Senators pitch peer support for veterans
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Saying the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are struggling to meet the needs of returning veterans, two U.S. senators propose giving veterans service organizations a bigger and more formal role helping troops with the transition to civilian life.
Sens. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, introduced a bill Wednesday that would involve veterans organizations in peer support programs to help combat veterans recover from traumatic events.
The bill, S 1205, would create a pilot program under which veterans groups would develop reintegration services, including face-to-face mentoring, self-help groups and other initiatives. The bill would provide $13.5 million over three years for a test that could involve up to 20 nonprofit veterans groups, which could be national organizations or local groups.
Smith and Harkin, who have worked together on other mental health initiatives, call their proposal Heroes Helping Heroes.
Veteran peer support offers two things that no kind of professionalized service can ever hope to, Smith said. One is support from others who have had similar experiences. The second is a large pool of volunteers available at very low cost, he said.
Harkin said VA facilities are overwhelmed by the sheer number of veterans who need assistance, which is why alternatives are worth studying.
In peer support programs, transitioning veterans can talk to someone who had similar experiences and understands what they are going through, Harkin said. Veteran peer counselors who are trained to provide support and refer for services when necessary can provide outreach to other veterans and assist in a smooth transition back to civilian life.
Smith said peer support has been effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and depression and lowering treatment costs by reducing hospitalizations.
The idea has support from many organizations, including Disabled American Veterans, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Vets4Vets and the American Psychological Association.
Deployed soldiers face extreme stress and, at times, devastating injuries. Left untreated, this stress can have devastating impact on soldiers and their families, Smith said, citing Army research that has shown that the number of soldiers who develop anger issues and misuse alcohol climbs after deployment.
Returning troops also face employment and marital problems, he said.
As more troops are deployed, deployments are extended and breaks between deployments become shorter, these problems will only become more prevalent, Smith said.
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Senators pitch peer support for veterans: from www.airforcetimes.com
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