Transcript What Can We Do?

How Community Information and Referral Organizations can
better support our military forces, their families, and veterans.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
DEANNA DALTON
ROLE AT 211INFO
Military Liaison
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Insure a
comprehensive
database.
Know specific
taxonomy for
population
Know the top referrals
for veterans and
service members
Add agencies and
programs into special
events, database, and
maintain records.
ROLE AT 211INFO- LIAISON
Social Media/Cloud work.
 website content and functionality
Blog posts on current events, climate,
agencies and programs
FB/Twitter presence like Blog presence
Resource lists, email lists
211INFO ROLE- LIAISON
Outreach
and
Action means to:
Connect
Present
Partner
Consult
Train
Table
TODAY
How Community Information and
Referral Organizations can better
support and assist Military
installations, its service members
and dependents, veterans and their
families.
AGENDA
Issue and Need around 20 min
Discuss Need in communities 10 min
(The need in your community)
Action and Examples 20-30 min
Discuss Action in communities 10 minutes
(how can you implement/brainstorm!)
Where do we go from here/conclude- 10 minutes
ISSUE AND NEEDS
TODAY’S SERVICE MEMBER IS
TOMORROW’S VETERAN!
US VS THEM
Growing divide between Civilian and Military
All volunteer force
Bases are built in cultures
Less than 1% of population
Has worn uniform in recent conflicts
 Decrease in enlistment
 Decrease in the veteran population
 Media representation
THE ELUSIVE COMMUNITY
A community we interact
with only when we want to
(or when the media tells
us to)
Interfacing with the
military is at the discretion
of the civilian.
ORNG/Reserve
component- one weekend
a month
ONE STOP SHOP: BASES
MILITARY CULTURE
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General characteristics,
not blanket assumptions
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Understand these are
not applicable for all
service members or
veterans.
CIVILIAN CULTURE
General Characteristics
and not blanket
assumptions
Understand these are
not applicable for all
civilians.
THE MILITARY/VETERANS
Tend to relocate near bases, armories,
or in rural pockets
Retiring veterans more likely to exhibit
triggering of PTSD
Have a desire to give back and provide
mutual support
CURRENT ERA MILITARY AND VETERAN
Unprecedented Complexities and needs
Injuries which would have been fatal in previous wars
Multiple and uncertain deployments
Many come back fine and reintegrate without complications
Those that do not- family has moved on without their physical presence
Hard to reintegrate when one knows they will be deployed again
Constant fear of safety- Flight/Fight mode for 11+months.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE NUMBERS…
Plus the decline of veteran numbers…
ADD THE RURAL COMPONENT….
Rural veterans are more likely to believe mental health stigma
85% Mental health professional shortages occur in rural
communities
Communication lines more deeply rooted and social
interaction more intimate than urban counterparts
Lack of accessibility, transportation, options,
and exploration of identities
THERE IS HELP! PROGRAMS DO EXIST
BUT……
Often underfunded
 Large caseloads
 Lack non-VA affiliated services
 understaffed
 Many duplicate services
 Lack communication and cohesiveness
 Lacking culturally specific services
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WHAT WE NEED IS….
DISCUSSION TIME (10-15 MINUTES):
Group up
 Based off of the wave of information received:
Think about your community
What issues discussed do you see in your
community and what needs do you see for your
active military or veteran community members?
ACTION:
So what in the world
can we possibly DO?
Where in the world
do we START?
HIRING OUR HEROES
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How many veterans work at your agency?
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How many Reservists or Guard Members?
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Does your agency have a Veteran’s preference?
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Do they have encourage veterans to apply?
WHY VETERANS?
Cultural competency starts with hiring those that can navigate the culture.
Veterans are the best for this.
CREATE A LIAISON ROLE
Whether voluntary or paid, a designated
person to begin thinking about and supporting
military and veterans
 Provide trainings of cultural competency
 Be a reference point for agency on culture
 Outreach to community
 Acquire programs and services for database
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UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM
Federal Department of Veteran Affairs
 State Department of Veteran Affairs
 County Veteran Service Officers
 National, Localized chapters:
DAV, AL, LA, VFW, VVA, VFP, NABVETS
 Non- profits that have Veteran programs
 Faith Based initiatives
 Guard and Reserve Family Readiness
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THE VETERAN PROVIDER COMMUNITY
Knowing the links in the chain….
ECOMAPPING TO FIND RESOURCES
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Education:
Community
Colleges
Universities
Trade Schools
High Schools
School Districts
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AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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County and State VSO’s
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Government:
Congress members
Senate Members
State legislators
Advisors
Representatives
Committees
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Military
Leadership:
National
Guard/Reserve
Base Commanders
Chain of Command
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Family Readiness:
Joint Transition
Yellow Ribbon
Family Assistance
Specialists
Military OneSource
Army OneSource
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Minority Groups:
Tribes
LGBTQ
Communities of Color
Women
Other than honorable
discharged
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Social Service Providers
Homelessness Programs
Utility Assistance
Food Pantries
Shelters
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Health Providers
Hospitals
Clinics
Vans
QMHP
Dental
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Business and Employers
Veteran Owners/owned
Veteran friendly employers
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Civic Organizations
DAV
AL
WA
VFW
VVOA
NABVETS
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Public Safety
Police
Probation Officers
Veterans courts
Prisons
Fire/Rescue
AREAS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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State and Federal
agencies
Dept. Human Services
Self Sufficiency Offices
Dept. of Labor
Employment
MORE AREAS OF ACTION
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Faith based community
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Mutual Support
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Resource Fairs
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Volunteer Programs
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Non- Profits
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Events for Families
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Local Papers
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Community Centers
THIS IS WHAT I DO!
I HAVE…
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Partnered with CVSO’s and
FAS’s
Spoken to over 200
veterans and provided
services on site
Cultural Competency
trainings (in house and out)
A Behavioral Health Alliance
member with Army One
Source
Testified/letters of support
Texting/ Follow ups
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On the Multnomah Veteran
Task Force Committee
OMSN Partner
Provided over 50 outreach
visits to agencies
Numerous blogs
Free Resource Guide
Highlight other programs and
services in social media
Consultations for networks
Support for Social Workers
Community event supporter
I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS….
FOR FOUR MONTHS!
YOU CAN DO ALL OF THIS AND MORE!
With authenticity
 With passion
 With dependability
 With consistency
 With integrity
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You can become a trusted and vital resource!
DISCUSSION
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What steps can be taken in your agency
and community to strengthen the
military/ veteran safety net?
(About 10 minutes)
ONE MORE THING…
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Curiosity
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Inquiry
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Be Patient
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Be Authentic
YOU ARE VERY IMPORTANT
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What you do matters
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You are a resource
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You change lives
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If not us, Who?
RESOURCES FOR YOU!!
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http://www.sapr.mil/
http://www.socialwork.v
a.gov/links.asp
http://www.socialworke
rs.org/military.asp
http://www.whitehouse.
gov/joiningforces
http://maketheconnecti
on.net/
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http://www.operationho
mefront.net/
http://www.jointservices
support.org/fp/default.a
spx
http://www.justicepolicy.
org/news/category/324
http://www.va.gov/home
less/ssvf.asp
http://nacvso.org/
READINGS
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https://advancesinsocialwork.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/vi
ew/1891/1951
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10900-012-9583-7#page-1 (Rural
Veterans and Dual Care)
http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=1090304 (Association of
Perceived Barriers With Prospective Use of VA Mental Health Care Among Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans)
http://jaapl.org/content/40/3/348.full.pdf+html (Risk of Death for Veterans on
Release From Prison)
http://211.144.68.84:9998/91keshi/Public/File/40/3078/pdf/jvp25012_789_790.pdf (Veterans and the Affordable Care Act)
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/200/4/317.full.pdf+html (Trajectories of trauma
symptoms and resilience in deployed US military service members: prospective
cohort study)
https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/2391/390
7 (Peer Support, Self-Efficacy, combat-related symptoms among returning OIF/OEF
Veterans)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
[email protected]
503-416-2632
www.211info.org