ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. -- It's sad. It's tragic. It's heartbreaking.

Every day 22 people who once served our country, veterans, take their own life. It's the trauma of war long after his or her last fight.

"It doesn't just go away when you leave the service," said Brad Frey, River Community Wellness program director. "It's a part of your everyday life. It trickles into your family. It affects your relationships. It affects your job. It really affects every aspect of your life."

The only thing good to come out of such tragedy, is the light it shines on PTSD and the need to fight for those who fought for us.

River Hospital's program is the only civilian hospital based treatment in the country. At five hours a day, five days a week, it's extensive.  

However, the program is only for active duty. It does welcome veterans, but only to end up giving them a referral. Wanting to change that, the hospital has started media outreach to see if there's enough need for a veteran's program similar to the one for active duty.

"Really, the idea of the campaign is to try and get a sense for how many are out there and how many would need an intensive level of treatment so we could begin a veteran's program for them," Frey said.

Veterans who would use this service, whether it's the outpatient program or the extended one being talked about, can now use their VA benefits to pay for it. It's something the folks here at River Hospital say could be life changing.

"Having their VA benefits available to them for this, certainly would save them a huge out of pocket cost because the program can be lengthy. It can be six to ten weeks depending on what the veteran or soldier has faced and what their progress would be." River Hospital CEO Ben Moore said.  

"They don't have to live or suffer if that's where they're at. There is help available," Frey added about the outpatient service with hope for an extended one.

Now it's a matter of getting a response. It'll take that outreach and veterans not only hearing it, but accepting it. Overcoming that stigma that's still attached to soldiers and getting help.

Slowly, but surely the hospital thinks that all will happen.

For more information on how to use VA benefits for the outpatient program already in place, click here.

For more news from the North Country, check out Brian's 'Your North Country Blog'.