MISSOULA, Mont. – Brain Injury Alliance of Montana (BIAMT) launched a new program that will provide an affordable option for Montana veterans to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in order to help manage brain injuries and mental health issues.
According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, around 40% of veterans in Montana struggle with some kind of mental health issue that could be rooted from brain injuries like concussions or from PTSD. Montana veterans also have a higher suicide rate than the national average.
“To be able to do anything that we possibly can to make those conditions and those symptoms less prevalent with the individuals that are struggling with them, that’s our goal with the support program,” said John Bigart III, Executive Director of BIAMT.
One of the ways to help veterans deal with these difficulties is through HBOT therapy where the individual is put in a chamber for 60 to 90 minutes that uses oxygen in a pressurized environment which helps the person deal with brain issues like inflammation, migraines, and depression.
“The oxygen under that pressurized environment can actually diffuse easier into the brain, allowing the brain and providing the brain with the oxygen levels it needs to actually rebuild those connections that might have been lost,” Hope Evens explained, HBOT Program Director of BIAMT.
This service is provided by many Montan health providers, but the cost of the therapy can add up very quickly. Individual will likely have to do HBOT 20 times with each session typically costing $125. BIAMT started the HBOT program so veterans can come to their facility and do the therapy at an affordable price.
“We’re going to start with a flat rate of $50 per session. If somebody can pay for that wonderful, but for any reason, they can’t afford to pay then they can pay whatever can,” Bigart III explained.
The organization is looking for more partners to fundraise this program so they can eventually provide a mobile support service where they can transport the HBOT chamber to rural areas so more vets across Montana can access the service.
To apply for the HBOT for Montana Veterans Waitlist, please go the BIAMT website.
