Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments For Arizona Veterans Gets Support

TUCSON, AZ – There are approximately 13,000 veterans living in Arizona. The governor just signed legislation helping a group provide at least 50 of them with treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.

Gov. Ducey signed legislation that provides $25,000 to Healing Arizona Veterans for their project that seeks to provide hyperbaric oxygen treatments to up to 50 veterans. HAV is a nonprofit set up to drive small donations assist the state's Department of Veterans Affairs, which will oversee the efforts.

The group is looking to raise $600,000.

HAV says that a full treatment cycle of 80 hours at a cost of $150 per session means that it costs $12,000 to treat a veteran.

The $600,000 would provide treatments for 50 veterans. (Get Tucson Patch's daily newsletter and real-time news alerts. Or, find your local Patch here and subscribe).

"This bill enables us to tell prospective private donors, 'The state is making a commitment, now it's your turn,’" Sa'ad Allawi, an Oro Valley resident worked in healthcare cost-reduction, said.

"It is an opportunity to heal veterans and get them back to a healthy state, rather than just manage symptoms — and do it with a far more cost-effective treatment."

A patient receiving a hyperbaric oxygen treatment – or HBOT – are given a mask in an enclosed room and breathe 100 percent pure oxygen. Healing Arizona Veterans says that the treatments helps repair cells and increase stem cell production.

While the treatment is not covered by the Veterans Administration, several states have already started offering the treatment. Oklahoma, Texas, and Indiana have all started programs.

The Marines offer selective treatment and Louisiana State University is conducting a study with 50 veterans.

The Army's Brook Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston is building a HBOT wing.

in Arizona there are two clinics that offer HBOT – one in Tucson and one in Phoenix. HAV is working with them to provide treatments for veterans.

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File photo of man receiving a hyperbaric treatment via Chris Hondros/Getty Images News/Getty Images.