Submitted by the Office of Assemblyman Jake Ashby
Assemblyman Jake Ashby (R,C,I-Castleton), the Ranking Republican Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and an Army veteran, hosted the first “No Surrender” Veterans Initiative: Making PTSD a Priority roundtable event in the Capital Region on Wednesday, December 1.
The event, the first of six regional roundtables, was aimed at addressing the pervasive issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) facing veterans, as well as law enforcement, health care and emergency service personnel.
“Military personnel and frontline first responders are routinely exposed to emergencies and other circumstances that dramatically impact their mental health. Too often, these incidents create lasting mental health challenges that go largely unaddressed,” said Assemblyman Ashby. “For that reason, I have introduced and co-sponsored several pieces of legislation to help address this issue, including a bill to make the Division of Veterans’ Services into its own independent state agency. This event in East Greenbush was a great first step toward reshaping our State’s treatment plan, and I am hopeful that with the feedback we have gathered we can better formulate short- and long-term strategies to adequately address mental health concerns.”
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a number of flaws in the State’s health care system, especially as they related to individuals coping with anxiety, depression and PTSD.
