Conference Aims to Help Returning War Vets With Mental Issues

The National Alliance on Mental Illness/Orange County's second Veterans Front Line Conference--which sheds light on the "gathering storm" of thousands of U.S. military service personnel returning to the States with depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)--runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Kaiser Permanente hospital on Sand Canyon just north of the 405 freeway in Irvine.

Suicide rates are rising among returning troops, and military leaders are warning civilian psychiatric care providers of a looming mental-health crisis, claim NAMI organizers, who created the conference to help distribute information, resources and support to veterans and their loved ones. Pastors, police officers and other community members who routinely deal with depressed or mentally taxed vets are also encouraged to attend.

Topics to be addressed include: PTSD, depression, suicide and traumatic brain injury. Veterans and members of their families will share their stories, and there will be a special Orange County Community Court presentation on the special legal needs of returning vets with issues. Call (714) 544-8488, email here or visit namioc.org for more information.