What:

With this semipostal stamp, the U.S. Postal Service will raise funds to help treat those impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The stamp features a photo illustration of a green plant sprouting from the ground, which is covered in fallen leaves. The image is intended to symbolize the PTSD healing process, growth and hope. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Mark Laita.

The stamp dedication ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtags #HealingPTSDStamp and #semipostalStamps.

Who:

Hon. David C. Williams, Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service and Dedicating Official

Koby J. Langley, Senior Vice President, American Red Cross

Chuck Denny, Founder, The American Veteran Foundation

Dan Miller, Wounded Warriors Project

Donald Tyson, President, Charlotte Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Dr. Paula Schnurr, Executive Director, National Center for PTSD

Maureen O’Boyle, Primetime News Anchor, WBTV, Charlotte, NC, and Emcee

When:

Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. EST

Where:

McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square
345 N. College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

RSVP:

Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/ptsd.

Background:

Tens of millions of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. Today, the nation is increasingly dedicated to compassionately treating this mental health issue.

Many kinds of trauma can lead people to experience persistent symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and difficulty sleeping. Depression, anxiety, and fear can also occur. Though these symptoms may initially interrupt one’s daily life, for most people they typically dissipate over time. However, if these problems continue for more than a month, PTSD may have developed. Symptoms associated with the disorder often can be broken down into four categories: avoidance, hyperarousal, increased negative beliefs and feelings, and reliving.

The two most common treatments for PTSD are medication and psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. The disorder cuts across demographic lines, though women are at a greater risk than men. Women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer PTSD at some point in their lives.

Sold at a price of 65 cents per First-Class stamp, the PTSD stamp is a semipostal. The price of a semipostal stamp pays for the First-Class single-piece postage rate in effect at the time of purchase plus an amount to fund causes that have been determined to be in the national public interest. By law, revenue from sales (minus postage and the reasonable reimbursement of costs to the Postal Service) is to be transferred to a selected executive agency or agencies. Net proceeds from this stamp will be distributed to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which oversees the National Center for PTSD.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

###