Bill Text: PA HR853 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Designating July 7, 2010, as "Military Service-Related Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-06-21 - Referred to RULES [HR853 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR853-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3919
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 853 Session of2010
INTRODUCED BY BARBIN, JUNE 16, 2010
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 16, 2010
A RESOLUTION
Designating July 7, 2010, as "Military Service-Related Brain
Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, More than 1.5 million United States military
personnel have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since the start
of military operations in 2001, and military statistics show
that at least 115,000 troops have suffered brain injuries
related to IED explosions since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
began; and
WHEREAS, Brain injury has been labeled a signature injury of
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and brain injuries occurring
among soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are strongly
associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and physical
health problems after soldiers return home; and
WHEREAS, Concern has been emerging about the possible long-
term effects of deployment-related brain injuries. Significant
numbers of undiagnosed injuries and the failure by medical
personnel to include such information in soldiers' permanent
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medical files has been identified as serious in studies prepared
by medical and army experts; and
WHEREAS, Without diagnosis and official documentation,
soldiers with head wounds have struggled to receive appropriate
treatment, sometimes receiving psychotropic drugs instead of
rehabilitative therapy that could help retrain their brains; and
WHEREAS, The Defense Brain Injury Center (DBIC) in Johnstown
has been assisting returning veterans with rehabilitative
therapy since 2006; and
WHEREAS, In January 2009, Congress mandated DBIC to establish
an assisted living pilot program to determine the best practices
to rehabilitate soldiers with mild, moderate or severe traumatic
brain injuries to enable them to return to their own
communities, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate July 7,
2010, as "Military Service-Related Brain Injury and Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to
promote public understanding and encourage all citizens to help
bind the wounds of our returning soldiers.
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