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Q&A
Council Member Holden's advocacy for RTM program implementation
1:24:30
ยท
118 sec
Council Member Holden emphasizes the importance of implementing the RTM program and shares his perspective on its potential benefits for veterans.
- Expresses willingness to pursue either funding path to achieve program implementation
- Highlights the small amount of funding required ($50,000) for potential significant impact
- Shares personal interactions with veterans and their need for effective PTSD treatment
- Emphasizes the availability of trained RTM practitioners in the metropolitan area
Robert Holden
1:24:30
Right.
1:24:30
I know.
1:24:30
It's you know, it's for me, I don't I don't care how we achieve it just as long as we have the program.
1:24:39
And so I would say $50,000, I mean, that's such a small amount that the administration should should actually really make this a program.
1:24:51
Because it what we can learn from it is that I mean I spoke to many, many veterans.
1:24:56
I also spoke to the doctor that came up with the treatment.
1:25:01
And maybe it's the point of I'm very optimistic, you know, on this because we a lot of things haven't worked for our veterans in the past and they're not getting the treatment.
1:25:15
I mean, I've I've spoken to just the other day, a couple of days ago, I've spoken to a disabled veteran in the Iraqi war and he was talking to me about the anniversary that just when he was deployed and and how he was affected by it and he never got anything from any treatment from the VA.
1:25:34
And I did talk to him about RTM and he didn't he never heard of it, but I said I think it's worth a try.
1:25:41
This is we're at a point where so many Vietnam Veterans are certainly affected by PTSD, and they haven't received treatment at all in in decades.
1:25:56
So I'm looking, you know, for such a small amount just to show people that it works.
1:26:04
I think it works in speaking to the people that have gone through the program.
1:26:09
And there are hundreds of doctors and counselors that are trained in RTM in this metropolitan area.
1:26:17
So it's every everything's in place.
1:26:20
We just have to have a small amount of money.
1:26:22
But I appreciate your your your response on it.
1:26:28
Let's talk about the real property tax exemption for Cold War veterans, which we had spoken on this committee several times.