PTSD and its effective treatments. Reach out to friends, family, and others in your community. We provide a variety of ideas and Promotional Materials to help you distribute information to your community or organize an event in June, including:

• PTSD Awareness flyers and posters to print and post
• PTSD educational materials to print and handout
• Social media posts to use
• Graphics and banners for your website or blog
• YouTube videos

Let us know about your contributions to this cause. Complete the Raise PTSD Awareness Pledge (PDF) or email ncptsd@va.gov.

Join the national conversation at www.facebook.com/VAPTSD and share your voice by using #PTSD on your Facebook posts. Everyone can contribute.

History of PTSD Awareness Month

In 2010, Congress established June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day following Senator Kent Conrad's efforts to designate a day of awareness as tribute to North Dakota Army National Guard SSgt. Joe Biel. SSgt. Biel suffered from PTSD after two tours of duty in Iraq and subsequently took his own life. This tragic event emphasizes the need for everyone to work together to help those living with PTSD.

VA and the National Center for PTSD highlight the month of June as PTSD Awareness Month.

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For Providers

Keeping You Up-to-Date

Are you staying up-to-date on the latest research developments in PTSD? Learn about best practices in PTSD assessment and treatment at the National Center for PTSD website. We provide many tools you can use to better help your patients with PTSD. The National Center also offers free PTSD Continuing Education opportunities for health care professionals.

During PTSD Awareness Month, please encourage your colleagues to subscribe to these publications from the National Center for PTSD:

• PTSD Monthly Update
• Clinician's Trauma Update - Online
• PTSD Research Quarterly

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For VA Providers

VA-Specific PTSD Awareness Promotional Materials

Find additional VA-specific promotional materials on our PTSD intranet site, vaww.PTSD.va.gov, such as website banners for VA Medical Center pages and screen savers for VA computers.

2014 VA PTSD Consultation Program Lecture Series

Subscribe: Learn about our PTSD Lectures

VA staff, please sign up for VA Staff PTSD Updates to receive monthly notices that include a registration link and instructions for joining the live lectures.

Next Lecture in the Series

• 6/18 at 2 pm ET - Bruce Capehart, MD on PTSD and Sleep Problems: an Update on Medical Management

Mark your calendar for the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2 pm ET.

Have a question about providing medications for PTSD? Contact us:

Free PTSD consultation for anyone working with Veterans.
Call 866-948-7880 or
Email PTSDconsult@va.gov.

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For the Media

Promotional Materials for PTSD Awareness Month

If you work for a media outlet (TV, radio, magazine, newspaper or blog) or know someone who does, please help spread the word about PTSD and its effective treatments. High-quality promotional materials are available on our PTSD Awareness Month Promotional Materials page.

"I have PTSD" Public Service Announcement

Materials include TV and radio PTSD public service announcements (PSAs). The PSAs are from the award-winning AboutFace campaign, an online video collection featuring real Veterans talking about how they turned their lives around with PTSD treatment.

• View the "I have PTSD" PSA on YouTube.
• Email to request Video PSAs for TV or Jumbotron, or Audio PSAs for radio.

Be sure to forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send only one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

#PTSD Awareness - Learn. Connect. Share.

Help us raise awareness of PTSD and effective treatments in June during PTSD Awareness Month!

Thank you,

The Staff of VA’s National Center for PTSD

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