Jun 08, 2020

Glossary

Glossary of terms related to Veterans Affairs (VA) Compensation and Pension Exams for PTSD and other mental disorders.

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May 28, 2020

Treatment of Comorbid PTSD & Substance Use Disorders (SUD)

Do veterans with PTSD and a substance use disorder (SUD) need to receive substance abuse treatment first, before they begin PTSD treatment? The answer is ...

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May 27, 2020

Case Law - Pending Veterans Law Cases

On 6 May 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted en banc review in National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Inc. v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (No. 20-1321).

If the Court decides in favor of the National Organization of Veterans Advocates (NOVA), veterans would be able to challenge additions or changes to the M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual that constitute "substantive rules of general applicability".

A win by NOVA would also compel VA to issue "proposed rules", published in the Federal Register and available for public comment, instead of "sneaking" new rules into the M21-1 Manual.

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May 14, 2020

Traditional Masculinity, PTSD Symptom Severity, and Treatment

Discusses article, "Traditional Masculinity Ideology, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptom Severity, and Treatment in Service Members and Veterans"

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May 05, 2020

M-FAST Not Valid for PTSD

Recent research shows that the Miller Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST) does not possess adequate psychometric qualities to be valid for PTSD assessment.

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Apr 28, 2020

Types of Malingering in PTSD

This research, along with previous studies, demonstrates that when individuals exaggerate or feign PTSD symptoms, they do so in a variety of ways, including ...

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Apr 27, 2020

Trauma-Related Drinking to Cope

This study provides further evidence for ...

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Apr 26, 2020

Let's Ask PTSD Patients How to Improve PTSD Treatment

That almost sounds like a radical idea, doesn't it.

I mean, we are the doctors and they are the patients. What do they know?

Actually, patients know a lot, as demonstrated by this very recent peer-reviewed journal article:

Ferrell, Emily L., Sarah E. Russin, and Jennifer T. Grant. “On Being a Client with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Interactions with Treatment Providers and Institutional Barriers.” Journal of Community Psychology, epub ahead of print (8 April 2020).

This research stands out in part for its ...

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Apr 02, 2020

How Much Time Should VA Allocate for C&P Exams?

Questions for VA administrators to ask themselves regarding how much time to allocate for PTSD C&P exams.

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Mar 23, 2020

Supreme Court denies certiorari in Francway v. Wilkie

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit created a "presumption of competency" wherein the Board of Veterans Appeals presumes that VA medical examiners are competent unless the veteran articulates a specific reason to believe otherwise. Plaintiff essentially asked the Supreme Court to eliminate the presumption of competence. The Supreme Court's denial of certiorari does not mean ...

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Mar 19, 2020

Legislative Priorities to Improve Veterans Law

Legislative priorities to properly assist United States military veterans suffering from service-related psychiatric disorders

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Mar 11, 2020

Telemental Disability Exams by Private Practitioners Prohibited

Telemental exams by private psychologists and psychiatrists are prohibited according to the VA Office of Inspector General

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Feb 27, 2020

Francway v. Wilkie

Francway v. Wilkie (2019) is an important veterans law case decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

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Feb 06, 2020

Recommended Reading List for Psychologist & Psychiatrist C&P Examiners

This is a recommended reading list for psychologist and psychiatrist C&P examiners - those who conduct VA claim exams with United States military veterans for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental disorders. (continued ...)

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Feb 06, 2020

Correct VA Medical Records

How to correct VA medical records - if the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) makes a mistake in your medical records, here is how to fix it.

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