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House Resolution 103 - Introduced
An Act 1designating the twenty-seventh day of June
2as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day and
3the month of June as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury
4Awareness Month.
5WHEREAS, all citizens of the United States possess
6the basic human right to life, liberty, and the pursuit
7of happiness;and
8WHEREAS, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit
9of happiness includes the opportunity for citizens to
10enjoy physical, mental, and emotional well-being;and
11WHEREAS, the diagnosis known as post-traumatic
12stress disorder was first defined by the American
13Psychiatric Association in 1980 to more accurately
14understand and treat veterans who had endured severe
15operational combat stress;and
16WHEREAS, invisible wounds have historically been
17unjustly portrayed as a mental illness caused by a
18preexisting flaw of character or ability, and the word
19“disorder” carries a stigma that perpetuates this
20misconception which can discourage the injured from
21seeking proper and timely medical treatment;and
22WHEREAS, continuing to refer to invisible wounds as
23a disorder perpetuates the stigma of and bias against
24mental illness;and
-1-1WHEREAS, it has been shown through electro-magnetic
2imaging that the invisible wound is more accurately
3described as an injury to the brain which can develop
4into a disorder;and
5WHEREAS, severe post-traumatic stress injury is a
6disabling wound to the brain which can occur following
7exposure to extremely traumatic events such as, but
8not exclusive to, interpersonal violence, combat,
9life-threatening accidents, or natural disasters;and
10WHEREAS, referring to the condition as
11post-traumatic stress injury is less stigmatizing
12and viewed as more honorable, and this designation
13can favorably influence those affected and encourage
14them to seek treatment without fear of retribution or
15shame;and
16WHEREAS, all citizens suffering post-traumatic
17stress injuries deserve our compassion and
18consideration and those brave men and women of the
19United States Armed Forces who have received these
20wounds in operational action against an enemy of the
21United States further deserve our special tribute and
22acknowledgment;and
23WHEREAS, post-traumatic stress injury is a disabling
24yet reversible wound that is treatable, and timely
25treatment can diminish complications and prevent
26suicides among the injured;NOW THEREFORE,
27BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
28That the Iowa House of Representatives designates the
29twenty-seventh day of June each year as Post-Traumatic
30Stress Injury Awareness Day;and
-2- 1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of
2Representatives designates the month of June as
3Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month;and
4BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of
5Representatives urges the Iowa Department of Public
6Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs to
7continue working to educate victims of interpersonal
8violence, combat, life-threatening accidents, or
9natural disasters and their families, as well as
10the general public, about the causes, symptoms, and
11treatment of post-traumatic stress injuries;and
12BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
13Resolution be transmitted to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
14for appropriate proclamation and execution and to
15Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate for appropriate
16publication and preservation.
-3-ec/rn
An Act 1designating the twenty-seventh day of June
2as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day and
3the month of June as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury
4Awareness Month.
5WHEREAS, all citizens of the United States possess
6the basic human right to life, liberty, and the pursuit
7of happiness;and
8WHEREAS, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit
9of happiness includes the opportunity for citizens to
10enjoy physical, mental, and emotional well-being;and
11WHEREAS, the diagnosis known as post-traumatic
12stress disorder was first defined by the American
13Psychiatric Association in 1980 to more accurately
14understand and treat veterans who had endured severe
15operational combat stress;and
16WHEREAS, invisible wounds have historically been
17unjustly portrayed as a mental illness caused by a
18preexisting flaw of character or ability, and the word
19“disorder” carries a stigma that perpetuates this
20misconception which can discourage the injured from
21seeking proper and timely medical treatment;and
22WHEREAS, continuing to refer to invisible wounds as
23a disorder perpetuates the stigma of and bias against
24mental illness;and
-1-1WHEREAS, it has been shown through electro-magnetic
2imaging that the invisible wound is more accurately
3described as an injury to the brain which can develop
4into a disorder;and
5WHEREAS, severe post-traumatic stress injury is a
6disabling wound to the brain which can occur following
7exposure to extremely traumatic events such as, but
8not exclusive to, interpersonal violence, combat,
9life-threatening accidents, or natural disasters;and
10WHEREAS, referring to the condition as
11post-traumatic stress injury is less stigmatizing
12and viewed as more honorable, and this designation
13can favorably influence those affected and encourage
14them to seek treatment without fear of retribution or
15shame;and
16WHEREAS, all citizens suffering post-traumatic
17stress injuries deserve our compassion and
18consideration and those brave men and women of the
19United States Armed Forces who have received these
20wounds in operational action against an enemy of the
21United States further deserve our special tribute and
22acknowledgment;and
23WHEREAS, post-traumatic stress injury is a disabling
24yet reversible wound that is treatable, and timely
25treatment can diminish complications and prevent
26suicides among the injured;NOW THEREFORE,
27BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
28That the Iowa House of Representatives designates the
29twenty-seventh day of June each year as Post-Traumatic
30Stress Injury Awareness Day;and
-2- 1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of
2Representatives designates the month of June as
3Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month;and
4BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of
5Representatives urges the Iowa Department of Public
6Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs to
7continue working to educate victims of interpersonal
8violence, combat, life-threatening accidents, or
9natural disasters and their families, as well as
10the general public, about the causes, symptoms, and
11treatment of post-traumatic stress injuries;and
12BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
13Resolution be transmitted to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
14for appropriate proclamation and execution and to
15Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate for appropriate
16publication and preservation.
-3-ec/rn