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The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is set to host a commemorative event for Purple Heart Day on August 3rd, 2024, at the historic Fort Harrison in downtown Clearwater. The event aims to honor U.S. military personnel and veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal, while also addressing the critical issue of military suicides and mental health treatments.
The Purple Heart Medal, which traces its origins back to George Washington’s 1782 Badge of Military Merit, is the oldest military award still presented to U.S. service personnel. It is awarded to those wounded or killed in action, serving as a symbol of sacrifice and valor.
The upcoming event will feature a formal presentation by the MacDill Air Force Color Guard, showcasing their impressive close-order presentation drilling skills. Several speakers are scheduled to discuss the pressing issue of military suicides and highlight available support networks and solutions.
This event comes at a time when concerns about mental health treatments for veterans are mounting. A Freedom of Information Act request filed by CCHR’s international headquarters in July 2021 revealed alarming statistics about psychotropic drug prescriptions among veterans. The Veterans Health Administration’s response showed that between 2015 and 2019, the administration spent over $2.4 billion on psychotropic drugs, with 4.2 million veterans taking these medications in 2019 alone.
Of particular concern is the fact that 1.75 million veterans, representing 41% of those prescribed psychiatric drugs, were given antidepressants, which are typically used to treat PTSD and depression. Diane Stein, President of CCHR Florida, expressed concern about the reliance on drugs and electroshock as recommended treatments for veterans, stating, ‘We are doing a great disservice to veterans when drugs and electroshock are the recommended treatments.’
The CCHR, an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting mental health human rights, argues that the term ‘treatment-resistant depression’ is misleading and shifts blame onto patients rather than acknowledging the failure of certain treatments. The organization advocates for more effective and less harmful approaches to addressing veterans’ mental health needs.
This Purple Heart Day event serves as a platform to not only honor the sacrifices of military personnel but also to spark a crucial conversation about the mental health challenges faced by veterans and the need for more effective, less invasive treatment options. By bringing these issues to the forefront, CCHR Florida aims to contribute to improved mental health care for those who have served their country.
The event, which is complimentary, will begin with a reception at 5 pm, followed by a banquet at 5:30 pm. Families of Purple Heart recipients are also welcome to attend, fostering a sense of community and support for those affected by military service.
As the nation grapples with the ongoing challenges of veteran mental health and the high rates of suicide among military personnel, events like this play a crucial role in raising awareness and promoting dialogue about alternative approaches to mental health care for veterans. The CCHR’s efforts to shed light on the extensive use of psychotropic drugs among veterans underscore the need for a reevaluation of current treatment practices and the exploration of more holistic, less pharmacologically dependent methods of support for those who have served.
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