Traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress treatments.

Plain English Breakdown

The resolution does not specify the exact form of new laws Congress should pass but requests them broadly.

Resolution for Better Treatment of Brain Injuries and Stress Disorders

This resolution asks Congress to pass laws providing veterans with access to treatments for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

What This Bill Does

• Requests that Congress enact legislation providing veterans' access to treatments for TBI and PTSD, including the Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Act.
• Encourages other legislation improving or authorizing access to therapies like physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy, speech therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
• Requests that the Veteran's Administration (VA) expand and improve efforts to treat TBI and PTSD.

Who It Names or Affects

• Veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Congress, which is asked to pass new laws for veterans' treatment access.
• The Veteran's Administration (VA), which is requested to improve its efforts in treating TBI and PTSD.

Terms To Know

Traumatic Brain Injury

A type of brain injury that can happen from a blow or jolt to the head, causing physical damage to brain tissue.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event.

Limits and Unknowns

• The resolution does not create new laws but asks Congress to do so.
• It relies on the VA and Congress to take action based on this request.
• The effectiveness of treatments like hyperbaric oxygen therapy is still being studied.

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 21LSO-0017
Bill No.:

HJ0001

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

21LSO-0017

Enrolled Act No.:

HEJR No. 0001

Chapter No.:

N/A

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress treatments.

Subject:

Supporting expanded and improved treatments for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Summary/Major Elements:

This resolution requests that Congress swiftly enact legislation providing for veterans' access to treatments for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, including the Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Act and any other legislation improving or authorizing access to important therapies, counseling, research and development.

The resolution specifies that treatments for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder can include more than medication and counseling, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy, speech therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The resolution furnishes data regarding veteran
traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicides.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

21LSO-0017

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
JOINT RESOLUTION
.
HJ0001

ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session

A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress to enact legislation and requesting that the Veteran's Administration work to expand and improve efforts to treat traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

WHEREAS, national veteran suicide crises data indicate that as many as twenty-two (22) veterans die by suicide every day; and

WHEREAS, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder can be causes of suicide; and

WHEREAS, data collected from 2000 to 2019 from Department of Defense numbers for Active, Guard and Reserve members in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, indicate that for all severities of traumatic brain injuries, a total of four hundred thirteen thousand eight hundred fifty-eight (413,858) service members suffer from traumatic brain injuries; and

WHEREAS, the number of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder varies by service era but ranges from about eleven percent (11%) to about thirty percent (30%); and

WHEREAS, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder both involve physical injury to brain tissue; and

WHEREAS, current standards of care approved for veterans for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder focus on medication and counseling; and

WHEREAS, additional treatments, vocational counseling and rehabilitation therapies exist that have been clinically proven to mitigate symptoms and improve recovery when used alone or integrated with counseling. Additional therapies to
treat traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder include physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy, speech therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy; and

WHEREAS, hyperbaric oxygen therapy couples hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment, which promotes oxygen for healing and restoring injured brain tissue, together with counseling; and

WHEREAS, access to a variety of treatments improves a veteran's opportunities for healing and recovery; and

WHEREAS, the Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Act (2019 S. 2504/H.R. 4370) will require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to a veteran suffering from traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:

Section 1.

That the Wyoming Legislature requests that Congress swiftly enact legislation providing for veterans' access to treatments for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder that include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, such as the Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Act and any other legislation improving or authorizing access to other important therapies and counseling and legislation fostering research and development of additional therapies.

Section 2.

That the Wyoming Secretary of State transmit copies of this resolution to the Wyoming Congressional Delegation and the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1