Posted on Oct 2, 2015
What do think about this? Mental health needs of Kentucky Veterans focus of day-long summit.
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I'm beginning to see more new articles about veterans suicide committees looking into the real reasons vets commit suicide at such high rates. I hope some real solutions can come out of these meetings and help our vets.
Lexington VA Medical Center brings community, staff together for discussion.
The Lexington VA Medical Center held its third annual Mental Health Summit on Sept. 25, 2015. The daylong event brought together VA staff and community partners to discuss the mental health needs and available services for Kentucky Veterans. There were more than 120 attendees who learned from Veterans sharing their personal experiences, participated in breakout sessions and toured a resource room filled with information about both community and VA resources.
Summit participants were welcomed by Lexington VAMC’s chief of staff Patricia Breeden, MD, Mental Health Services provider Kevin Pernicano, PhD, ABPP and Assistance chief Autum McCane, PhD. Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Heather French Henry, also welcomed summit guests. A spotlight lit up the auditorium stage to illustrate this year’s Summit theme, Serving Those Who Served, and several people, including Veterans, family members, and providers, came to the stage to share their “I am….” stories. Centered’s Lauren Higdon, LMT, CYT, stated, “I especially loved the personal testimonials at the beginning of the day as they invited a more relevant, intimate and connected experience for the day.”
http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/23215/mental-health-needs-kentucky-veterans-focus-day-long-summit/
Lexington VA Medical Center brings community, staff together for discussion.
The Lexington VA Medical Center held its third annual Mental Health Summit on Sept. 25, 2015. The daylong event brought together VA staff and community partners to discuss the mental health needs and available services for Kentucky Veterans. There were more than 120 attendees who learned from Veterans sharing their personal experiences, participated in breakout sessions and toured a resource room filled with information about both community and VA resources.
Summit participants were welcomed by Lexington VAMC’s chief of staff Patricia Breeden, MD, Mental Health Services provider Kevin Pernicano, PhD, ABPP and Assistance chief Autum McCane, PhD. Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Heather French Henry, also welcomed summit guests. A spotlight lit up the auditorium stage to illustrate this year’s Summit theme, Serving Those Who Served, and several people, including Veterans, family members, and providers, came to the stage to share their “I am….” stories. Centered’s Lauren Higdon, LMT, CYT, stated, “I especially loved the personal testimonials at the beginning of the day as they invited a more relevant, intimate and connected experience for the day.”
http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/23215/mental-health-needs-kentucky-veterans-focus-day-long-summit/
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Suicide
Mental Health Services
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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I'm feeling a little skeptical right now and am not sure more conferences are the best way to help veterans. This subject has been conferenced to death and yes I am aware of my word choice. What I would have liked to read since this was the third annual event is what the suicide rate has been for the last three years in that region.
Before my injuries forced me to stop working as an LCSW I worked at a community mental health agency and was the only veteran counselor on staff. The director who was promoting the agency as "vet friendly" wouldn't assign vets to me because I hadn't taken a 2 hour training on military culture and understanding. She also didn't believe vets wanted to talk to other vets and was puzzled when we weren't getting them as clients.
I have to hope there is more understanding of the vet community in the several years since then.
I think it would be great if some kind of screening could be worked into the homeless stand down which always draws a large group of veterans, at least it does in Maine. That would be a real chance to offer help to a vulnerable population. One other good thing I have seen here is the local vet centers are taking their mobile offices on the road quite a bit to do outreach. It's important to go to the vets rather than expect the vets to go to them.
Before my injuries forced me to stop working as an LCSW I worked at a community mental health agency and was the only veteran counselor on staff. The director who was promoting the agency as "vet friendly" wouldn't assign vets to me because I hadn't taken a 2 hour training on military culture and understanding. She also didn't believe vets wanted to talk to other vets and was puzzled when we weren't getting them as clients.
I have to hope there is more understanding of the vet community in the several years since then.
I think it would be great if some kind of screening could be worked into the homeless stand down which always draws a large group of veterans, at least it does in Maine. That would be a real chance to offer help to a vulnerable population. One other good thing I have seen here is the local vet centers are taking their mobile offices on the road quite a bit to do outreach. It's important to go to the vets rather than expect the vets to go to them.
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Fayetteville (NC) has done this several times as well. They also do a homelessness summit.
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