Veteran
Care Packs
THE PROJECT
There are 2.7 MILLION VETERANS OF THE IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN WARS
540,000 HAVE PTSD AND/OR DEPRESSION.
22 COMMIT SUICIDE
EVERY DAY.
THE PROJECT
Half of all veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) do not seek treatment. Of the half that do, only 50% of them report that their treatment adequately meets their needs.
The Washington Initiative is creating Veteran Care Packs to distribute to veterans of the United States Armed Forces who may be suffering from PTSD and/or Depression.
These packs will not only provide self-care items used to cope during a trigger event - such as an unexpected, loud noise or claustrophobic situation - but will also serve as a way to thank our veterans while enabling them to live life on their terms.
THE HARD TRUTH
40%
INCREASE IN CALLS TO THE VA CRISIS LINE (2013 - 2014)
38.4%
OF STALLED VA RECORDS BELONGED TO VETERANS WHO DIED MONTHS/YEARS IN THE PAST.
16%
(OR 1 IN 6) OF THE CALLS WENT TO VOICEMAIL
The VA crisis hotline — often the only resource a veteran may be aware of during times of panic, high anxiety or suicidal thoughts — received more than 450,000 calls in 2014, a 40% increase over the previous year (source).
The VA's inspector general found that out of about 800,000 records stalled in the agency's system for managing health care enrollment, there were more than 307,000 records that belonged to veterans who had died months or years in the past (source).