By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
More money has been set aside for a treatment seen as effective for Missouri military members and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
State Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe sponsored the legislation setting aside $4.3 million to pay for the treatment.
“And there’s a clinic in north Kansas City providing this service to veterans, first responders at no cost,” Black tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s about a four-week treatment and it’s been very successful. Matter of fact, the clinic in north Kansas City – there’s 116 clinics in the world – and they were number one, in the world, with treatment outcomes for the last two quarters.”
Black has been a champion of the treatment ever since facing the problem close to home. Black says he and his wife went out of state to get treatment for their son who returned from an overseas military mission suffering from PTSD and alcoholism, threatening to take his life.
“This was a form of treatment that we found in Texas at a facility that made a tremendous amount of difference for our son and he’s a strong advocate for it,” Black says. “And I believe we’re seeing all kinds of proof where this is a very good benefit – and it doesn’t mean that there are not other good treatments – but this is one I sure have my heart and mind set on.”
Another clinic is opening in Lee’s Summit and plans call for a mobile unit to be funded to serve rural Missouri.
“We probably can’t start a clinic in every community, because there’s not enough people to be able to sustain that,” Black says. “But, if we can start a mobile unit that can move around rural parts of the state and help veterans and first responders, it’s very valuable.”
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