1Designating the month of June 2014 as "National Post-Traumatic
2Stress Disorder Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a
4psychiatric disorder that is often misunderstood and its
5prevalence is frequently underestimated; and

6WHEREAS, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after
7exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which there is a
8potential for or actual occurrence of grave physical harm; and

9WHEREAS, Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include
10violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters,
11accidents and military combat; and

12WHEREAS, PTSD affects nearly 7.7 million Americans, and
13approximately 20% of veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan
14suffer from PTSD and two-thirds do not seek treatment; and

15WHEREAS, The brave men and women of the United States Armed
16Forces, who proudly serve their country, risk their lives to
17protect the freedom of the United States and deserve the

1investment of every possible resource to ensure their lasting
2physical, mental and emotional well-being; and

3WHEREAS, More than 2 million service members have deployed
4overseas as part of overseas contingency operations since the
5events of September 11, 2001; and

6WHEREAS, The military has sustained an operational tempo for
7a period of time unprecedented in the history of the United
8States, with many service members deploying multiple times to
9combat zones, placing them at high risk of PTSD; and

10WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
11reports that since October 2001, more than 286,000 of the
12approximately 900,000 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom,
13Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn who have used
14Department of Veterans Affairs health care have been coded for
15PTSD; and

16WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
17Veterans Affairs, in fiscal year 2011, more than 475,000 of the
18nearly 6 million veterans from all wars who sought care at a
19Department of Veterans Affairs medical center received treatment
20for PTSD; and

21WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
22reports that of veterans who served in Operation Enduring
23Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn who are
24using Veterans Affairs health care, more than 486,000, or 54%,
25have received a diagnosis for at least one mental health
26disorder; and

27WHEREAS, Many cases of PTSD remain unreported, undiagnosed
28and untreated due to a lack of awareness about PTSD and the
29persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions; and

30WHEREAS, Symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person and can

1affect people differently; and

2WHEREAS, Some common symptoms include upsetting memories,
3anger, irritability, emotional numbness and nightmares; and

4WHEREAS, PTSD significantly increases the risk of depression,
5suicide and drug-and-alcohol-related disorders and deaths,
6especially if left untreated; and

7WHEREAS, Families of persons who have PTSD experience more
8unhappiness, marital strife, anxiety and childhood and
9adolescent behavioral problems than families that do not have to
10cope with this disorder; and

11WHEREAS, The United States Departments of Defense and
12Veterans Affairs have made significant advances in the
13prevention, diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and the symptoms of
14PTSD, but many challenges remain; and

15WHEREAS, The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress
16Disorder within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
17aims to advance the clinical care and social welfare of United
18States veterans through research, education and training on PTSD
19and stress-related disorders and provides educational resources
20for veterans and also for health care providers, researchers and
21the general public through its Internet website; and

22WHEREAS, The establishment of a National Post-Traumatic
23Stress Disorder Awareness Month in Pennsylvania will raise
24public awareness about issues related to PTSD, reduce the stigma
25associated with PTSD and help ensure that those suffering from
26this disorder receive proper treatment; therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the Senate designate June 2014 as "National
28Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania
29and support the efforts of many organizations to educate the
30public about the causes, symptoms and treatment of PTSD.