PTSD clinic offering Bay Area veterans support

Free PTSD clinic in Tampa

FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - A non-invasive, drug-free treatment program to boost the mental health of veterans and first responders is now available in Tampa, free of charge.

eMTS Florida now has two clinics in Tampa in addition to locations in Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville.

Florida House of Representatives Rep. Danny Alvarez (R) secured state funds to make the intensive program free for 500 local veterans and first responders.

Local perspective:

eMTS is a 20-day program that spans four weeks.

Tampa's clinic opened in November and has since helped more than 100 local heroes.

"We see a calming of the brain and a more stable output. Some people feel a better quality of life, more focused attention, decreased anxiety," said Florida Project Manager Jeff Lindquist.

Patients start with an EEG test to measure brain activity.

"Get about a ten-minute reading and the data that comes from that goes up to the wave neuroscience, that information is sent back in some sort of prescription of an interval for you," said Lindquist.

Then, the patients head over to the transcranial magnetic stimulator (TMS).

"It uses magnetic energy to manipulate neuron reactions so it can force the neurons to fire. We can almost tune the brain and make it stable and efficient," said Lindquist.

What they're saying:

"I was hurt in an accident by a gunshot wound to my leg, and then I eventually lost my leg," said Peter Quintanilla, a local Army veteran. "I was put on a bunch of narcotics, and I spent a lot of years doing that. I realized one day I didn't want to keep doing that anymore."

Quintanilla said he tried several avenues to improve his sleep.

"I was just depressed, really. My mind was always racing. I couldn't stop thinking about certain things," said Quintanilla.