Transcripts For CSPAN Hearing On Service Dogs And Veterans W

CSPAN Hearing On Service Dogs And Veterans With PTSD April 17, 2016

President ial race continues tuesday night for the new york state primary. Join us at 9 00 for viewer reaction and speeches, taking you on the road to the white house on cspan, cspan radio, in cspan. Org. Monday on of the communicators, george ford, chief economist of the Phoenix Center for Public Policy studies and mark cooper, Research Director for the Consumer Federation of america, debate the secs proposal allowing consumers to buy their own settop boxes instead of renting them from cable providers, a move to open up competition in the settop box market. They are joined by lydia bay ude. We think we need competition in the settop box market, and we want competition, competition, competition. Someplace who has worked; some places it hasnt. This is one where it really hasnt. We the lower prices and more choices with vigorous competition. The first question is is there a market for settop boxes . The answer really, in terms of what has been over the cable network, is no, because they are a component of the network. That is the most efficient way to design and deliver Cable Television service, and it is the cheapest way to do it that the market has developed. Communicators, monday night at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan2. A house subcommittee is looking at the benefits of providing service dogs to veterans suffering from postTraumatic Stress and other Mental Health issues. We heard from a panel of witnesses from the Veterans Affairs department and the head of the nonprofit that provides Trained Service canines. This is an hour, 20 minutes. Subcommittee on National Security will come to order. The chairs authorized to declare recess l. A. Times. Veteran suicides continue to be a national epidemic. They are estimated to have a rate 50 higher than those who did not serve. The major driver of suicide rates the incidence of postTraumatic Stress among veterans. Acquainted department of Veterans Affairs, between 11 and 20 of those who served in Operation Iraqi freedom and or enduring freedom suffered from ptsd. Other estimates range at 529 . Veterans may be troubled by intrusive thoughts, and experienced hyper awareness and nightmares. They may find they are no longer able to trust and love those closest to them; some may even feel that life is no longer worth living. Unfortunately, many veterans have met significant problems in receiving the health care they deserve. The issues regarding the inadequate treatment of veterans by the v. A. Has been widely reported these include. Utilizing thed full range of effective treatments for veterans suffering from postTraumatic Stress is something that the v. A. Must do without delay. In treatment that complements existing therapies is the connection of veterans with ptsd with service dogs. These are not covered dogs or therapy dogs, as you suppose they might be. Service dogs perform valuable services for veterans, calling them during a panic attack, turning on lights in the dark home, flicking them from nightmares. Currently, the v. A. Provides a service dollars witto veterans with physical disabilities, but the v. A. Does face challenges implementing the guides in Service Dog Programs that they only started assisting mobility in 2008, six years after being authorized to do so. The v. A. Personnel told us the actual demand for service dogs is unknown. Attended thousands of veterans of ing due to the use this sixyear delay represents as running bureaucratic failure. The v. A. Contends there is insufficient evidence that it helps those with pts but ample scientific findings and ongoing says that may be wrong. Service dogs are not intended to nor do they care if yes but they do provide safe tools for veterans to live Productive Lives and could provide couple months for existing treatment. The urgency of the veteran suicide rate explores this option. Authorized aress threeyear study on the efficacy of curing pts with service dogs. Intead of being completed 2013 it is not expected to be completed until 2019. The study has undergone multiple challenges. The first phase of the study, referred to as phase one, began in 2011, and had to be restarted twice. The v. A. Attributed problems to vendors that provided through the service dogs. Of the 27 veterans enrolled in phase one, only 12 completed the study. The convocations could have been prevented had the v. A. Properly screened. Organizations like one in my district joy experience complications, because they are experienced. The department of defense already has its own working dog standards. The v. A. Began phase two of its study with Lessons Learned from phase one. It included incorporating veterinary standards, and moving the study from one site in florida to three sites. Yet, the v. A. Is only meeting cap of its recruiting coal of having 12 goal of having 12 seconds per study. With the v. A. Struggling to pair service stocks, other organizations are attempting to fill the void. The committee has spoken with various organizations like you relatively claimed to have hundreds of dogs prepared to be paired. Contrary to the v. A. s assertion that theres not enough research to know if dogs help, but there there is ample anecdotal and Scientific Evidence that they can help veterans with pts. Today we will hear from one veteran who attributes his service. To lowering the effects of ptsd. Veterans cannot wait until 2018 to introduce the lowcost and high reward treatment options. The problem of veterans or site is to urgent. For this, i have introduced a bill for 2017. This legislation would create a program for veterans with the most severe levels of pts to be referred to an accredited service dog organization. The v. A. Would reimburse the organization to find the service dog, and all expenses would be offset. Those who risk their lives for this country deserve the best care upon their return, and time is up the essence. I would like to think the witnesses today. We have veterans testifying, and many joining us in the audience. I want to thank them for their service. With that, i will recognize mr. Lynch for his opening statements. Rep. Lynch thank you. I would like to thank todays panel of witnesses for helping the committee with its work, and again, think all the veterans and active military. It is the mission of the department of v. A. To serve in honor more than 21 million men and women who are americas veterans to care for those who have formed the battle born the battle. With the formal and of the combat mission in iraq in 2010 and in afghanistan in 2014, the return of veterans from service, the fundamental to the of the v. A. To provide care to veterans and their families remains as critical as effort. Oversight of the v. A. Is essential to make sure the agency carries out its mission. As recently evidence imposed 9 11 veterans returning, effective treatment of postTraumatic Stress is one urgent area that the v. A. And Congress Must continue to strengthen. According to the National Center for postTraumatic Stress, 27 of our veterans who served in 2700 veterans who served have postTraumatic Stress every year. It is normally the result of multiple towards the duty and recent combat exposure. Veterans with ptsd are particularly foldable to the risk of suicide, which continues to affect veterans other devastating rate. Last month, it was estimated that every day, approximately 22 veterans take their lives. That is tragic. Similarly, the department of defense reported that suicide rates for active Duty Service Members remain high for the seven. The seventh year in a row. We are clearly failing to meet our obligations racked up and returning servicemembers. The impact of postTraumatic Stress in our community is a complex issue. I was proud to join the chairman on the bipartisan on the omnibus bill that specifically targets health care and suicide prevention. We must develop commonsense alternative solutions that could further assist veterans with pts rehabilitation. As noted in the American Medical Association journal of ethics, initial Academic Studies have revealed that veterans paired with service dogs reveal less symptoms, stronger social relationships, and other increased health benefits. In 2010, Congress Mandated a threeyear study as noted by the chairman. That study was to examine the benefits of using service dogs in the rehabilitation of pts. As a result, as the chairman has noted, the agency now expects to complete the study in november or into 2019. A delay for this amount of time is simply unacceptable. I look forward to examining the progress of this further study with the witnesses. I think the idea of Going Forward with a part of the program, which can be based on the evidence in hand today, is a great way to go at this problem. Im proud to cosponsor two pieces of Bipartisan Legislation to facilitate the use of service dogs to assist our veterans. A colleague on this committee has introduced a bill to commence the Pilot Program right away. Also, jim mcgovern of massachusetts has introduced legislation to assist nonprofit organizations in developing and establishing Service Dog Programs for veterans. Mr. Chairman, i would ask unanimous consent if i could please send that his legislation for the record. And supporting statement as well. Rep. Densantis without objection. Rep. Lynch thank you again for holding this important hearing. Rep. Dsantis thank you for your effort. I will hold the record open for five legislative days for any member submit a statement. We will now recognize the witnesses. Im pleased to welcome michael fallon. Mr. Rory diamond. Mr. Cole lyle, and stephen feldman. If you would please rise in major raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you give will be the truth. Thank you, please be seated. Please limit your statement to five minutes. Mr. Fallon, you are recognized for five minutes. Dr. Fallon thank you for the opportunity to update congress on the ptsd service dog study. Ive accompanied by dr. Patricia warre andn dr. Chris crowe. The 2010 defense act directed the v. A. To examine the use of service dogs with veterans. The v. A. To sign the study to focus on veterans with ptsd because it is a high priority and it is not established in the literature. For the study, the v. A. Hired its own dog trainers, reducing experiment of bias. The v. A. Also developed its own training standards for dogs. Three study sites are operating and enrolling veterans from different parts of the country. Approximately once a quarter for 12 months, measures are taken. Veteran and moment in the study began in 2014. As of this week, 109 of 220 veterans have been enrolled, and all 30 teams are fully staffed to receive 1215 veterans per month. Data collection will end in late 2018, and will then be analyzed. Results will be published in a peerreviewed journal. Currently, pa does not provide benefits for ptsd or Mental Health jobs because research is not proven them to be effective. The carefully designed study is incredibly important in addressing shortcomings. Ca continues to monitor other scientific literature for quality of evidence and remains strongly committed to completing the Current Study at an estimated cost of 12 million. The v. A. Is committed to the best care for veterans with ptsd. D. O. T. V. A. Evidence recommends the following as treatments. Trauma focused cognitive therapy and cognitive processing therapy. Stress and occupation. Research demonstrating the effectiveness is strong. The next require that all facilities provide pe or cpt. Uptake of evidencebased therapy across the Health Care System is rapid. For veterans who choose other treatment approaches have a range of options. The v. A. Is the leader in the global standard for ptsd treatment. I appreciate the opportunity to be here before you today. I am my colleagues are prepared to answer any questions that you may have. Rep. Desantis thank you. Mr. Dimon, you are now recognized. Mr. Diamond thank you. Im executive director of canines for warriors. We have the founder and also to graduates. I also have with me at tenure and air force veteran with his service dog, molly. Statistically speaking, 22 veterans will commit suicide today. That is why canines for warriors exists. It has grown to an organization with 36 staff and the campus in florida. Most important, we have a track record of helping hundreds of veterans with the symptoms of pts. We are very successful in preventing veteran suicide. Every veteran who comes through our door gets the family treatment. A service canine, equipment, training, instruction, housing, homecooked meals. If house moms who listen, how sad to provide advice how stands provide if ice. We say we always have our veterans backs, and we never charge the veterans. The program is 100 free. We have had people analyze our program, phds. They come back with the same conclusion. The program works. It is effective. The average applicant is on 1015 medications. They will reduce or eliminate those medications after receiving the dog. 85 will provide insight a better. 77 report a reduction of nightmares or night terrors finally being able to get a full night sleep and get back on a lifecycle. As adam says about his service dog, she allows me to be a father and functioning member of society again. As joe says, i just would not be here without lily, she is the light in the darkness. When reread on the v. A. Website that there is not enough research to know if dogs help the symptoms of ptsd, we fundamentally disagree. There is not a void of research in this regard. There is enough research. Canines for warriors is an example of how that can work. Given the Current Crisis of veteran suicide in america, we think it makes sense to air on the side of providing more options for our veterans. What is the harm here check of the very worst thing that can happen is a veteran ends up with a dog. The v. A. Is responding to a reluctance to agree that this can work. Our veterans report to us. We asked them all the time, tell us, how is the v. A. Treating q . How is your ptsd being treated . This is what they tell us. It is shocking to hear over and over. They wait, wait, and wait and finally get an appointment. They wait hour after hour, and get in front of a psychologist or clinical social worker. They have their moment. Lets understand with this moment what this moment is. This is the one lifeline our government is giving them to recover from pts. They report to us that they get and do they get 45 minutes of a discussion of the wonderful panoply of options that we just heard dr. Fallon talk about . No. They report to us they get 10, 15 minutes maybe. The first question is always about, how are your meds . I guarantee you they walk out with another prescription drug. The va has three responses to the pts crisis in america. Drugs, drugs, and more drugs to help you with the drugs we already gave you. That is the response. And we find it unacceptable. The va in our opinion has fumbled the first round of the Pilot Program. In our opinion, we have no confidence that they will sex successfully they will successfully pull off this second round. We see an immediate veteran suicide crisis today. We believe the time is now, not after the va gets their act together, but right now to start saving these lives. We appreciate the chairmans leadership on this issue, and be happy to answer questions. Ron desantis thank you. Mr. Lyle, you are up for five minutes. Cole lyle thank you. Chairman desantis, Ranking Member lynch, distinguished members of the subcommittee i , appreciate the opportunity to testify. Id like to begin by saying that im not here for myself. Im here strictly for my brothers and sisters still struggling to transition to post military life while also struggling with post Traumatic Stress. And no other options besides drugs and therapy. Im here for those of us in the veteran communities who have been left behind and continue to deal with the pain of suicide as other veterans see no way out. Im here for the veterans who have lost faith in the system, lost hope for themselves, and have lost purpose in their lives. Im here for the men and women that, like myself, have had to go it alone and acquire their service dogs at extraordinary financial burden to them. For these reasons, ive been fighting for the last year to change the existing va policy. I believe that allowing veterans to fight pts without all options available to them is tantamount to sending our military to fight an enemy without a secondary weapon in their arsenal. While in afghanistan for the majority of 2011, my unit served , where i spent time on a royal airbase. My physical injuries as a result of military service are insignificant relative to my fellow veterans. But like many veterans today who show little signs of physical injury, there are many scars beneath the surface. During the last few months of my deployment as our replacements were starting to arrive and take over the operational capabilities of our unit, i felt i wasnt doing enough to help the cause of our war fighters. I started volunteering my time, largely during sleep hours, at a severely understaffed trauma center. It was there, mentally unprepared for the new volunteer role i assumed, that has affected me most in my post deployment transition. Upon returning state side, veterans take a post Deployment Health assessment, which indicated that i needed to seek treatment for post Traumatic Stress. I started to utilize the va system, and eventually i met with a psychologist

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