Berks County Director of Veterans Affairs Jay Ostrich and Deputy Director Will Tobin will present testimony to the Pennsylvania State Legislature in Harrisburg on Monday, November 17, in support of PA House Resolution 157, which urges the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 1947, the Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD Act (the TREAT PTSD Act).
The federal legislation seeks to expand access to Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) therapy, a promising and underutilized treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. SGB therapy involves an injection near a bundle of nerves in the neck that can help regulate the body’s “fight or flight” response, often providing rapid relief from PTSD symptoms.
Director Ostrich, a U.S. Air Force veteran, first met with State Representative David Zimmerman about a year and a half ago to discuss the ongoing crisis of veteran suicide and potential solutions. During that meeting, Ostrich highlighted the success of SGB therapy and the need for broader support.
“When I briefed Representative Zimmerman on veteran suicides, he asked what worked and what didn’t,” Ostrich said. “I told him about Stellate Ganglion Block, an alternative treatment that the VA does perform, but at only 11 of its 1,380 facilities. I asked him to support a resolution urging Congress to pass federal legislation. He did, and that’s how House Resolution 157 was born.”
Ostrich and Tobin both underwent SGB treatment themselves and will share their personal experiences as part of their testimony before the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.
“What’s particularly amazing is that during a time when so much legislation has been at a standstill, bipartisan cooperation brought this joint hearing to fruition,” Ostrich said. “To my knowledge, this is the first hearing on SGB therapy ever held, which makes it a big step forward.”
The Berks County Veterans Affairs team hopes their advocacy will help advance the resolution through the committee and onto the House floor, inspiring further federal action and broader support from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation.
“Our goal is always to help relieve the unnecessary suffering of those who have borne the battle. We hope to move the federal bill forward, to encourage additional co-sponsorship, to get the U.S. House Armed Services Committee to hold hearings on this life-saving legislation, and ultimately for Congress to pass the bill. We are also thrilled that nearly every state representative from the Berks County delegation has co-sponsored this resolution,” Ostrich said
