Jarboe To Serve On Board For Veterans Post-Traumatic Science & Policy Coalition In Washington DC

Washington DC- Veterans Post-Traumatic Science & Policy Coalition is pleased to announce that Melissa Jarboe has joined the Coalition.

Jarboe is the Founder of the Military Veteran Project, a military charity created in 2012 to carry on her husband SSG Jamie Jarboe's dying wish to care for his soldiers, she serves as an advisor for Senator Moran's Military Service Academy Board, is a board member of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Military Relations Council and advisor to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

"It is my privilege to serve on the coalition to continue to influence and create change for our returning service members in the efforts of military suicide prevention. I have had the privilege of creating change in my hometown of Topeka, Kansas and I look forward to the continuation of change in Washington DC on a larger scale with the unity efforts of the members of the coalition." said Jarboe.

Veterans Post-Traumatic Science & Policy Coalition
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The objective of the Coalition is to improve treatment of service members and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and facilitate development of PTSD drug therapies by securing federal institutional support and funding for PTSD research at the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD).

Department of Veterans Affairs

The Coalition will help develop and implement new VA policies to spur better treatment and care for veterans suffering from PTSD. The Coalition will work with the VA on immediate improvements to VA public-private partnerships for:

• Developing and validating PTSD and TBI biomarkers and diagnostics;
• Providing research access to PTSD datasets;
• Providing institution-wide support for PTSD clinical trials, particularly at the VA’s National Center for PTSD Clinical Neuroscience Division;
• Improving messaging of relevant policies and practice guidelines; and,
• Providing up-to-date education around clinical trial endpoints and drug therapy options.

The Coalition will seek renewed investment in VA-funded PTSD research and an expansion in the types of research supported.  One potential avenue would be to secure inclusion of treatment of PTSD in the VA’s Center for Innovation (VACI) Industry Competition, as VACI funding is not limited to internal VA staff and could increase available funds for private or translational research. This would signal to the private sector that the VA is serious about supporting new therapies.

Department of Defense

The Coalition will seek institutional reforms that improve the ability of the DOD to partner with private sector innovators. The Coalition will work to improve the internal processes of the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) and speed up the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUX) grant administration process.

The Coalition will advocate for direct funding support for all stages of PTSD drug therapy innovation, from initial investigation to FDA approval, through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), DIUX, and MTEC.

The Coalition will monitor opportunities to increase support for PTSD research at other agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration. The members may update coalition policy priorities as appropriate.

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