PTSD Awareness Month: Resources and Rights for Trauma Survivors in Florida
- Susan Ramsey, Esq.
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
By Susan Ramsey, Esq. Estimated read: 7 min
Key Takeaways:
June is National PTSD Awareness Month, and June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day, designated by the U.S. Senate in 2010.
About 5 out of every 100 U.S. adults have PTSD in a given year. In 2020 that came to roughly 13 million Americans, and only about half of people with PTSD are ever diagnosed.
PTSD does not only follow combat. Assault, abuse, untreated medical emergencies, witnessing harm, and unsafe discharge from a treatment facility can all cause it.
Free, confidential help exists right now. The resource list below includes the 988 Lifeline, SAMHSA, the VA's National Center for PTSD, RAINN, NAMI, and Florida 211.
When PTSD results from negligence inside a Florida treatment facility, it can be a compensable harm. Survivors may be able to recover therapy costs, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
Why does PTSD Awareness Month matter?
June is set aside to talk openly about post-traumatic stress disorder and to point people toward treatment that works. The date at the center of the month, June 27, became National PTSD Awareness Day after the U.S. Senate designated it in 2010 in memory of Staff Sergeant Joe Biel, a National Guard member who died by suicide after two tours in Iraq. The observance grew into a full month in 2014.
The numbers explain why the attention is needed. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD, about 5 out of every 100 adults have PTSD in any given year, which worked out to roughly 13 million Americans in 2020. Women develop PTSD at about twice the rate of men, in part because of the types of trauma they are more likely to survive. Much of that goes unaddressed, since only about half of people living with PTSD are ever diagnosed.
What kinds of experiences can cause PTSD?
PTSD can follow any event that overwhelms a person's sense of safety. Combat is one cause, but it is far from the only one. Trauma often comes from physical or sexual assault, abuse or neglect in a care setting, a medical emergency that went untreated, or watching something terrible happen to someone else.
For people in recovery, the painful reality is that the trauma sometimes happens inside the place that was supposed to help. An unsafe or premature discharge, an assault by staff or another resident, a detox handled without medical supervision, or an overdose that no one was watching for can leave lasting psychological injury. The harm does not end when a person walks out the door. It follows them home.
What does PTSD look like?
PTSD shows up differently in every person, and the signs are not always obvious to the people around them. Common symptoms include:
Flashbacks or intrusive memories that arrive without warning
Nightmares and disrupted sleep
Avoiding the people, places, or conversations tied to the trauma
Emotional numbness or a sense of being detached from others
Hypervigilance, the feeling of always waiting for something to go wrong
Sudden anger, fear, or shame with no clear trigger
If any of this feels familiar for you or someone you love, it is worth talking to a professional. PTSD is treatable, and effective therapies exist.
The resources below are a place to start.
Where can I find free, confidential help right now?
Everything in this section is free and available to the public. None of it requires hiring a lawyer or filing anything. If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 988 or 911.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Free, confidential support for anyone in emotional distress or crisis, 24/7. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans and service members can call 988 and press 1, or text 838255, to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
National Center for PTSD (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs).
The most authoritative public source on PTSD, and its materials are for everyone, not only veterans. The site explains symptoms and treatment options and offers free self-help tools, including the PTSD Coach app. Visit ptsd.va.gov.
SAMHSA National Helpline.
A free, confidential, 24/7 treatment-referral and information service for mental health and substance use, run by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). To search for treatment programs directly, use findtreatment.gov.
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline.
For survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, free and confidential, 24/7. Call 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE), text HOPE to 64673, or chat at rainn.org/hotline. Calls route to a trained specialist at a local provider.
NAMI HelpLine.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers peer support, information, and resource referrals Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Call 1-800-950-6264, text "NAMI" to 62640, or visit nami.org. The HelpLine does not provide counseling or crisis intervention, so for an emergency use 988.
Crisis Text Line.
Free, 24/7 support by text. Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor.
Florida 211.
A statewide service that connects callers to local crisis counseling, mental health and substance use resources, and community services, 24/7. Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211. Florida 211 also helps answer 988 calls in many areas. More at 211.org.
How does PTSD fit into a Florida rehab malpractice case?
When PTSD results from negligence inside a treatment facility, the law treats it as a real injury, not an afterthought. In Florida rehab malpractice and wrongful death cases, emotional trauma and PTSD can be compensable damages. Depending on the facts, a survivor or family may be able to recover the cost of ongoing therapy and mental health treatment, compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress, and damages for loss of quality of life.
What can be recovered, and by whom, depends on the specifics of the case and on Florida law, which sets strict rules and deadlines. That is a conversation to have with an attorney rather than something to guess at. The point worth holding onto is simpler: what happened inside that facility has a legal name, and it may carry legal consequences for the people responsible.
What should I do if trauma happened under a facility's care?
You do not have to carry this alone, and you do not have to sort out the legal questions by yourself. Susan Ramsey and Ryan P. Ingraham at Rehab Malpractice Law represent survivors and families across Florida. Susan's background as an ICU nurse and healthcare risk manager means our team understands both the clinical and the legal side of these cases.
If trauma occurred under the care of a Florida rehab or treatment facility, we are here to listen and to hold the facility accountable. Consultations are free and confidential, and we work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be a veteran to use these PTSD resources?
No. The National Center for PTSD publishes its materials for the general public, and every other resource listed here serves anyone, regardless of military status. The Veterans Crisis Line is the one service tailored specifically to veterans and service members.
Is talking to a hotline really confidential?
The 988 Lifeline, SAMHSA National Helpline, and RAINN all describe their services as free and confidential. If you have specific concerns about privacy, you can ask the counselor about their confidentiality practices at the start of the call.
Can PTSD from a rehab facility actually be part of a lawsuit?
Yes. When PTSD or other emotional harm results from a facility's negligence, Florida law can treat it as a compensable injury. Whether a particular case qualifies, and what can be recovered, depends on the facts.
How long do I have to take legal action in Florida?
Florida sets deadlines, called statutes of limitations, for malpractice and wrongful death claims, and they can be short. If you think a facility's negligence caused harm, speak with an attorney sooner rather than later so you do not lose the option.
What does it cost to talk to your firm?
Nothing. Consultations are free, and we handle cases on contingency. You pay no fee unless we recover money for you.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Viewing this post does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Florida Bar Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
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