Hello Shelly Since you seemed to so upset about the continuing war and the lack of concern by our government for our veterans, I thought I would share a little good news about about what some, somewhere is trying to do to help our verterans. I hope this makes you feel a little better but, as you know, this will only be a tiny drop in the proverbial bucket. Happy Reading My Friend Sincerly Bill Monday, October 31, 2005 P-I Endorsement: A modest promise King County voters have a chance to do good twice with one ballot. There could hardly be more worthy causes to support than military veterans and the needy. Voters should say yes to King County Proposition No. 1 Veterans and Human Services Levy. It provides a modest property tax increase -- just $20 on a $400,000 home -- for six years to help veterans, including ones on duty now, their families and some of the needy who fall through the growing holes in the social safety net. The money will be split evenly between veterans' assistance and general social services. Separate committees will oversee the spending from each category of funding. There are good reasons for the broad support. The care of veterans is essentially a national responsibility, but it would be wrong to suggest that federal neglect is forcing us to suddenly assume a completely new burden. This state and many others have chosen to help indigent veterans for years -- in Washington's case, for more than a century. The added levy will bring King County up into the range expected by the state. That's especially important, because King County is home to more than one-quarter of all the state's veterans. It's true, of course, that the Bush administration has pinched pennies with servicemen and -women in sometimes unprecedented ways. And the levy explicitly defines veterans as people who have served or still are serving. That should mean that help is given, in some measure, to spouses and children left behind by those reservists and National Guardsmen called to Iraq. For those who support and who oppose the war, this is a chance to support our troops a little more like they should be supported. That should override any concern about setting a bad precedent of picking up a little more of a federal responsibility. Debra Wood, president of Vietnam Veterans of America Seattle Chapter 102, says the general social service funding is also particularly important. With the county budget squeezed by Initiative 747 and other constraints, funding has failed to keep close to the needs. A lack of adequate federal support and growing populations of needy individuals have also put more pressure on efforts to provide services in such areas as housing, mental health care and employment assistance. The levy won't solve all problems in either area. But for veterans and the needy, it's a good step forward. Printer-friendly version E-mail this story Get e-mail news updates Subscribe to the P-I

Hello Friends Here is some more good news about the possibility of someone actually doing something to help improve the lives of those with a mental illness or substance problem. Your opinions are welcome here. We appreciate all the support and if you post your message to this forum, I promise thayour voice will be heard by those who can make a difference, Sincerly,Bill Vanderbilt [ Print Article | E-mail Article | Close Window ] Contact: Vanee Vines news@nas.edu 202-334-2138 The National Academies Institute of Medicine news: Report on mental illnesses and drug addictions WASHINGTON- Without a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of health care for people with mental conditions and alcohol or drug problems, high-quality care in the nation's overall health system and better health for the public are goals that will remain unmet, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The report offers such a strategy, outlining key roles for government officials, clinicians, health care organizations, health plans, and purchasers -- companies or other groups that compensate health care providers for delivering services to patients. The diagnoses and severity of mental and substance problems vary widely -- from distress caused by a life-changing event to severe depression to physical dependence on alcohol. Each year more than 33 million Americans, many of whom are working adults, use health care services for such conditions. And research shows that successful, cost-effective treatments exist. However, as with general health care, the delivery of high-quality interventions can be spotty, and poor care has serious consequences: Mental health problems and alcohol and drug issues are leading risk factors for suicide. Furthermore, the consequences ripple throughout the U.S. education, legal, and welfare systems and the workplace in the forms of lost productivity, low academic achievement, and dysfunctional behavior. "America will not have a high-quality health system if equal attention is not given to mental health issues and substance-use problems," said Mary Jane England, president, Regis College, Weston, Mass., and chair of the committee that wrote the report. "Mental health is inextricably linked with health and well-being, but treatment for mental conditions and inappropriate use of substances is often separated from other health care." Health services for these conditions have been isolated not only from other components of the health system but also from each other, despite the fact that many people have both mental conditions and problems with alcohol or drugs. To make collaboration and coordination of care the norm, service providers should link relevant areas of their own organizations and form ties with other providers, the report says. Government agencies, purchasers, health plans, and accrediting groups also should create incentives and policies to increase collaboration among all health care providers, the report says. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should lead these efforts by establishing a permanent, high-level mechanism to foster greater coordination across the department's mental, substance-use, and general health care agencies. A broad range of providers is licensed to diagnose and treat mental health and substance-use illnesses. Consequently, their training levels and therapeutic approaches often differ, leaving the overall work force with an uneven distribution of the knowledge and skills necessary to provide consistent, high-quality services. Congress should authorize and fund a Council on the Mental and Substance-Use Health Care Work Force to develop and implement plans to help professionals improve the quality of their care, the report says. Licensing boards, accrediting organizations, and purchasers should adopt any national standards identified by the council, which would operate as a partnership between the public and private sectors. Likewise, government programs, employers, and purchasers should allocate funds in ways that better support the delivery of high-quality care, the committee said. For example, states should revamp how they purchase health care services, giving more weight to the quality of care that vendors would provide. Health professionals' ability to quickly obtain and share information on a patient's health and potential treatments is essential to effective care, the report says. Federal and state governments should revise laws, regulations, and administrative practices that hinder such information sharing. Public-private partnerships are now developing an information technology system called the National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII) to make the exchange of health information easier. But so far, these efforts have not adequately dealt with health care for mental and substance-use problems, the report says. HHS and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should take steps to ensure that NHII will thoroughly address such conditions. Additionally, federal and state governments, purchasers, and foundations should offer clinicians and groups who treat these problems incentives to invest in the information technology needed to fully participate in NHII. HHS should synthesize and disseminate scientific evidence on effective services for mental and substance-use conditions, the report adds. It also should lead efforts to significantly develop an infrastructure for measuring and improving the quality of mental and substance-use health care. To this end, the department, working with the private sector, should charge and fund a group similar to the National Quality Forum -- a private, nonprofit organization -- to identify and put into practice quality measures in these areas. And HHS should oversee a coordinated research agenda for improving care. The report -- like the Institute of Medicine's 2001 report CROSSING THE QUALITY CHASM: A NEW HEALTH SYSTEM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY -- envisions a revamped health care system that not only is centered on the needs, preferences, and values of patients, but also encourages teamwork among health care workers and makes much greater use of information technology. Patient-centered care is especially important in the delivery of mental health services and treatments for addictions, the report says, because of the stigma sometimes associated with interventions and greater use of coercion into treatment compared with general health care. The study was sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation; CIGNA Foundation; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Institute of Medicine is a private, nonprofit institution that provides health policy advice under a congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences. A committee roster follows. Copies of IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE FOR MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE-USE CONDITIONS will be available this fall from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at HTTP://WWW.NAP.EDU. Reporters may obtain a pre-publication copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above). [ This news release and report are available at HTTP://NATIONAL-ACADEMIES.ORG ]

Hello James You seem to be particularly concerned about what our soldiers and verterans are going through so I thought I would address this post to you. It is about the plight of Viet Nam Veterans. With a new war taking over the lime light people seem to be forgetting about the fact that we still have WW11 Vets and Viet Nam Vets. Many of them have never recovered from the trauma of of war, Many of them still relive their respective wars every day. All of them deserve better treatment than they are getting now. Here is a little eye opener about the many homeless Veterans right here in America ajc.com > Metro > Atlanta Homeless Vietnam veterans increasing By CRAIG SCHNEIDER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 11/02/05 A survey of metro Atlanta's homeless shows the number of homeless Vietnam veterans is rising, and that many of the homeless don't receive services beyond the meals and beds provided by shelters. The survey of 817 homeless people in the city of Atlanta, and Fulton and DeKalb counties, was conducted by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the Atlanta-based Pathways, which collects information on poverty. MOST POPULAR STORIES Georgia College & State student stabbed to death Agent: Furcal's price tag has risen Sister of Chargers' Godfrey Shot to Death 2005 Class AAAAA playoff brackets 50 Cent Sues Car Dealer Over Commercial EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR Researchers were at a loss to explain the rise in homeless veterans. Twenty-nine percent of the homeless people surveyed were veterans, up from 17 percent two years ago. Some researchers said the increase echoes the rising demand at Veterans Administration facilities. The homeless Vietnam veterans, now between 48 and 59 years old, tend to be more educated than other homeless people. More than half of homeless veterans reported an educational level beyond high school. Researchers speculated that as veterans have aged, their physical and mental problems associated with the war have worsened, as has the damage done by any drug abuse. Some are on a fixed income and may not be able to find affordable housing. "We can't say if this generation is falling apart," said Pathways associate director Brandie Haywood. "Some veterans, especially here in Atlanta, may be at the point where they just can't make ends meet." She noted that the number of homeless, measured in a one-night snapshot count, grew by 327 in the past two years, to 6,832. By using these figures, researchers estimated that more than 21,600 people experience homelessness over the course of a year in the area. The average homeless adult who was surveyed was a single black man about 45 years old, who has a high school diploma. He is unemployed, has been homeless from seven to 12 months, and has had two spells of homelessness in the past three years. About 24 percent of the homeless were women, and women represented the great majority of the heads of homeless families. They also tend to work their way out of homelessness faster than men, according to the survey. Almost two-thirds of the homeless people surveyed said they slept in shelters and charity housing. But less than half said they were getting any help from an agency or program, apart from receiving food and a place to sleep. Advocates said the survey shows that they need to do a better job of connecting homeless people to the services that can help them. "We need to understand the barriers to services," Haywood said. Are these places providing enough services? Do the homeless know about them? Are the homeless willing to use them? In addition, while about half said they were homeless due to drugs or alcohol, only about 18 percent believed that beating their addiction would solve their homelessness. The figures point up the difference between acknowledging a problem and taking the steps necessary to change, said Janet Johnson, senior research associate at Andrew Young. "Most said they needed a job . . . but many of them are not job ready," Johnson said. Haywood said she hopes the Gateway Center, a multi-service homeless facility opened in August, will lead more homeless people to services. The $5.5 million Atlanta facility provides medical, mental health and addiction services. But, Haywood said, it is too early to judge the difference it is making

Greetings Friends I have just received a news update from the John Kerry Camp and if you want to do something about trying to bring our troops home from Iraq, here is your chance. You can make your voice heard loud and clear along with thousands of other American Citizens who want an end to this war of lies Please join us in our efferot to bring our soldiers home now. Dear Bill, No more shell games. No more false reports of progress. No more misleading rhetoric about "staying as long as it takes." It's time for the American people to demand that George W. Bush put forward a clear understandable plan for achieving America's goals in Iraq and bringing the vast majority of our troops home by the end of 2006. The time is overdue for a plan with a clarity and vision equal to the valor and sacrifices of America's brave armed forces. Help make that kind of plan a reality by supporting our "20,000 troops home over the holidays" campaign. We're kicking off this vitally important initiative with a clear goal - collecting 20,000 signatures a day each and every day until Thanksgiving. Sign our "20,000 home over the holidays" petition right now: http://www.johnkerry.com/action/20000 It won't be easy to achieve our goal. But, every day that we gather another 20,000 Americans to our side, we'll be upping the pressure on the Bush administration to come up with the concrete, detailed plan for Iraq that our fighting men and women deserve. And, with your help, we won't stop there. We'll place our "20,000 home over the holidays" message on billboards in the home districts of Republican leaders. We'll organize 20,000 letters to the editors in newspapers all across the nation. We'll set up days of action and, in 24 hours, flood Congress and the White House with 20,000 phone calls. We'll run newspaper and radio ads advancing our "20,000 home over the holidays" message. We'll organize personal email campaigns with tens of thousands of people sending "20,000 troops home over the holidays" postcards to their friends and neighbors. Can I count on you to join me in this effort? I hope so - because we can't let the Bush administration's "stay as long as it takes" approach stay in place any longer. Sign our "20,000 home over the holidays" petition right now: http://www.johnkerry.com/action/20000 By galvanizing the American public around our specific goal of responding to the December elections in Iraq with the withdrawal of 20,000 troops, we can put an end, once and for all, to this administration's directionless approach to the disastrous situation that their failures have created in Iraq. The way forward in Iraq is not to pull out precipitously or merely promise to "stay as long as it takes." Neither course does justice to the sacrifices of America's soldiers. To undermine the insurgency, we have to simultaneously pursue both a political settlement and the withdrawal of American combat forces linked to specific, responsible benchmarks. Our "20,000 troops home over the holidays" drive is about taking a first critical step. Upon the completion of the December elections, we can start the process of reducing our forces by withdrawing 20,000 troops over the course of the holidays. You can provide the momentum for this campaign. Sign our "20,000 home over the holidays" petition right now: http://www.johnkerry.com/action/20000 It will be hard for this administration, but it is essential to acknowledge that the insurgency will not be defeated unless our troop levels are drawn down, starting immediately after successful elections in December. The draw down of troops should be tied not to an arbitrary timetable, but to a specific timetable for transfer of political and security responsibility to Iraqis and realignment of our troop deployment. That timetable must be real and strict. The goal should be to withdraw the bulk of American combat forces by the end of 2006. If the administration does its work correctly, that is achievable. If George W. Bush can't achieve this first critical goal, then, at the start of 2006, we will demand that Congress acts to take the decision out of his hands. And, if the Republican Congress fails to call the Bush administration to account, we will use the 2006 elections to take the decision out of their hands. We won't stop until we succeed. Sign our "20,000 home over the holidays" petition right now: http://www.johnkerry.com/action/20000 If we act together - if we drive our message home that America wants "20,000 troops home over the holidays" -- we can make this a real turning point. Let's move forward with the conviction and seriousness of purpose that this moment demands. Sincerely, John Kerry P.S. We've set an ambitious goal of 20,000 signatures a day on our "20,000 troops home over the holidays" petition. We can only get there if you do two things - sign the petition yourself and then forward this email to someone who can be part of tomorrow's 20,000 signatures. Paid for by Friends of John Kerry, Inc.

Hello Friends I guess veterans don't get treated any bettr in Canada than they do here. Read this little peice about how much trouble the veterans of Canada had to go through just to be able to sell their poppies during their annual fund raiser. Vets allowed to distribute poppies in post office Canadian Press WINNIPEG — Veterans have won a battle far removed from the front lines of Europe, Asia and Africa. They've gained the right to sell poppies inside Canada Post offices across the country. The Royal Canadian Legion's annual poppy campaign got off to a rocky start in the northern Manitoba town of The Pas last week when veterans were told they could not sell the familiar red lapel pins inside the post office. "It's like somebody slapped me in the face," Duke Dutkiewicz, chair of the local poppy campaign, said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "It's a Crown corporation. Don't the people of Canada own the bloody thing? "That's what (veterans) went out and fought for, so we would have all these things." Dutkiewicz said the post office had allowed poppy sales in previous years and the change of heart was a surprise. Canada Post said it has always had a policy against letting charities set up on its premises, but the policy was not always enforced and some local offices have allowed poppy sales over the years. "The overall practice of Canada Post has always been to say no to coin boxes on our postal counters," said spokeswoman Teresa Williams of Edmonton. "If you say yes to one (group), you've got many, many others who feel that they are also legitimate organizations that should be allowed to have their coin boxes on our counters." The Pas residents, including the mayor and New Democrat MP Bev Desjarlais, got behind the legion branch. Canada Post changed its mind, averting the potential public relations disaster of engaging in a public spat with veterans in the lead-up to Remembrance Day. "Canada Post is not an ogre. We certainly do listen to the public," Williams said. Canada Post president Moya Greene announced Wednesday that all post offices would be advised to allow poppy sales. But the Crown corporation cautioned the change does not apply to other non-profit groups. "It is going to be difficult, because how does a Crown corporation say yes to some and no to others?" asked Williams. "This is an exception only for the legion. For the other 65,000 charities, we still have the practice of saying no." Williams said Canada Post has honoured veterans in other ways, including special stamps. The dispute has left Dutkiewicz with a bad taste in his mouth. "It would appear that unless Canada Post isn't making a profit on (something), they're not interested," he said. "That really got our feathers ruffled."