Target Goal : A Total Of 220 Clients

With the end of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, many veterans are returning home suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). For various reasons, instead of seeking help, many self-medicate through drugs and alcohol, and lash out at loved ones. When this happens, a large percentage find themselves caught up in the already flooded legal system, further perpetuating their issues and overwhelming the system. Veteran's Treatment courts offer an alternative to traditional court procedures, closely resembling the already proven model of the Drug Courts, taking the individuals out of the legal system, and getting them the help they need to treat their problems and reintegrating back into the civilian world, instead of just pushing them through the system time and again.

The VA runs the largest substance use disorder treatment program in the world. Treatment of veterans with SUDs and co-occurring psychiatric disorders is one of the following three paradigms; parallel, sequential, and integrated. Most VA programs are parallel, where the patient receives treatment for SUD in one program and treatment for PTSD in another. Many SUD-PTSD veterans may be unable to navigate the separate systems or make sense of the disparate messages about PTSD treatment and recovery. One challenge to dissemination and implementation of EBTs is that of dual disorders, particularly SUD and PTSD. These patients use costly inpatient services, tend to have frequent relapses, and are less likely to adhere to or complete treatment.

The objectives for the desired outcomes is to ensure that every veteran, regardless of which war, receives the proper care and treatment of their ailments. This is to include housing our homeless veterans in complexes in which they will feel safe, yet give them the freedom they need to work on their journey of healing. In the process, the veterans families that are affected must not be forgotten as

Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). Prior research has evaluated the prevalence of MH concerns and opportunities for treatment at various points in the military/veteran career including post deployment, among those being treated at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and in the general population) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data indicate that a substantial portion of young veterans in the general population have substance use disorder (18%) or Serious Psychological Distress (SPD) (14%) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 111). All in all, the NSDUH proved to be an extremely valuable resource for this study, and indeed, the results of this analysis for unmet treatment needs have identified important directions for further research into reasons for not getting treatment, especially for SPD (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 113). The Veterans Administration and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) are taking steps in the right direction to help our veterans with their unmet needs with substance abuse and PTSD. Some examples of improvements are, better mental health evaluations before leaving active duty, more information about military service, and tracking trends among veterans in the general population, who are not necessarily in contact with the

I work at the veterans’ affair hospitals in Houston and in November 2011, Veteran Health Administration (VHA) committed to developing an outpatient mental health staffing model which comprised an interdisciplinary care team to ensure adequate general outpatient mental health care .

There is a common belief that many combat veterans are suffering; many from invisible wounds that affect them in many ways. The challenge that the VA and other government agencies face is determining which veterans need help, there are several factors that affect this, from the individual’s desire to accept help, to the stigma that most veterans have accepted, which is “if they ask for help, they are weak.” During separation from the military it is a critical time for all soldiers, this time provides an opportunity for the military, the VA and our government to intercede and work with men and women while they are still soldiers. Veteran suicide is an epidemic, the number of veterans taking their life daily has been steadily growing, the statistic published by the VA is that twenty-two veterans end their lives every day (Suicide Data Report, 2012); steps have been taken to curb this number but the efforts have been woefully inadequate.

This research project studies the effects veterans court has on the incarceration rate, and addresses the history, issues and concerns associated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. In this paper, you will find data collected from the Department of Corrections, Bureau of Justice, Department of Veterans Affairs, The Society for Military Psychology, The Community Mental Health Journal and Justice for Vets.Org. Veterans make up a large proportion of the incarcerated population, and it is important to address and find solutions to the incarceration rate increase, by separating the unique needs of veterans from the criminal justice system. The studies and research done show a correlation between a veteran’s military service related mental health and criminal behavior that leads to the entry of the criminal justice system. This project is done in dedication to Ethan Jacob Edelman, soldier and friend to many, died on Veteran 's Day, November 11, 2015, at his home in Denver, Colorado. He was born on September 30, 1991 and was enrolled as a first-year student at Metropolitan State University. Ethan was a classmate of mine, who had just recently ended his service contract and had PTSD among other ailments. He had been struggling with his transition and ended up in Jefferson County holding. He had been under medical supervision for a few

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing services to 8.9 million Veterans each year (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). A significant amount of these Veterans are considered homeless or at risk for homelessness. Homelessness is a complex problem whose solution requires more than simply a roof and a bed. Sadly, along with homelessness, a great portion of homeless Veterans struggle with many other issues regarding their physical and mental health, as well as substance abuse issues. Although, during the last decade, the Department of Veterans Affairs has made great strides in improving policy for processes and procedures to ensure that these Veterans receive

The SMVTA Center works with states to bolster and support the behavioral health systems for active duty military service member, reservists, veterans and their families. They act as a liaison between agencies and the service members, specifically federal, state, territorial, tribe, local community, public, and private agencies. This organization monitors trends in behavioral health issues in relation to prevention, treatment and recovery support, and provides consultation, training and technical assistance to these agencies to provide the latest and best treatment

Both articles identify the issue of providing mental health services for veterans with an extra emphasis on those that served in Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF veterans). It is no surprise that returning veterans suffer from both visible/invisible (physical and mental) wounds. Most veterans have this “high” expectation that they are going to receive quality care from both the DoD and VA. Unfortunately reality steps in where veterans are slapped in the face because they are receiving a lack of poor quality care all while jumping through Beuracractic hoops. The challenges faced to access these services include resistance, stigma, lack of professionalism, and geographic and/or regional disparities in the distribution of services resources and/or benefits, and the system simply refusing to change.

This pilot program is required to be implemented in not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs). The program includes community oriented veteran peer support networks that will provide peer-support training guidelines and the development of a network of veteran peer-support counselors that are trained and readily available to veterans. Also creation of community outreach team for each medical facility that will assist veterans transitioning into communities, establishment of an veteran transition advisory group to facilitate outreach activities, collaboration with community and government organization to help provide thorough services to veterans, and coordination with the VISNs to carry out an annual mental health summit to assess the veteran mental health programs an care and to develop new means to providing services (Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, 2015). Evaluation of the community outreach pilot program is required 18 months after its initial inception and the final report is required 90 days before the dissolution. The pilot program is for a term of 3 years (Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, 2015).

Homeless veterans population has been a problem over the decades but over the passed few years the population of homeless veterans has increased. This is a concerning problem that needs to be attended to and human services is one of the ways to seek help. Many veterans that are homeless is due to mental illnesses such post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), substance abuse (alcoholism and addiction), and depression. Veterans that are homeless usually have one or more issue that they are facing that is causing them to be homeless. Some veterans can be facing psychiatric, physical, and medical disorders at the same time, which is very common today (Goldstein, Luther, Haas, Appelt, & Gordon, 2010, p.312). Veterans that were deployed and fought

However, during this process clients will seek paperwork two weeks prior to their discharge date and complete the given packet. In this packet client will answer questions pertaining to their financial status. Depending on the collected information, our facility will debate whether or not the clients had insubstantial funds, in which we will grant funds for the client to attend any local program of their selection, under the circumstances that the program is less than $300 per month, for only a maximum of three months per year. If an extension of longer than the allotted time is requested, the patient must apply. Consumers of all ages can be provided service in this program. Moreover, in order to qualify for boarding at the facility, the consumer must be over 25 years old, diagnosed with PTSD and have been discharged from a

Outpatient rehab programs offer both drug and alcohol treatment sessions during weekdays and/or weekends. They usually take place in a doctor’s and/or psycholgists office, a community clinic, and Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotic Anonymous equipped clinic. Many individuals with families prefer this type of treatment due to its scheduele flexibility and the option of continuing with their regular responsabilities at home. However, restrictions still apply as members are required to check into treatment at their allotted times for counseling and medication. Outpatient programs vary in formats and differ from levels of intensity with a vast amount of services primarily focusing on counseling and providing a network of support. For many veterans, outpatient treatments are extremely beneficial due to the fact that through counseling services they tackled post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which remains the primary psychological struggle for approximately 70 percent of veterans who are undergoing mental health care (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs,

Many challenges still remain as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek available access to mental health care. These challenges include the resistance and stigma to seek care, lack of