President Obama has signed an executive order aimed at reducing the rate of suicide and mental health disorders in veterans and troops by improving access to behavioral health care.
Addressing soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Friday, Obama said the initiative is part of an overall effort to maintain U.S. military superiority.
“We may be turning a page on a decade of war, but America’s responsibility to you has only just begun,” Obama said. “Just as we give you the best equipment and technology on the battlefield, we need to give you the best support at home.”
The order directs cabinet agencies, including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Health and Human Services and Education, to work together to expand suicide prevention efforts and to fill vacancies for mental health jobs.
The “Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members and Military Families” order also includes actions to improve access to mental health services for service members and veterans, including enhanced partnerships with community providers, increased VA staffing, and mental health research.
“If you are hurting, it’s not a sign of weakness to seek help; it’s a sign of strength. And we are going to help you remain strong — ‘Army Strong,’ ” Obama said, referencing the service’s advertising slogan in his speech before more than 5,000 service members at the 1st Aviation Support Battalion hangar at Fort Bliss.
Under the directive, VA must expand its veterans’ crisis line capability by 50 percent by Dec. 31 and ensure that veterans who identify as being a danger to themselves or others connect with a trained mental health professional within 24 hours.
VA also is required to partner with DoD in developing and implementing a nationwide year-long suicide prevention campaign aimed at veterans.
The order also authorizes VA to expand programs based on veterans helping veterans, directing the department to hire 800 more peer-to-peer counselors, and it also directs VA to work with HHS to establish a pilot program that leverages community mental health resources to reduce the waiting times veterans often face when seeking mental health services.
VA has faced criticism for not doing enough to help veterans who need mental health treatment.
Members of the armed forces face a unique set of logistical challenges when serving in other states or countries: many lack the ability to simply go to the DMV to renew their driver’s licenses, filing taxes can be complex and voting in elections can be even more confusing.
"It is critically important to ensure that every voter entitled to an absentee ballot is given every chance to receive one,” said John Conklin, a spokesman for the New York State Board of Elections.
According to the 2010 Post Election Survey Report to Congress, 85 percent of active duty military members were registered to vote, compared with 65 percent of the civilian voting age population. Due to the dilemmas associated with members of the military voting, approximately 120,000 active duty military personnel indicated they never received the absentee ballot they requested.
The Constitution gives each state the right to determine the "time, place, and manner" of all elections, including federal elections. As a result, there is great variation from state to state.
“FVAP (Federal Voting Assistance Program) strongly supports the adoption of the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act (UMOVA) as offered by the interstate Uniform Law Commission,” said Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez.
“UMOVA sets uniform deadlines for receiving registration forms and ballot applications, and sets a minimum standard for electronic transmission of registration forms and blank ballots.”
Seven states — Colorado, North Dakota, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Virginia — and the District of Columbia have adopted UMOVA. In Hawaii, the measure has passed the legislature and is awaiting the governor's signature.
Are you better off today than you were at the end of the Bush Administration? NO! Then why do so many people want to implement his failed policies again!
Quote by Mondobubba:
my tweet to Eric Cantor yesterday: Are you stupid, or do just play a stupid person on televsion, sir?
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
my tweet to Eric Cantor yesterday: Are you stupid, or do just play a stupid person on televsion, sir?
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
my tweet to Eric Cantor yesterday: Are you stupid, or do just play a stupid person on televsion, sir?
It was in response to his really stupid comments about Labor Day.
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
my tweet to Eric Cantor yesterday: Are you stupid, or do just play a stupid person on televsion, sir?
It was in response to his really stupid comments about Labor Day.
I swear, how do they not get the concept of "LABOR" day - a day in which those who LABOR are honored.
Quote by Mondobubba:
In sports news, how about dem Oos? :eat Polack Johnny's hot dog, drinks Nattie Bo: Pinch me, I am dream, right? Fearless prediction: Os-Nats World Series!
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
In sports news, how about dem Oos? :eat Polack Johnny's hot dog, drinks Nattie Bo: Pinch me, I am dream, right? Fearless prediction: Os-Nats World Series!
would that be the Marc Train Series?
Quote by Raine:That would be fun to see!Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
In sports news, how about dem Oos? :eat Polack Johnny's hot dog, drinks Nattie Bo: Pinch me, I am dream, right? Fearless prediction: Os-Nats World Series!
would that be the Marc Train Series?
Quote by TriSec:
Bah. My Reds are running away with the NL Central, and the best record in the majors.
(I'm a Sox Fan; of course I have a Plan B.)
Quote by TriSec:
We are all agreed that we'll be happy if it's anyone other than New York, yes?
*ducks bricks*
Quote by TriSec:
Bah. My Reds are running away with the NL Central, and the best record in the majors.
(I'm a Sox Fan; of course I have a Plan B.)
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Mondobubba:
In sports news, how about dem Oos? :eat Polack Johnny's hot dog, drinks Nattie Bo: Pinch me, I am dream, right? Fearless prediction: Os-Nats World Series!
would that be the Marc Train Series?
Quote by Mondobubba:
This is my fav quote from "The Newsroom:"
Will McAvoy: I only seem liberal because I believe that hurricanes are caused by high barometric pressure and not gay marriage.
Quote by BobR:Quote by Mondobubba:
This is my fav quote from "The Newsroom:"
Will McAvoy: I only seem liberal because I believe that hurricanes are caused by high barometric pressure and not gay marriage.
hurricanes are actually caused by low barometric pressure
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:
Bah. My Reds are running away with the NL Central, and the best record in the majors.
(I'm a Sox Fan; of course I have a Plan B.)
They will be crushed by the Nats in the playoffs.
Quote by wickedpam:
How does Mike and Shane and everyone have time to make all these great jingles?!
Quote by BobR:Quote by wickedpam:
How does Mike and Shane and everyone have time to make all these great jingles?!
No Life
MEDICARE
President Obama:
• Innovation: Rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which established the new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (the CMS Innovation Center), to promote more efficient, high-quality care. One way this will be done is by giving grant monies to providers who can show they are being cost effective while also making people healthier.
• Medicare provider payment changes: Give financial incentives to hospitals and doctors that keep Medicare members healthy and impose penalties on those that don’t. For example, educating Medicare members with heart disease on how to lower their blood pressure.
• Monitoring: Create a commission to monitor health care cost increases and make recommendations to Congress if these costs increase too much. Similar to the legislation recently passed in Massachusetts, national health care costs would only be allowed to grow at 1% higher than the country’s gross domestic product.
Governor Romney:
• No Changes: Repeal the Affordable Care Act.
• New benefits for future Medicare members: Impose a premium support system, what some call a voucher system, so that private insurers that offer Medicare Advantage plans, such as FCHP, compete with traditional Medicare in a new marketplace. In this system, the government would offer seniors an insurance subsidy to pay for their health care expenses. If seniors want a more expensive Medicare Advantage plan, they would have to cover the additional cost on their own. They could also choose a less expensive Medicare Advantage plan, and use the excess money from the subsidy to pay for other medical expenses.
MEDICAID
President Obama:
• Expansion: If states choose to expand Medicaid eligibility so that more residents are covered (similar to what Massachusetts did with its health care reform legislation in 2006),, they will receive increased federal dollars to pay for the increased members.
• Tax credits: Provide tax credits to individuals and families if their income increases and they no longer qualify. These credits can be used towards the purchase of private insurance.
Governor Romney:
• No expansion: Repeal the ACA and its Medicaid expansion.
• Federal funding: Allow states to apply for a limited amount of funds—block grants— to be used to pay for Medicaid members.
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by BobR:Quote by wickedpam:
How does Mike and Shane and everyone have time to make all these great jingles?!
No Life
I don't know about that - I have no life and still don't have the skills or talent to make those
Quote by BobR:Quote by wickedpam:Quote by BobR:Quote by wickedpam:
How does Mike and Shane and everyone have time to make all these great jingles?!
No Life
I don't know about that - I have no life and still don't have the skills or talent to make those
You said "time", not "skills or talent"
Quote by TriSec:
FLORIDA HAS FLIPPED!!!!
Scroll down until you reach the "State by State Probabilities" chart. Florida was pink the last time I checked on Friday.
Also, note the Nov 6 forecast at the top of the page and see the trajectories of the red and blue lines.
( sprays Mondo with champagne )
Quote by TriSec:
FLORIDA HAS FLIPPED!!!!
Scroll down until you reach the "State by State Probabilities" chart. Florida was pink the last time I checked on Friday.
Also, note the Nov 6 forecast at the top of the page and see the trajectories of the red and blue lines.
( sprays Mondo with champagne )
Quote by TriSec:
Hmm, another movie reference lost on Your Loyal TriSec.
And now I shall have to pry Mondo off the floor and administer oxygen.
Quote by TriSec:
FLORIDA HAS FLIPPED!!!!
Scroll down until you reach the "State by State Probabilities" chart. Florida was pink the last time I checked on Friday.
Also, note the Nov 6 forecast at the top of the page and see the trajectories of the red and blue lines.
( sprays Mondo with champagne )