More than 60% of recently discharged New York State veterans suffered a physical or mental disability during their service, and 1 in 4 experience depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, a state-wide finding. This was revealed through an investigation.
The report also found that the rate of suicidal ideation among the veterans surveyed was twice that of the general population.
Of the 1,122 veterans surveyed in the statewide report who were discharged or separated from the military from January 2018 to January 2023, 25% lost their jobs in the past year despite high levels of employment and employment. of respondents said they had addressed food insecurity (about twice the national average). education.
of report The study was commissioned by the nonprofit New York Health Foundation and conducted by RAND, a nonpartisan research organization. Of those surveyed, 62% were under 45 years of age. Approximately 15% were women and nearly 40% were non-white.
What you need to know
- Survey of over 1,100 veterans Recently discharged or separated More than 60 percent return home with a service-connected disability, more than double the number in 2010, according to military research.
- This public opinion poll A study conducted by the New York Health Foundation and the research group RAND found that about 25% of veterans suffer from depression or PTSD.
- Experts said the trends were worrying, but said: It is encouraging to see more veterans coming forward and seeking treatment for mental health issues.
Increased willingness to ask for help
David Sandmann, CEO and chairman of the New York Health Foundation, said that while trends in mental health among veterans are alarming, there are some silver linings.
“There’s a lot more awareness of these situations than there used to be,” Sandman said. “And…the stigma associated with accessing mental health services, which remains a barrier, especially for military personnel, is decreasing. There is a greater willingness to seek help.”
The study recommends expanding access to mental health services and suicide prevention programs for veterans and shows that service members in New York state continue to suffer from a variety of illnesses even after returning to civilian life. are.
For example, nearly 63% of modern veterans report a service-connected mental or physical disability, compared to 30% of veterans back then. RAND 2010 Report About New York Veterans.
Long Island has the highest number of veterans in the state, with Suffolk having about 64,000 current or former active-duty military personnel and Nassau about 45,000, according to one source. 2021 Report From the New York Health Foundation.
Robert Novotny, 37, of Mastic Beach, served in the Marines from 2005 to 2013, serving on tours in Japan and combat missions in Iraq.
Marine Robert Novotny of Mastic Beach, Haditha, Iraq. Credit: Robert Novotny
He was stabbed in the left hand while in military uniform, broke his right hand, fractured his left hip, and now suffers from insomnia, or periods of interrupted sleep, which he attributes to the “irritability” of military service. He thinks it’s his fault. All illnesses are classified by VA as service-connected disabilities.
“If you can get two hours of quality time in a session, that’s great,” said Novotny, who now works in private wealth management. “But usually I’m awake for at least 10 minutes every hour or hour and a half.”
Mental health needs are ‘higher than ever’
The survey asked veterans about mental and physical health needs, access to care, food insecurity, and other factors that can impact well-being.
According to the report, a total of 25% of veterans surveyed had possible depression, 26% had possible PTSD, and 9% said they had considered suicide in the previous year. A 2010 report from RAND states that 1 in 6 people experience depression or PTSD. Survey numbers specific to Long Island veterans were not available.
Approximately 7,000 veterans died by suicide nationwide in 2021, including about 140 in New York state, according to a 2023 report from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Meanwhile, nearly 30% of veterans surveyed said they had at least one binge drinking episode in the past 30 days, and 10% reported frequent binge drinking.
Dr. Amy Williams, chief clinical officer of the Headstrong Project, a Queens-based nonprofit mental health organization that provides PTSD treatment to active and former military personnel, said the clients the organization served last year were He said there were about 250 people, about six times the number 10 years ago. .
“Demand is [for mental health services] Dr. Williams added that many veterans who suffer from depression and PTSD also deal with alcohol abuse and are at high risk for suicide. “And the need for these services has never been greater.”
But Novotny sees the rise in self-reported cases of depression and PTSD as a positive step.
“It’s great to see veterans being open and honest and willing to ask for help,” he said. “I remember going to therapy in 2010 and people calling me weak, but hey, I’m alive.”
combat food insecurity
In total, about 20% of the veterans surveyed in the study rated their health as “fair” or “poor,” and 15% had unmet physical health care needs. 21% said their mental health care needs were unmet.
Patrick Donahue of Islip spent six months serving with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division near burn scars in Afghanistan, where he inhaled pollutants from plastic and human and medical waste that caused non-cancerous brain tumors. He said it became.
Donahue, now a veterans’ attorney and advocate for Project 9 Line, which helps former military members reintegrate into civilian life, said the poll’s results are not surprising, but the possible solutions are a bit unconventional. He said it could become something.
Patrick Donahue of Islip was last seen at a crematorium in Afghanistan in 2011. He now helps ex-servicemen transition back into civilian life. Credit: Patrick Donahue
He said too many doctors impose standard medication regimens on veterinarians with mental health issues, often creating new symptoms and side effects themselves.
“We need a more holistic approach in terms of eating better, exercising more, yoga and meditation,” Donahue says. “Even martial arts and pickleball…these are things that provide long-term health for veterans. They’re more beneficial in the short and long term.”
The problem extends beyond physical and mental health.
Roughly one in four poll respondents said they worried about not having enough money to buy food in the past year, according to a Rand Corporation study.
Island Harvest, a Melville-based food bank, launched Operation: Hope in 2012, a program to support families of overseas veterans and active-duty personnel in need of food assistance.
Randy Shubin Dresner, the nonprofit’s president and chief executive officer, said the organization provides assistance to about 1,000 veterans a month, as support for veterans has expanded. This is a higher level than before the pandemic.
“Long Island has a high level of veteran population,” she said. “Living here and buying groceries costs a lot of money. There’s a story about a veteran we helped. He ate canned corn every day because he couldn’t afford it. There are countless stories of veterans struggling here.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a graduate of Queen’s University and American University.
