Erase PTSD Now says PTSD treatment waitlist falls to 20

Erase PTSD Now said July 7 that its waitlist for Stellate Ganglion Block treatment has dropped to 20 people, the lowest level in the nonprofit’s history. The Chicago-based group says new Illinois veterans funding and donor support are helping more veterans, survivors and first responders get care they could not otherwise afford.

Why it matters: - Erase PTSD Now says more people with PTSD and PTSI can now access Stellate Ganglion Block treatment without waiting as long or paying out of pocket. - The nonprofit says the latest funding shift helps Illinois veterans while freeing donor dollars for survivors nationwide. - The change comes as research continues to build support for SGB as an option for people with persistent PTSD symptoms.

What happened: - Erase PTSD Now announced July 7 that its treatment waitlist fell to 20 people, the lowest level in the organization’s history. - The nonprofit said the drop follows donor support and funding from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Cash Grant Program. - The Illinois grant will help eligible veterans in the state access SGB treatment. - The organization said it has invested more than $2.4 million since 2020 to provide SGB access for more than 1,400 people.

The details: - Stellate Ganglion Block is an outpatient procedure that takes about 15 minutes. - The treatment is designed to calm the sympathetic nervous system and reduce the body’s overactive fight-or-flight response. - Erase PTSD Now said the treatment has helped thousands of people with persistent PTSD symptoms. - A randomized clinical trial published in 2025 found that patients who received SGB before trauma-focused psychotherapy had faster symptom reduction and better outcomes than therapy alone. - The nonprofit said approximately $2,000 can sponsor treatment for one person. - Erase PTSD Now is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on expanding access to SGB, advancing research, educating the public and removing financial barriers for people living with PTSD and PTSI. - The organization has earned Candid Platinum Transparency recognition and a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating.

Between the lines: - The shrinking waitlist suggests the nonprofit’s funding model is doing two things at once: cutting access barriers for patients and making donor support go further. - The Illinois grant also points to a growing role for public funding in trauma care that has often depended on philanthropy. - The organization is shifting from emergency access toward broader awareness now that the backlog is close to gone. - Erase PTSD Now is actively recruiting podcast guests, community ambassadors and trauma survivors, veterans, first responders, healthcare professionals and researchers to share stories.

What's next: - Erase PTSD Now said it will expand its focus from treatment access to nationwide awareness. - The nonprofit is seeking guests for the Erase PTSD Now: Erasing the Silence podcast. - Erase PTSD Now is also looking for community ambassadors and additional people willing to share their trauma recovery stories. - The group says it will continue working with physicians, researchers, veterans’ organizations and mental health advocates to expand treatment access.

The bottom line: - Erase PTSD Now says Illinois funding and donor support have nearly eliminated its treatment waitlist, marking a major step in making SGB care more accessible for people with PTSD and PTSI.