The Root, Published By: Jessica Washington
It probably won’t surprise our readers that racial discrimination exists even within ostensibly neutral organizations like the Department of Veterans Affairs. But a newly resurfaced report obtained by NBC News may provide some cold hard evidence.
According to NBC News, the report found that Black veterans were more likely to get denied benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder than white veterans.
The data reportedly looked at approvals from 2011 and 2016. Black veterans were denied these benefits 57 percent of the time, while white veterans were denied 43 percent of the time. What’s worse, research has found that Black veterans actually suffer higher rates of PTSD.
These awards aren’t just about acknowledging the pain and suffering of war veterans. Veterans awarded benefits for PTSD can qualify for special health care coverage, financial compensation, and treatment specific to PTSD.
For people suffering from PTSD, getting help can be the difference between life and death. Read more
