Bill Text: NY K00541 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2019, as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month, and June 27, 2019

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-12 - adopted [K00541 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00541-Introduced.html

Assembly Resolution No. 541

BY: M. of A. DenDekker

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        June 2019, as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness
        Month,  and  June 27, 2019, as Post-Traumatic Stress
        Injury Awareness Day in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, All citizens of the United States possess the  basic  human
right to the preservation of personal dignity; and

  WHEREAS, All citizens of the United States deserve the investment of
every  possible  resource  to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and
emotional well-being; and

  WHEREAS, The  diagnosis  known  as  Post-Traumatic  Stress  Disorder
(PTSD)  was  initially  formulated  in  1980 by the American Psychiatric
Association to more  accurately  assess  and  assist  veterans  who  had
endured severe combat stress in Vietnam; and

  WHEREAS,  Combat stress is an invisible wound which has historically
been unjustly portrayed as a mental illness caused by a preexisting flaw
of character or ability, and that the word "disorder" carries  a  stigma
which perpetuates this misconception; and

  WHEREAS,  It  has  been  shown  though electro-magnetic imaging that
these invisible wounds can cause physical changes  to  the  brain  which
more accurately describe an injury than a disorder; and

  WHEREAS,  Referring to invisible wounds as a disorder can discourage
the injured from seeking proper and timely medical treatment; and

  WHEREAS, Referring to  invisible  wounds  as  post-traumatic  stress
injury  (PTSI)  is  less  stigmatizing and viewed as more honorable, and
this designation can favorably influence those  affected  and  encourage
them to seek treatment without fear of retribution or shame; and

  WHEREAS,  Post-traumatic  stress injury can occur following exposure
to extremely traumatic  events  other  than  combat  such  as,  but  not
exclusive  to:  interpersonal  violence,  life-threatening accidents and
natural disasters; and

  WHEREAS, Post-traumatic stress injury satisfying criteria A  through
H  of the diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder in the Diagnostic
Statistical  Manual  deserves  disability  compensation  equal  to  that
allowed for PTSD under the law; and

  WHEREAS,  All  citizens  suffering from post-traumatic stress injury
deserve our compassion and consideration; those brave men and  women  of
the  United States Armed Forces who have received these wounds in action
against an enemy of the United States  further  deserve  our  clear  and
obvious recognition; and

  WHEREAS,  Timely  and appropriate treatment of post-traumatic stress
injury can diminish complications and avert suicides; now, therefore, be
it


  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize  Governor  Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to  proclaim  June  2019,   as
Post-Traumatic  Stress  Injury  Awareness  Month  and  June 27, 2019, as
Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day in the State of New York; and
be it further

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further  to  respectfully
urge  the  Department  of  Health,  the Department of Mental Health, the
Division of Military and Naval Affairs and  the  Division  of  Veterans'
Affairs  to  continue to work to educate the victims of abuse, crime and
natural disasters, service members, veterans and their families, and the
general  public,  about  the  causes,   symptoms,   and   treatment   of
post-traumatic stress injury; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York; and Thomas Mahany, Executive Director, Honor for ALL.
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