The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog.
To the Editor:
I am strongly against the two current bills mentioned in the media that would expand accessible parking permits to new groups.
As the current rules make clear, the accessible spaces are needed for individuals with physical conditions who need closest parking to get to stores, restaurants, medical facilities. The spaces are crucial for wheelchair-using people, who need the wider access aisles that are part of the accessible parking places to drop down their van ramps and have room to turn off the ramp.
The bills have not been thought out and are "feel good" bills, written without understanding of the issues I am describing.There is no need for those with PTSD, autistic people, or caregivers of disabled people to receive the placards. Instead of the care givers, the placard must be issued to the one who needs it, as is current law. The placard can go with that person to the driver's vehicle while the disabled person is in the vehicle. It would be tempting for care givers to park in the spaces even when they are not transporting a person with a disability.
PTSD does not require an accessible space. If the veteran has a physical disability, he or she can get a permit based on that fact.The same is true for people with autism.
Please remember the legal requirement under the New Jersey and federal law,(Americans with Disabilities Act , ADA) to provide parking for those with physical needs that prevent them from accessing places without those essential parking spaces.
We need much better enforcement of the mandated fines of $250 for first offenses; towing is also a legal punishment. Police should check that a disabled person with a required "disabled person's ID" card is using the space. If he or she loans the placard to someone not eligible, the placard can be confiscated!
As with spots set aside for pregnant drivers, a second tier for the proposed classes could be provided as a courtesy, but not in the legally reserved spaces under our current accessible parking laws.
All legislators should read the excellent N.J. Guide to Accessible Parking and refuse to pass the proposed laws.
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dds/home/Guide%20to%20Accessible%20Parking-Web.pdf
Sincerely,
Carolyn Schwebel, Director
"Equalizers, "Advocates for People with Disabilities"
Showing posts with label PTSD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PTSD. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Unbroken Warriors Walk To Awareness For PTSD
PRESS RELEASE:
April 27th, 2017
Michael Dowens will do his second extended ruck march to raise money and awareness for PTSD to take place the morning of Wednesday May 31, 2017 and go to the evening of June 3, 2017. More details to follow about the send off ceremony and the homecoming ceremony.
Dowens, now a Holmdel police officer, is an honorably discharged Navy veteran plagued with PTSD. He and his wife Christine founded Unbroken Warriors to help veterans cover their costs for receive residential level mental health interventions specially designed for PTSD.
Michael Dowens and his nonprofit Unbroken Warriors is hoping to help other afflicted veterans by walking 240 miles nonstop over four days from Washington, D.C. to New Jersey. His ruck march last year was displayed on social media in real time and raised $30,000. This year he hopes to match that. Donations can be made on the website or mailed to Unbroken Warriors PO Box 141, Holmdel, NJ 07733. www.unbrokenwarriors.org
April 27th, 2017
 |
| Michael Dowens |
Dowens, now a Holmdel police officer, is an honorably discharged Navy veteran plagued with PTSD. He and his wife Christine founded Unbroken Warriors to help veterans cover their costs for receive residential level mental health interventions specially designed for PTSD.
Michael Dowens and his nonprofit Unbroken Warriors is hoping to help other afflicted veterans by walking 240 miles nonstop over four days from Washington, D.C. to New Jersey. His ruck march last year was displayed on social media in real time and raised $30,000. This year he hopes to match that. Donations can be made on the website or mailed to Unbroken Warriors PO Box 141, Holmdel, NJ 07733. www.unbrokenwarriors.org
Friday, September 16, 2016
Letter to Editor: NJ allows Medical Marijuana for PTSD
The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog:
Dear Editor,
New Jersey has now recognized medical cannabis as a legitimate treatment for PTSD. Since even before my 2011 arrest in Middletown Township (Monmouth County) I was a high profile advocate for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Medical Cannabis.
Unfortunately while the law has changed, patients such as myself who were wronged are not being compensated.
I was pulled out of a car late at night, handcuffed to a pipe in a cold room for hours, and robbed of my medicine by arrogant police officers who sought to intimidate and generate fine revenue in a municipal court where the Municipal Judge, Richard Thompson, has since been suspended due to alleged corruption.
It is fine to say now that as PTSD patients we are recognized as seriously-ill people in need of cannabis. But my California doctor already told the court as much and no one cared to listen.
A state apology and a lifetime supply of free medicine is what must be provided by the State of New Jersey to patients victimized by the unjust laws of the day.
Rev. Dr. Eric Hafner
Toms River, NJ
Dear Editor,
New Jersey has now recognized medical cannabis as a legitimate treatment for PTSD. Since even before my 2011 arrest in Middletown Township (Monmouth County) I was a high profile advocate for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Medical Cannabis.
Unfortunately while the law has changed, patients such as myself who were wronged are not being compensated.
I was pulled out of a car late at night, handcuffed to a pipe in a cold room for hours, and robbed of my medicine by arrogant police officers who sought to intimidate and generate fine revenue in a municipal court where the Municipal Judge, Richard Thompson, has since been suspended due to alleged corruption.
It is fine to say now that as PTSD patients we are recognized as seriously-ill people in need of cannabis. But my California doctor already told the court as much and no one cared to listen.
A state apology and a lifetime supply of free medicine is what must be provided by the State of New Jersey to patients victimized by the unjust laws of the day.
Rev. Dr. Eric Hafner
Toms River, NJ
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Navy Veteran To Walk From NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial to D.C. to Raise Awareness, Funds for PTSD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5/25/16
Mike Dowens will kick off the three-day walk from the Memorial on June 2 to raise funds to send a veteran suffering from PTSD to treatment
Holmdel, NJ (May 24, 2016) — Mike Dowens, a Navy veteran, is kicking off a three-day walk from the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Holmdel, NJ, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2016. Dowens suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from his time serving in the Liberia, Somalia and Haiti as a Navy search and rescue swimmer. His goal is to increase awareness about PTSD and raise money through a Go Fund Me campaign to send a veteran in need to The Refuge, a treatment center in Florida where he sought treatment for his own PTSD.
Dowens, 37, will begin his walk the morning of June 2 at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, 1 Memorial Lane, exit 116 off the Garden State Parkway at the PNC Bank Arts Center. He will then take a route on walkable roads to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a total of 237 miles. He will be joined on his walk by another veteran and PTSD sufferer. The two will walk non-stop, pausing only for meals.
After spending four years in the Navy and being honorably discharged in 2006 for asthma he developed while overseas, Dowens felt lost. He felt severe separation from the military and suffered intense symptoms of PTSD for years before he finally sought treatment.
“I struggled with the fact that I wasn’t in the Navy any longer,” said Dowens. “I had survivor’s guilt and tried to get back into the military nine times.”
Dowens knows The Refuge, a PTSD and trauma center in Ocklawaha, Florida, saved his life. And now, he knows he wants to give back.
“While I was in treatment I realized I could serve without going back in the military,” he said. “I could raise money for a veteran to get the same help that I got.”
The walk Dowens is making draws sharp comparison to the Last Patrol, a group of New Jersey Vietnam veterans who walked from the nation's capital in 1989 to the would-be site of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Holmdel to raise awareness, support, and funds for a memorial honoring Vietnam Veterans in New Jersey.
On May 27, 1989, The Last Patrol was greeted with welcome arms by members of the community who had come to pay respect to the efforts of these men as well as to honor the fallen. The message was simple — Welcome Home.
That message spoke volumes to a group of veterans who hadn’t been welcomed home with such open arms. The Vietnam War was unpopular in the United States, and the soldiers felt the brunt of that unpopularity when they returned home. Adjusting to life at home was difficult, and things like PTSD and other health issues were largely ignored. Veterans felt isolated and alone and often didn’t seek treatment.
Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and other recent conflicts have had similar experiences when coming home. PTSD and its treatment are major issues with this group of military veterans, and something difficult to seek help for. It’s something they share with Vietnam Veterans.
“Not all wounds are visible,” said Dowens.
And it’s those invisible wounds Dowens is trying to raise awareness for with his walk. His mission, named Unbroken Warriors, has raised more than $6,000 to date with a goal of $10,000. The funds will send a veteran for PTSD treatment at The Refuge. To donate, click here.
Dowens, who has been a police officer in Holmdel for eight years, will wear a full pack weighing 70 pounds on his walk. He hopes this trek calls attention to the issues that veterans, past and present, are dealing with.
“You don’t have to wear a uniform to serve,” said Dowens.
About New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation
The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, dedicated May 7, 1995, strives to encourage and foster patriotism and provide for recognition of the sacrifices, courage and valor of the New Jersey Veterans of the Vietnam Era. The Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center, dedicated in September 1998, strives to encourage and foster a thorough understanding of the Vietnam era, including the political, historical, social, cultural and military aspects that affected the United States, especially New Jersey. For more information, visit www.njvvmf.org.
5/25/16
Mike Dowens will kick off the three-day walk from the Memorial on June 2 to raise funds to send a veteran suffering from PTSD to treatment
Holmdel, NJ (May 24, 2016) — Mike Dowens, a Navy veteran, is kicking off a three-day walk from the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Holmdel, NJ, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2016. Dowens suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from his time serving in the Liberia, Somalia and Haiti as a Navy search and rescue swimmer. His goal is to increase awareness about PTSD and raise money through a Go Fund Me campaign to send a veteran in need to The Refuge, a treatment center in Florida where he sought treatment for his own PTSD.
Dowens, 37, will begin his walk the morning of June 2 at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, 1 Memorial Lane, exit 116 off the Garden State Parkway at the PNC Bank Arts Center. He will then take a route on walkable roads to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a total of 237 miles. He will be joined on his walk by another veteran and PTSD sufferer. The two will walk non-stop, pausing only for meals.
After spending four years in the Navy and being honorably discharged in 2006 for asthma he developed while overseas, Dowens felt lost. He felt severe separation from the military and suffered intense symptoms of PTSD for years before he finally sought treatment.
“I struggled with the fact that I wasn’t in the Navy any longer,” said Dowens. “I had survivor’s guilt and tried to get back into the military nine times.”
Dowens knows The Refuge, a PTSD and trauma center in Ocklawaha, Florida, saved his life. And now, he knows he wants to give back.
“While I was in treatment I realized I could serve without going back in the military,” he said. “I could raise money for a veteran to get the same help that I got.”
The walk Dowens is making draws sharp comparison to the Last Patrol, a group of New Jersey Vietnam veterans who walked from the nation's capital in 1989 to the would-be site of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Holmdel to raise awareness, support, and funds for a memorial honoring Vietnam Veterans in New Jersey.
On May 27, 1989, The Last Patrol was greeted with welcome arms by members of the community who had come to pay respect to the efforts of these men as well as to honor the fallen. The message was simple — Welcome Home.
That message spoke volumes to a group of veterans who hadn’t been welcomed home with such open arms. The Vietnam War was unpopular in the United States, and the soldiers felt the brunt of that unpopularity when they returned home. Adjusting to life at home was difficult, and things like PTSD and other health issues were largely ignored. Veterans felt isolated and alone and often didn’t seek treatment.
Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and other recent conflicts have had similar experiences when coming home. PTSD and its treatment are major issues with this group of military veterans, and something difficult to seek help for. It’s something they share with Vietnam Veterans.
“Not all wounds are visible,” said Dowens.
And it’s those invisible wounds Dowens is trying to raise awareness for with his walk. His mission, named Unbroken Warriors, has raised more than $6,000 to date with a goal of $10,000. The funds will send a veteran for PTSD treatment at The Refuge. To donate, click here.
Dowens, who has been a police officer in Holmdel for eight years, will wear a full pack weighing 70 pounds on his walk. He hopes this trek calls attention to the issues that veterans, past and present, are dealing with.
“You don’t have to wear a uniform to serve,” said Dowens.
About New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation
The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, dedicated May 7, 1995, strives to encourage and foster patriotism and provide for recognition of the sacrifices, courage and valor of the New Jersey Veterans of the Vietnam Era. The Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center, dedicated in September 1998, strives to encourage and foster a thorough understanding of the Vietnam era, including the political, historical, social, cultural and military aspects that affected the United States, especially New Jersey. For more information, visit www.njvvmf.org.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Rally Being Held Outside Of Middletown Town Hall To Support Medical Cannabis Patient Being Unjustly Prosecuted
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Monmouth Patients Group, a civil rights organization that ad vocates on behalf of Medical Cannabis Patients in Monmouth County will be holding a rally against the unjust prosecution of PTSD Patient, Eric Hafner outside the Middletown Municipal Court located at 1 Kings Hwy, Middletown at 8am on Monday, March 12th 2012.
The rally will go until 8:30am when court goes into session and supporters will join Mr. Hafner in the courtroom. In late November, Mr. Hafner was charged with Possession of Marijuana under 50 grams (lowest personal possession charge) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Medical Marijuana Pipe) after a traffic stop in which he was a passenger.
Mr. Hafner suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe psychiatric disorder that can develop after exposure to an event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individual's ability to cope. Patients suffering from PTSD have a highly increased risk of suicide.
While Medical Marijuana has been legal in New Jersey since 2010, the state government has failed to get the program up and running. As a result, no patients have been given the safe, legal access to their medicine as intended by the legislature and patients continue to be arrested as the state has not yet issued a single ID card to allow patients to demonstrate their medical status to law enforcement.
Under the law, 8 illnesses were initially listed as qualifying conditions with the Department of Health and Senior Services being given the power to add additional illnesses at anytime. Unfortunately, the administrative regulations (written by the department, not a part of the actual law) arbitrarily require that patients wait 2 years prior to being able to file a petition with the department to cover an additional illness despite the fact patients are sick now, not 2 years from now.
While New Jersey did not specifically list PTSD under the initial law, Delaware was sure to do so in their law (passed right after and modeled on NJ's law) and New Mexico added PTSD to their list of qualifying conditions after a panel of medical experts reviewed a petition filed with the New Mexico Dept. of Health and determined that Medical Marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD.
After his arrest in New Jersey, Mr. Hafner moved to Los Angeles, California and is recognized by the State of California as a legal Medical Marijuana Patient as per the recommendation of his doctor. The Monmouth Patients group is demanding that the charges against Mr. Hafner be dropped, that his medicine be returned to him and that the State of New Jersey stops arresting Medical Marijuana Patients. A recent Rutgers-Eagleton Poll (Nov 2011) found that 86% of New Jersey voters support legal Medical Marijuana.
Contact:
Charles Kwiatkowski, President & MS Patient
Monmouth Patients Group
732-500-1692
watzupchuck@aol.com
http://www.monmouthpatientsgroup.blogspot.com
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Monmouth Patients Group, a civil rights organization that ad vocates on behalf of Medical Cannabis Patients in Monmouth County will be holding a rally against the unjust prosecution of PTSD Patient, Eric Hafner outside the Middletown Municipal Court located at 1 Kings Hwy, Middletown at 8am on Monday, March 12th 2012.
The rally will go until 8:30am when court goes into session and supporters will join Mr. Hafner in the courtroom. In late November, Mr. Hafner was charged with Possession of Marijuana under 50 grams (lowest personal possession charge) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Medical Marijuana Pipe) after a traffic stop in which he was a passenger.
Mr. Hafner suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe psychiatric disorder that can develop after exposure to an event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individual's ability to cope. Patients suffering from PTSD have a highly increased risk of suicide.
While Medical Marijuana has been legal in New Jersey since 2010, the state government has failed to get the program up and running. As a result, no patients have been given the safe, legal access to their medicine as intended by the legislature and patients continue to be arrested as the state has not yet issued a single ID card to allow patients to demonstrate their medical status to law enforcement.
Under the law, 8 illnesses were initially listed as qualifying conditions with the Department of Health and Senior Services being given the power to add additional illnesses at anytime. Unfortunately, the administrative regulations (written by the department, not a part of the actual law) arbitrarily require that patients wait 2 years prior to being able to file a petition with the department to cover an additional illness despite the fact patients are sick now, not 2 years from now.
While New Jersey did not specifically list PTSD under the initial law, Delaware was sure to do so in their law (passed right after and modeled on NJ's law) and New Mexico added PTSD to their list of qualifying conditions after a panel of medical experts reviewed a petition filed with the New Mexico Dept. of Health and determined that Medical Marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD.
After his arrest in New Jersey, Mr. Hafner moved to Los Angeles, California and is recognized by the State of California as a legal Medical Marijuana Patient as per the recommendation of his doctor. The Monmouth Patients group is demanding that the charges against Mr. Hafner be dropped, that his medicine be returned to him and that the State of New Jersey stops arresting Medical Marijuana Patients. A recent Rutgers-Eagleton Poll (Nov 2011) found that 86% of New Jersey voters support legal Medical Marijuana.
Contact:
Charles Kwiatkowski, President & MS Patient
Monmouth Patients Group
732-500-1692
watzupchuck@aol.com
http://www.monmouthpatientsgroup.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 28, 2010
President Obama's Weekly Address 8/28/10: The End of Combat Operations in Iraq
With the end of combat operations in Iraq days ahead, the President salutes our troops for their service and pledges to fulfill America’s commitment to them as veterans. 90,000 troops have left Iraq since the President came into office, and by the end of next year even the troops taking part in the non-combat mission will be home. The administration is upholding the sacred trust with our veterans by building a 21st century VA, making it easier for veterans with PTSD to receive the benefits they need, funding and implementing a Post-9/11 GI Bill, and devoting new resources to job training and placement to help those veterans looking for work in a tough economy.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
President Obama's Weekly Address 7/10/10: Help for Vets with PTSD
President Obama announces that the Department of Veterans Affairs, led by Secretary Shinseki, will begin making it easier for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to receive the benefits and treatment they need.
For more on what the White House is doing for our Veterans see >>> Here
For more on what the White House is doing for our Veterans see >>> Here
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