National PTS Awareness Month

General News
June is National Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) Awareness Month, an important time to open up the dialogue about PTS so that those living with these invisible wounds do not feel alone in their struggle. According to the National Center for PTS, approximately 15% of Post-9/11 Veterans and 30% of Vietnam Veterans have grappled with PTS upon returning home.
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee has worked closely with Congreswsman Gus Bilirakis to improve access to quality treatment and care for our nation’s heroes. This bill, known as the COVER Act, was signed into law last year and recognizes that one size does not fit all when it comes to mental health care for Veterans. The legislation promotes alternative therapies so that Veterans suffering with PTS and other mental health conditions have a range of options, like service dog therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and more.
PTS can happen to anybody who experiences a trauma, affecting about 8 million adults across the country. National PTS Awareness Month is a poignant reminder that seeking treatment for PTS is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and commitment to a happy, healthy life

About Jeff Cavanagh

Jeff Cavanagh spent his freshman year at St. Petersburg Junior College back in the early 70s before enlisting in the United States Navy. Soon after, he attended Jacksonville University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After college, he was commissioned and became a qualified Surface Warfare Officer spending the next 22 years honing his skills as a ship-handler and expert recruiter before retiring in 1994. Jeff expresses a deep sense of pride in St. Petersburg College due to connections that go back many years. His father, Tom Cavanagh, was a career Air Force fighter pilot and combat veteran who taught Geography and Western Civilization at St. Petersburg Junior College in the 60’s and 70’s.