WASHINGTON — The Army could lose a large chunk of its mental health force to furloughs starting next month, limiting access to care for soldiers dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues.
Although the Surgeon General’s office is looking at ways to exempt some personnel from the sequestration fallout, “right now the plan is that our [Department of the Army] civilians who are employed with us will be impacted across the board,” Col. Rebecca Porter, chief of behavioral health for the surgeon general, told defense reporters Tuesday at a breakfast roundtable.
More than half of the Army’s 4,500 mental health professionals are civilian. Contractors are exempt from furloughs, but those civilians employed directly by the Army are subject to the cuts imposed by sequestration. About 251,000 Army civilians will have to take 22 days of unpaid leave from April 26 to Sept. 30.
“It’s not the quality of the care that we expect to be impacted but the availability and access to it in a timely manner,” Porter said.
That’s something the Army already struggles with. Wait times for mental health providers have been a significant problem at installations across the service, leading the Army to double the number of mental health providers in the last five years – and the service is still understaffed.
The federal government is failing to keep pace with a torrent of ailments and issues generated by two wars for the more than 2 million Americans who served overseas since 9/11, according to a sweeping assessment by a panel of leading scientists.
The nearly 800-page study, completed over four years by the Institute of Medicine and released Tuesday, portrays a nation struggling to anticipate and understand consequences of a decade of war and grueling demands placed on its military and unprecedented kinds of wounds troops have suffered.
The Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs are trying to help, but "the response does not match the magnitude of the problems, and many readjustment needs are unmet or unknown," says the report by the institute, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences.
The nation waged war in Iraq and Afghanistan in unprecedented ways, the study found, using a limited-size, all-volunteer force; deploying troops repeatedly for up to 15 or 18 months at a time; allowing less than a year of rest between tours; and filling the military's ranks with historically high numbers of women, parents, National Guard troops and reservists.
"The urgency of addressing these issues is heightened by the sheer number of people affected, the rapid drawdown of personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the long-term effects that many of the issues might have, not only on military personnel and veterans and their family but on the country as a whole," the study found.
The study was the result of 2008 federal legislation directing the Pentagon to learn more about the readjustment needs of returning troops.
"These are extraordinary challenges," said Dr. George Rutherford, who chaired the group that produced the report. "We are learning as we're going. I think the VA and (Defense Department) have really exerted extraordinary efforts to try and get it right ... but there are some areas that need to be improved."
To this day, almost nothing is known about long-term outcomes of signature, war-related problems such as mild traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidal tendencies, the scientists found.
Quote by Mondobubba:
Spooky deathrays killed the blog?
Quote by BobR:Quote by Mondobubba:
Spooky deathrays killed the blog?
I was just digging my survival shelter and stocking it with canned goods and ammunition...
At that point, Wasden reportedly pulled her jeans down and said, “Kiss my butt.â€
“That was something that none of us wanted to see,†the teen explained to police.
Quote by Raine:
Gay marriage is like a dog eating its own vomit? Caller -- you are disgusting.
and she sounds like a teenager.
Quote by BobR:
your daily Florida news report
Best part:At that point, Wasden reportedly pulled her jeans down and said, “Kiss my butt.â€
“That was something that none of us wanted to see,†the teen explained to police.
Quote by wickedpam:
charming little bigot they got on the phone there
The town’s Police Chief, Heath Mitchell, told the AP that he hopes “having a gun would help residents take their protection into their own hands,†since the town has an understaffed police department and slow response time to 911 calls.
(snip)
The law exempts felons and the disabled, and anyone who objects to carrying a gun can refuse to participate with no penalty. Nelson’s city council claims that the requirement will preempt efforts by the government to “confiscate personal firearms,†something no one has proposed doing:
Quote by Raine:
Another Georgia town passes mandatory Gun ownership law... Get this:The town’s Police Chief, Heath Mitchell, told the AP that he hopes “having a gun would help residents take their protection into their own hands,†since the town has an understaffed police department and slow response time to 911 calls.
(snip)
The law exempts felons and the disabled, and anyone who objects to carrying a gun can refuse to participate with no penalty. Nelson’s city council claims that the requirement will preempt efforts by the government to “confiscate personal firearms,†something no one has proposed doing:
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Another Georgia town passes mandatory Gun ownership law... Get this:The town’s Police Chief, Heath Mitchell, told the AP that he hopes “having a gun would help residents take their protection into their own hands,†since the town has an understaffed police department and slow response time to 911 calls.
(snip)
The law exempts felons and the disabled, and anyone who objects to carrying a gun can refuse to participate with no penalty. Nelson’s city council claims that the requirement will preempt efforts by the government to “confiscate personal firearms,†something no one has proposed doing:
but what gets me is that these are probably the same people who are mad at the government for "forcing" them buy health insurance
Quote by Raine:
Speaking of States rights... Could this be why we haven't seen much of Scoop yesterday and today?
Quote by BobR:
Not my best work
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!!! I hope that everyone is doing well. Mondo, any word from your friend on her ex-husband?
TriSec, I think that sequestration ends soon. The Huffington Post is reporting on some effects of the sequestration.
Quote by Raine:
Speaking of States rights... Could this be why we haven't seen much of Scoop yesterday and today?
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Given the cheap Chinese made shit that WalMart sells, maybe testing the merchandise isn't that bad of an idea.
So proud of my fellow Massholes.....
“A decade ago, you would not have seen this,†said Dr. Susan Weinstein, a professor of hip-hop studies at Louisiana State University hip-hop studies professor and author of “Feel These Words: Writing in the Lives of Urban Youth.â€
Quote by TriSec:
Comrades.
Dear smoke detector manufacturers:
I"m really impressed that you figured out how to make them beep when the battery gets low. Now, can you add a light-sensor so that it only beeps while the sun is up?
(razza-frazza 2am sonofaBITCH!)
Quote by TriSec:
Comrades.
Dear smoke detector manufacturers:
I"m really impressed that you figured out how to make them beep when the battery gets low. Now, can you add a light-sensor so that it only beeps while the sun is up?
(razza-frazza 2am sonofaBITCH!)
No Americans 'Getting A Free-Ride,' New Tax Study Finds
The Huffington Post | By Jillian Berman Posted: 04/02/2013 12:42 pm EDT | Updated: 04/02/2013 12:42 pm EDT
A new study further debunks the widely-held conservative notion that lower-income Americans pay little-to-no taxes while the rich shell out more than their fair share.
"We've found that no one group is getting a free-ride,†write the authors of the report from the left-leaning Center for Tax Justice.
CTJ looked at the effect of federal tax increases on the wealthy passed as part of the fiscal cliff dea at the beginning of the year. The increase was roundly decried by Republican leaders and some on the right who viewed the move, pushed by President Barack Obama, as a step toward socialism.
However, while the recent changes put federal income tax rates on a more progressive scale -- tax rates go up as income goes up -- many other taxes Americans are subjected to, like federal payroll taxes and state and local taxes are actually regressive, meaning they take a bigger share of income from the poor and middle class than from the rich, according to CTJ.
Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
Quote by TriSec:
It's PI at the store tonight. (Physical Inventory.)
I have tomorrow off from my day job...last year there were people still working at approaching 3am. I was put on the schedule tonight as "until it's done."
I was just thinking that it's been a very long time since I pulled an all-nighter.
Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
What Tri said. I love my local Ace. It looks and smells like a hardware store. It is full of friendly guys with an encyclopedic knowledge of bolts and other items.
Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
What Tri said. I love my local Ace. It looks and smells like a hardware store. It is full of friendly guys with an encyclopedic knowledge of bolts and other items.
In HD's favor, they do contribute to autism awareness causes.
Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
What Tri said. I love my local Ace. It looks and smells like a hardware store. It is full of friendly guys with an encyclopedic knowledge of bolts and other items.
Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Raine:
BAck from Home Despot and helping my neighbor with her little one and some yardwork!
What, you don't have TrueValue or Ace down your way?
What Tri said. I love my local Ace. It looks and smells like a hardware store. It is full of friendly guys with an encyclopedic knowledge of bolts and other items.
In HD's favor, they do contribute to autism awareness causes.
Quote by Mondobubba:
Clint, any deep meaning to the blue light bulb?
Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:
Clint, any deep meaning to the blue light bulb?
Today is "Light it up Blue for Autism" day. Several organizations (HD being one of the commercial outlets) were selling blue lightbulbs with proceeds going towards autism research. If you have one, put it in a lamp, porch fixture, or something else visible from your street tonight to signal that you support those on the ASD spectrum.
April is also Autism Awareness Month, so I plan on leaving my blue bulb in my porch light throughout the month.
Quote by Mondobubba:
Speaking of awareness months, it is Distracted Driving Month. I think the phrasing! is wrong there. That implies that you want people to be distracted while they drive. What is should be is Anti-Distracted Driving Month. A small fail.
Quote by TriSec:
I'm sure Mondo completed his ablutions after visiting Wal-Mart. Lord knows, last time I set foot in one, I needed to shower afterwards.
I will yield that Home Despot doesn't quite have that level of used-car-dealerishness all over it.
Quote by TriSec:
I'm sure Mondo completed his ablutions after visiting Wal-Mart. Lord knows, last time I set foot in one, I needed to shower afterwards.
I will yield that Home Despot doesn't quite have that level of used-car-dealerishness all over it.
Quote by BobR:Quote by TriSec:
I'm sure Mondo completed his ablutions after visiting Wal-Mart. Lord knows, last time I set foot in one, I needed to shower afterwards.
I will yield that Home Despot doesn't quite have that level of used-car-dealerishness all over it.
Home Depot was covering "domestic partners" in their benefits before it was common to do so.
Quote by BobR:Quote by TriSec:
I'm sure Mondo completed his ablutions after visiting Wal-Mart. Lord knows, last time I set foot in one, I needed to shower afterwards.
I will yield that Home Despot doesn't quite have that level of used-car-dealerishness all over it.
Home Depot was covering "domestic partners" in their benefits before it was common to do so.