What We’re Reading: Aug. 17, 2015

Associated Press

Soldier's journey to heal spotlights 'soul wounds' of war

While the idea of warriors feeling remorse over battlefield horrors is not new, moral injury – produces extreme guilt and shame from something done or witnessed that goes against one's values or may even be a crime – has gained more attention following the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as mental health providers point to it as a reason why veterans aren’t improving with PTSD treatments. More than 390,000 veterans of those conflicts have sought help through the VA for PTSD. — Julie Watson

Related: Associated Press, “Questions and answers about the war wound, ‘moral injury;’” The New York Times, “The V.A.'s Woman Problem”

The Hill

States shift healthcare dollars; activists cry foul

States are shifting dollars they once spent on children’s health into roadways and tax cuts, raising fears for advocates that important healthcare programs could lose their funding. Kansas, Indiana and California are among the states looking to relocate money away from their Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) as the federal government begins picking up more of the tab this year. — Sarah Ferris

MinnPost

25 years after the ADA, those with hidden disabilities still work for equal protection

When the Americans With Disabilities Act was passed 25 years ago, many people may have assumed that the law was written only to protect the rights of people with physical disabilities. But that’s never been the case, said Cindy Held Tarshish, ADA Minnesota program manager for the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. The ADA is an inclusive piece of legislation, she pointed out, that also provides legal protections for Americans with hidden disabilities, including mental illness and addiction disorders. — Andy Steiner

Related: University of Pennsylvania-Wharton, “The ADA at 25: Important Gains, but Gaps Remain”

NPR

When Rehab Might Help An Addict – But Insurance Won't Cover It

A couple of parents who lost their son to a heroin overdose are pointing out that drug addiction doesn’t tend to be treated like a disease in the United States, which means that when drug users want to get treatment, health insurance coverage often comes up short. And until the prevailing thinking changes, these parents say, progress will only be made on the edges. — Ben Allen, WITF

WAMU

Uber Does Not Serve Disabled People, Say D.C. Advocates

Whether Uber is a tech or transport company may ultimately not matter, according to Clyde Terry, a member of the National Council on Disability, a government agency that advises the president and congress. “The ADA applies to both classifications,” Terry said. “The question is whether the ride-sharing companies are actually public accommodations. If they are, then they are covered by Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.” Terry contends that Uber and its competitors would be better off complying with the law than fighting litigation. — Martin Di Caro

The Washington Post

In heroin fight, White House will push treatment

As heroin overdoses and deaths soar in many parts of the nation, the White House plans to announce today (August 17) an initiative that will for the first time pair public health and law enforcement in an effort to shift the emphasis from punishment to treatment. “Our approach needs to be broad and inclusive,” a senior White House official said. “Law enforcement is only one part of what really needs to be a comprehensive public health, public safety approach.” — Marc Fisher

Related: The New York Times, “White House Program to Aim at Combating Rise in Heroin Deaths;” Associated Press, “Federal grant to help pregnant women battling addiction.”

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