Invisible Wounds of War
Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, And Services to Assist Recovery
April 17, 2008 - The RAND Corporation released the first large-scale, nongovernmental assessment of the physiological and cognitive needs of military service members who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) over the past six years. The report is funded by a grant from the Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund, administered by the California Community Foundation.
The report is one of the most comprehensive analysis that assesses the capacity of the current health care system to treat veterans, and to estimate the potential costs to provide quality health care to all military members in need.
Some of the findings include:
- Of the 1.6 million U.S. troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, one in five returning military service members -- or 300,000 -- report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. Yet only slightly more than half of these have sought treatment.
- Nineteen percent of returning service members report experiencing a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent reporting both a probable brain injury and current PTSD or major depression.
- PTSD and depression among returning service members is estimated to cost the nation $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment.
The report also contains strategies to help combat the problem, including finding ways to help veterans gain access to the civilian mental health providers, standardizing and enhancing the current mental healthcare system, and investing in early treatment.
To learn more about this initiative, visit the Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund page.
For more information about the RAND report, contact the RAND Corporation at (703) 413-1100.
Download the complete report.
 Los Angeles On the Leading Edge
Immigrant Integration Indicators and Their Policy Implications
April 16, 2008 - The Migration Policy Institute released Los Angeles on the Leading Edge, a report funded by the California Community Foundation that analyzes demographic trends among immigrant populations in Los Angles County and nationwide.
Some of the findings include:
- Nearly half of L.A.'s workforce is foreign-born
- One-third of adults in L.A. are English Language Learners
- More than 40 percent of all students in Los Angeles schools are English Language Learners, with the majority of them U.S. citizens.
Detailing the need for coordinated integration strategies and policies, the report sheds light on how to integrate the millions of immigrants into the social, civic and economic fabric of society. “The only way we can tap immigrants’ full potential to improve Los Angeles County’s competitiveness is through social integration, economic mobility, educational opportunity and civic engagement," said Antonia Hernández, president and chief executive officer of the California Community Foundation.
For more information, contact Director of Civic Engagement Virginia Mosqueda at
(213) 413-4130. |
