Last year at this time, the national spotlight was on Fort Campbell, with reports of 13 confirmed or suspected suicides. That number is significantly lower this year, thanks to new programs, new initiatives and the base’s extensive education and awareness efforts. To mark the one-year anniversary of the division-wide suicide stand-down initiative, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, together with the National Alliance for Mental Illnesses (NAMI) and Nashville Public Television (NPT), is hosting the National Alliance for Mental Illnesses’ 3rd annual “Healing the Hidden Wounds” Symposium, a two-day event to raise awareness of available post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resources for active military, veterans and families.
Outside mental health providers, educators, military families, service personnel and interested members of the public are invited to attend the free Symposium on May 11 and 12, 2010 at Cole Park Commons at Fort Campbell. Due to base access restrictions, participants and media must register in advance at www.namitn.org and click on the “Healing the Hidden Wounds” logo.
Attendees at the event will experience the world renowned state-of-the-art resources being used through the warrior recovery unit at Fort Campbell, and get to step into a soldier’s shoes in the Warrior Experience Tour. Keynote speakers for event are COL Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, MD, MPH, Adult and Forensic Psychiatrist, Director, Behavioral Health Proponentcy; and Brigadier General Richard W. Thomas, Assistant Surgeon General for Force Projection.
The symposium will also include segments of the forthcoming documentary, The Misunderstood Epidemic: Depression, an intimate look at how depression affects its victims and their families. It airs on NPT-Channel 8, Monday, May 17, 2010 at 9:00pm. and PBS stations nationwide (check listings).
