Giving Compass' Take:

• In New Jersey, a new bill called the Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act, was introduced last month and could improve the mental health of veterans. 

• What policies currently exists that addresses veterans' mental health?  How would this one expand on programs that already exist? 

• Read about a veteran's mental health recovery through the arts. 

On May 1, representative Chris Smith of New Jersey introduced the Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act. The bill, HR 2435, directs the secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a task force to study the implementation of a mental-health program on public lands for veterans.

"Studies have shown—and veterans organizations strongly concur—that outdoor recreational activities can provide powerful therapeutic and healing benefits as well as camaraderie for veterans struggling with combat-related injuries or post-traumatic stress," said Smith in a statement. "We should be thinking outside-the-box to discover as many ways as possible to help veterans, and opening up federal lands and removing barriers to access for remedial outdoor recreation is a no-brainer. My legislation would help increase access to this treatment option."

When you drill down to the human level, you can see how this initiative might lay the groundwork for one of the most promising mental-health laws in U.S. history.

This year the VA will spend $8.6 billion on mental-health services for its seven million patients. Studies show that outdoor-recreation therapy is effective at decreasing the symptoms of PTSD and helping veterans reintegrate with civilian life. For veterans, outdoor recreation can also carry less stigma than other types of therapy and is therefore more likely to attract participants. On top of all that, outdoor recreation may prove less expensive than medication-based treatment.

The hope is that HR 2435 will be a first big step toward formalizing the inclusion of outdoor-recreation therapy within the VA’s mental-health program. Doing so would fund outdoor trips and experiences for millions of veterans. And in addition to those veterans receiving effective mental-health treatment, the VA would also be creating huge numbers of new outdoor enthusiasts.

Read the full article about outdoor therapy for veterans by Wes Siler at The Nature Cure.