The passage and signing into law of the PACT (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) Act is a welcome measure in support of veterans who for years have been exposed to toxic substances due to the practice of burn pits. “The bipartisan efforts of Congress to pass this bill and its signing by President Biden will lead to enhanced care for our veterans,” said Tom Dabertin, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the National Headache Foundation (NHF).
The Act will enhance that care by adding 31 new health clinics and eliminating the roadblocks and pitfalls that Veterans have previously encountered when seeking treatment for the problems caused by burn pits, especially headaches.
The NHF joined with other headache organizations and Veterans’ groups to support the passage of the legislation. The NHF also launched Operation Brainstorm earlier this year, creating a comprehensive outreach to the Veterans community and to draw attention to the prevalence of migraine and chronic headache amongst Veterans. “We owe those who serve this country a tremendous debt of gratitude and respect; this Act is a key step in the right direction for our veterans,” noted Dabertin.
NHF’s Operation Brainstorm is a multi-faceted health resource initiative for Veterans and active-duty military consisting of the following programs:
- Primary care provider training via the National Headache Foundation’s Primary Care Migraine (PCM) educational program. PCM is available to healthcare providers throughout the VA medical system.
- A series of community listening forms that bring Veterans together to learn about chronic headache and migraine. They will provide service members and Veterans with comprehensive resources and information. These forums will provide opportunities to: ask questions of headache experts; share stories and experiences with others who best understand their unique situation.
- Production and distribution of migraine survival toolkits.
- Sponsoring Veterans Views, a syndicated radio show hosted by Veterans and focusing on issues affecting Veterans.
Dabertin said the National Headache Foundation is partnering with Biohaven Pharmaceuticals on this program. “Given the prevalence of migraine among veterans and active-duty military, there is an unmet need to share more information and elevate the level of discussion about the disease.” He said. “Through this program, we hope to reach and support veteran and military patients and physicians.”
More about Operation Brainstorm can be found at https://headaches.org/operation-brainstorm/