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RETIRED JUSTICE EVELYN LUNDBERG STRATTON'S VETERANS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES NEWS
“Sharing Information to Benefit All Veterans”
MARCH 26, 2017
Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired Veterans in the Courts Initiative
Evelyn Lundberg Stratton retired from the Ohio Supreme Court at the end of 2012 so as to pursue more fully criminal justice reforms with a particular emphasis on veterans who become involved with the justice system. She
established the Veterans in the Courts Initiative in 2009. Video http://bit.ly/1glCXZ0
Subscribe to this free weekly, all volunteer-generated, news summary by joining our Veterans in The Courts Initiative Group http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD
4,753 providers of veterans’ services just like you, nationwide & internationally, receive this free
newsletter every week. Another 13,000+ can see it on 5 social media sites. Over 5,300 people in 57 countries have viewed my blog over 10,000 times. Thank you for sharing!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC PAGE TOPIC PAGE
FEATURED STORIES 1 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES 30
OPPORTUNITIES 2 GENERAL NEWS 38
GOVERNMENT 4 "VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LINKEDIN GROUP 40
OHIO 7 OTHER LINKEDIN GROUPS 40
STEPPING UP INITIATIVE 10 VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG 40
VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS 15 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 41
PTS/TBI/MST 24 HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER 41
SUICIDE 27
FEATURED STORIES
VA Secretary tells the House Committee that he wants Veterans to be treated sooner and closer to home http://bit.ly/2nMXQYN
The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing titled “Shaping The Future:
Consolidating And Improving VA Community Care,” where VA Secretary David Shulkin
spoke about his vision for the future of VA Community Care, including the Veterans Choice
Program.
“Our overarching concern is that Veterans have access to high quality care when they need
it—regardless of whether in a VA facility or in their communities. Our goal for VA
Community Care is to deliver a program that is easy to understand, simple to administer
and meets Veterans’ needs,” Shulkin said.
Since the start of the program, more than 1.2 million Veterans have received community
care. A million appointments in FY 2015 has now increased to 5.5 million in FY 2016. While
highlighting these improvements, the secretary also laid out a plan to modernize and
consolidate community care which included seven key elements.
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1. Maintain a high-performing, integrated network that includes VA, other federal
partners, academic affiliates and community providers;
2. Increase Choice for all Veterans, starting with those who have service-connected
conditions;
3. Ensure enrolled Veterans get the care they need closer to home when appropriate;
4. Optimize coordination of VA health care benefits with the private health insurance
that an enrolled Veteran may already have;
5. Maintain affordability of health care options for the lowest income Veterans;
6. Assist in coordination of care for Veterans served by multiple providers and;
7. Apply industry standards for performance, quality, patient satisfaction, payment
models and health outcomes.
“We know our number one priority is to provide Veterans access to the high quality care
they have earned—in a VA facility or as close to their homes as possible, in the communities
where they and their families live,” he said.
VA, DOD study a major breakthrough for understanding PTSD http://bit.ly/2nQQqUp Researchers from VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) recently released findings of a
new study called Prospective Post-Traumatic Stress disorder Symptom Trajectories in Active
Duty and Separated Military Personnel, which examines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) symptoms in Veterans, compared with active-duty populations.
This is the first known study comparing PTSD symptom trajectories of current service
members with those of Veterans, and is the product of a collaborative effort from VA and
DOD researchers analyzing data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), the largest
prospective health study of military service members.
According to VA’s National Center for PTSD, the PTSD rate among Vietnam Veterans was
30.9 percent for men and 26.9 percent for women. For Gulf War Veterans, the PTSD rate
was 12.1 percent. Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans had a
PTSD rate of 13.8 percent.
“Knowing there are similarities in how PTSD affects service members and Veterans makes it
easier to pinpoint which treatments are the best to control the condition,” said Dr. Edward
Boyko, an epidemiologist and internist at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in
Washington state, and VA’s lead researcher on the Millennium Cohort Study.
Officials involved with the project said they are hoping the collaboration will improve the
understanding of Veterans’ health needs, relative to their experiences in service.
“The data that MCS researchers have been collecting since 2001 is incredibly valuable for
both the DOD and VA,” said Dr. Dennis Faix, director of the Millennium Cohort Study and
preventive medicine physician. “Going forward, working with VA will allow both agencies to
make sure we are getting the best information to develop a comprehensive understanding
of the continuum of health in current and former service members.”
The results of the joint VA DOD study will appear in the Journal of Psychiatric
Research’s June 2017 issue. It is the first of many joint future publications expected to
result from the collaboration between VA and MCS.
You can learn more about the study here: http://millenniumcohort.org/.
OPPORTUNITIES
NIH Funding Opportunity: Alcohol-PTSD Comorbidity: Preclinical Studies of Models and Mechanisms (R01), Application Due Date May 17th http://bit.ly/2nNs0eB
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This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and with possible collaboration with Cohen Veterans
Bioscience, encourages Research Project Grant (R01) applications that will further the
development, validation and/or application of animal models for mechanistic studies on the
comorbidity of PTSD and alcohol use disorders. Grants: Application Information for 2017 NIDUS Pilot Grants, Applications due August 15, 2017 http://bit.ly/2nKis4d
Click here to view these instructions as a PDF
NIDUS (Network for Investigation of Delirium across the U.S.) will be offering monetary
pilot awards for new research projects related to delirium.
The purpose of these awards will be to support pilot studies to encourage innovative
research targeting priority areas of delirium investigation.
Two grants of $50,000 each (total direct costs) will be awarded in 2017. Indirect costs are
supported. Awardees will be notified October 31, 2017. Two application tracks are available:
junior investigator track and established investigator track. Job: Social Worker Out Patient Mental Health and Military Sexual Trauma Job in LONG BEACH, CA, Closing Date: April 11th http://bit.ly/2nKdTGN
This position is open to current permanent VA employees in VISN 22 only.
SAMHSA Headlines, March 23rd (Funding & Training Opportunities) http://bit.ly/2nNH5g6 Up to $142.9 Million Available for the Targeted Capacity Expansion-HIV Program: Substance
Use Disorder Treatment for Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations at High Risk for HIV/AIDS
Up to $10 Million in Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma Grants
Trauma-Informed Response Trainer Listing
Webcast Series: The Power of Language and Portrayals: What We Hear, What We See
Webinar: How To Get Your Electronic Health Record To Match Reality for Uniform Data
System Measures on Depression
Webinar Series: Relationships Matter!
Conference Calls: SOARing Over Lunch
Training Opportunity: Assisted Outpatient Treatment Programs
Call for Abstracts – DCoE 2017 Summit, Deadline April 14th http://bit.ly/2mgc3wI The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
(DCoE) welcomes the submission of research poster abstracts and education session
abstracts about advances in the state of the science and best practices in
psychological health and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Abstracts must have relevance to
the military health community.
The 2017 DCoE Summit will be an online virtual event. Health care professionals,
researchers and academicians from around the world will interact live via the Adobe
Connect web conferencing platform.
Women Veterans Survey: Women Veterans and Housing Instability IIA http://bit.ly/2nV0Zpt
My name is Lily Casura and I am conducting an independent research project (this survey)
into the housing difficulties U.S. women veterans may experience after completing their
military service.
This survey has been reviewed by and has received university Institutional Review Board
(IRB) approval.
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The goal of my research is to attempt to fill a gap in knowledge about how and why women
veterans may experience periods of housing instability and what accommodations they
make during these periods of precarious housing.
This survey was designed with the cooperation and input of women veterans who have been
or are currently experiencing homelessness and are advocates for the women veterans
community.
My goal is to highlight issues that some but not all women veterans experience with housing
instability after military service.
GOVERNMENT VA: Secretary of VA on how budget increase would be used (Fox News Video) http://bit.ly/2nGNVE8
Mar. 19, 2017 - 4:56 - Sec. David Shulkin discusses his plans on 'Sunday Morning Futures'
VA Community Training 101 http://www.butler.va.gov/ Editor’s Note: Butler, PA VA notified us of this training that they play to give to their local
community partners. We are not sure if this is a national VA program, but thought it was
significant to notify you of its existence.
Dear Veterans Advocate,
We would like to invite you to partake in our first VA Community 101 Training on April
12th from 8:30 am to 11:30 am in the auditorium at VA Butler Healthcare.
This training is meant for professionals who work with Veterans such as college
administrators, non-profits, Veteran Service Organization, healthcare professionals, and
other various professionals interested in learning about VA and the benefits it provides for
Veterans.
The purpose of this training is to provide community p artners who work with Veterans a
baseline level of information across all the Administrations and for the major services
offered by the VA. Furthermore, information will be provided on the local VA, important
points of contact, and important forms utilized by the VA and Veterans to facilitate care and
benefits.
We hope that you will join us and help strengthen the local Veterans community by
becoming a well-informed asset for Veterans.
We would ask that you forward this information to your professional contacts who work with
or have an interest in working with Veterans.
If you are interested in in this training, RSVP to Dwight.Boddorf@va.gov no later than April
10, 2017. You may bring up to one guest or colleague, but please include their name on the
RSVP. If you have specific questions, you can contact our Outreach Coordinator at 724-285-
2778.
VA New Moving Forward App http://bit.ly/2nXnkTm With the Moving Forward mobile application (App) you can access on-the-go tools and learn
problem solving skills to overcome obstacles and deal with stress.
The App is designed for Veterans and Servicemembers, but is useful for anyone with
stressful problems.
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It is especially helpful in managing challenges such as: returning to civilian life, balancing
school and family life, financial difficulties, relationship problems, difficult career decisions,
and coping with physical injuries.
It may be used alone or in combination with the free Moving Forward online course
(www.veterantraining.va.gov/movingforward/).
The Moving Forward mobile App and online course were developed by Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) and mental health subject matter
experts across the country.
Features:
Learn about effective problem solving and stress management
Take assessments to learn about problem solving styles and stress level
Track stress level over time
Access tools to reduce stress immediately or to calm you mind and body in
preparation for problem solving
State Governments
Governor Bentley Announces Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Recognized for
Innovation Award
Congress Headlines
Bill aims to support female veterans; Boozman co-sponsor of measure on VA medical
funding
Bill to fill vital VA jobs clears House
TESTER UNVEILS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO CHANGE VA CULTURE, HONOR WOMEN
VETERANS
Bill introduced in House of Representatives to help veterans exposed to burn pits
DoD Headlines
DHCC Psych Health Evidence Briefs: Providers’ One-Stop-Shop for Treatment
Information
The State of Air Force Medicine
Veteran Helps Others Find Peace Through Horses
VHA: Bill introduced to offer female veterans more VA services
Animal activists push back against VA animal research
House passes bill to streamline punishment for VA workers
Second Lady Honors Military Women
Military dentists do much more than ‘drill and fill’
Top 10 Concussion Research Articles of 2016
Army Researcher: Sleep, Readiness Go Hand in Hand
DoD campaign guides military community on use of supplements
Video: Trauma Innovations
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) released its annual
report on matters relating to women serving in the Armed Forces of the United States
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016.
Lawmakers want more help for 440,000-plus veterans caught in paperwork mistakes
Psych Health Evidence Briefs: Providers’ One-Stop-Shop for Treatment Information
Air National Guard vet fights for women's rights in U.S. military after heroics in
Afghanistan
Coping with Flashbacks
Support program assists service members with traumatic brain injuries
NIH Headlines
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An Experimental Therapeutic Approach to Psychosocial Interventions
NIH achieves milestone to accelerate multisite clinical studies
AMSUS SmartBrief (The Society of Federal Health Professionals) 99% of suicide hotline calls are now answered by specialists, VA says
MHA: DOD found lagging on implementing administrative spending efficiencies
Judges rule for veterans in 2 Agent Orange cases
Marine Corps develops mobile hospital system
DOD taps Hitachi unit for $162.8M radiology systems, training contract
BD wins $100M medication dispensing tech contract from DOD
Shulkin pushes redesign of VA's Choice program
VA OIG finds longer-than-reported waits for care in N.C., Va.
DOD funds creation of lifelike mannequins for medical training
SAMHSA Headlines
SAMHDA Launches Improvements to Public-use Data Analysis System
VA Local Events & Other News Tomah VAMC Resource Fair & Town Hall, March 29th
Minneapolis VA Town Hall, March 29th
Roseburg VA Medical Center (RVAMC) Career Fair in Eugene, OR, March 30th
Portland VA HCS Women’s Health Fair, March 31st
VA Hudson Valley HCS Information Fair in Goshen April 1
VA Minneapolis Medical Support Asst & Unit Coordinator Recruitment! April 5th
VA Hudson Valley to Hold Town Hall Listening Session, Montrose, NY, April 6th
VA Palo Alto HCS Annual Veterans Resource Fair, Santa Clara, April 8th
Bay Pines VA HCS Town Hall, April 12th
VA Butler VA Community 101 Training, April 12th, May 11th, June 14th
VA Altoona VAMC Town Hall, April 18th
Battle Creek VAMC Town Hall, April 19th
VA NorthCal HCS State of California's Job and Resource Fair at McClellan, April 20th
Cincinnati VAMC Town Hall, May 17th
Los Angeles VA partners with non-profits to take Veterans fishing
VA Join us in serving as we expand our mental health offerings into telehealth
VA San Diego Nurse Researcher, Jill Bormann, Ph.D., RN, FAAN received two prestigious
nursing awards for her extensive body of research on the use of a Mantram Repetition
Program Statement of Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Senior
Personnel
Statement of Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Acting Deputy
Secretary
VA Patient Centered Care A Whole Health System Serving Veterans
Springfield's Mobile Patient Aligned Care Team
VA’s modernization of the claims process continues
VA hits milestone with Electronic Claims Processing Program
VA and GAO Agree: Appeals Reform Needed
VA urges 'hiring surge' to reduce veterans' appeals backlog
VA program highlighted as a model of excellence in caring for homeless Veterans
Atlanta-area community effort puts formerly homeless Veterans on the fast track to
employment
VISN4 Annual Report
New VA Salt Lake City Tele-Mental Health Hub
NEW: VA Primary Care Newsletter
Mental health services help homeless Veterans sustain permanent housing
Wordcommandos: Encouraging Veterans to write and submit their works
Huston VAMC New Interactive Campus Map
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VA’s National Cemetery Administration pays tribute to women Veterans interred at its
135 cemeteries
Celebrating 100 years of enlisted military service for women
Report: Calls to Vets' Suicide Hotline Still Sent to Backup Centers
VA fixes Veterans Crisis Line
VA Research: Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study
VHA Research: Can Spiritual Therapy Ease Your PTSD Symptoms?
Postoperative Outcomes in VA Improved
First woman national director of VA Chaplain Services
VA now providing online daily burial schedules for its national cemeteries
Veterans interview Phoenix VA director for Front and Center USA podcast
St. Cloud VA HCS seeking young people for Summer Youth Volunteer Program
Disabled Veterans to attend annual Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass, Colorado
VA: PTSD: National Center for PTSD: Military Sexual Trauma
Veteran’s Choice Program helpful for some in seeking alternative health care procedures
Disabled Veterans to attend annual Winter Sports Clinic hosted by VA and DAV
VA OIG Reports
VA Office of Inspector General Releases Evaluation of the Veterans Crisis Line
Healthcare Inspection - Evaluation of the Veterans Health Administration Veterans Crisis
Line
Statement of Michael J. Missal, Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs,
Before The Subcommittee On Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, And Related
Agencies Committee On Appropriations, United States House Of Representatives,
Oversight Hearing On The Department Of Veterans Affairs Office Of Inspector General
March 22, 2017
Additional resources from my blog LIST OF VA TOWN HALLS & OTHER MEETINGS NATIONWIDE: http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6
OHIO
EVENT: March 2017 Mental Health Open House by The Columbus Division of Police, Columbus Police Academy, March 30th https://is.gd/31fIPZ
The Columbus Division of Police is partnering with ADAMH, Nationwide Children's Hospital
and Ohio State University's Nisonger Ceter to host our second mental health open house.
Come join us for a night of discussion about youth mental health, youth and adult
developmental disabilities and law enforcement.
This event is open to consumers, their family members and all area mental health and
developmental disability providers.
Doors open at 6pm. Presentations start at 630pm. Refreshments and round table
discussions with CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Officers and Dispatchers to follow
presentations in the cafeteria.
Presentations By:
Columbus Police Crisis Intervention Team
Columbus Police 911 Dispatchers
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Ohio State University Nisonger Center
Space is limited so please RSVP to ensure your spot.
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Case Western Reserve offering military ethics graduate degree http://bit.ly/2nNKRGs
Editor’s Note: Thanks to Columbus, Ohio-native Kayla Williams, director of VA’s Center for
Women Veterans, for posting this article on Facebook.
CLEVELAND — Officials with Case Western Reserve University say the Ohio school's new
graduate program in military ethics is the first of its kind in the country.
Cleveland.com reports the Master of Arts in Military Ethics program allows students to earn
a specialized degree that would prepare them for careers in military ethics, law, foreign
affairs and veterans affairs.
Topics of study include emerging areas of ethical consideration such as cyberwarfare,
human enhancement and the use of new weaponry. The program is focused on how
advancing military technologies relate to the common humanity of both enemy and ally.
The degree is designed to be completed in one year, although the university will allow
students to finish at their own pace.
Applications are being accepted for the program's debut this fall. Columbus: Local group working to end suicide among veterans, service members http://bit.ly/2nGRZUQ
COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Around 8,000 military veterans and service members commit suicide
every year according to the VA, including 300 on active duty. One local group is working to
reduce those alarming numbers.
NBC4 spoke with veterans and their families attending an awards ceremony for Summit for
Soldiers on the steps of the statehouse.
Their co-founder Mike Fairman said their number one goal is to eradicate military and
veteran suicides.
. . . Members of Summit for Soldiers also hope to equip the next generation of military men
and women to move beyond the stigma of mental illness and reach out for help by
promoting early detection.
NAMI Ohio: In the News: Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center http://bit.ly/2nQIFxY
Terry Russell the Executive Director of NAMI Ohio had the opportunity to speak with Kevin
Landers of 10TV regarding the Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center. Also
included in the interview were NAMI Ohio Board members and parents of individuals
diagnosed with mental illness.
This news story is another important reminder of the need for this center and of the
strength of families during and after a crisis. It is our hope that the Adam-Amanda Mental
Health Rehabilitation Center will serve as a model of care for the rest of the country.
NAMI Ohio would like to thank Anne and Tom Walker, Greg and Janet Polzer, and Dan and
Marcia Knapp for your participation in this story and for your continuous commitment to the
NAMI mission.
Click here to view the news story from 10TV and the Skype interview with Marcia Knapp.
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EVENT: Cincinnati VAMC Town Hall, May 17th http://bit.ly/2nGI7ul The next Cincinnati VAMC Veteran’s Town Hall Meeting will be Wednesday May 17, 2017
time TBD
Calling all Veterans! Mark your calendars for the Cincinnati VA Medical Center Town Hall on
Wednesday May 17, 2017 time TBD in the auditorium at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center
(3200 Vine Street).
VISN4 2016 Annual Report https://t.co/KLPxTQxgx3 Editor’s Note: Many veterans in eastern Ohio are served by VISN4 VA facilities
Since 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs' core values have defined who we are: our
culture, our character, and how we serve Veterans. These core values are: integrity,
commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence. Together, their initials spell out "I CARE."
. . . As you click through the pages of this annual report, you will see how 2016 was filled
with important accomplishments and significant achievements throughout our network – all
inspired by our I CARE values.
Pickaway County: Jail program helps addicts get clean https://is.gd/m1rjcW . . . Once past the violent drug withdrawal, he asked for help.
Sheriff’s Lt. Gabe Carpenter promised to get it for him.
As administrator of the Pickaway County Jail, Carpenter oversees a program started last
year that gets inmates into a medication-assisted treatment program for opiate addiction
immediately upon release.
Carpenter and his team ensure the inmates’ state-funded Medicaid or private insurance is in
order and that a post-release sobriety plan is in place.
On the day of release, corrections officers take the drug users to a clinic — a judge signs
the order to actually release the inmates from custody at that location — where they receive
their first dose of Vivitrol, a medication that blocks the craving for opiates.
Sometimes, Carpenter even drives them there himself.
The goal is to give the inmates their best chance at sobriety, but also to keep them from
returning to jail. So far, Sheriff Robert Radcliff is pleased. Of 25 inmates released through
the program since it began in March 2016, 12 have returned.
That might not sound like much, Radcliff said, but because it’s common for addicted inmates
to return to jail within days or weeks of release, the Vivitrol program is clearly making a
difference. Of the 12 who returned, only one returned to jail within a month, and several
were out for nearly six months or longer.
“We know relapse happens,” Carpenter said. “But the longer we can keep them out and
clean, the better off their chances are the next time they try. It’s a process.” Additional resources from my blog
OPERATION LEGAL HELP OHIO http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK
RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH
OHIO JOBS FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1CL3Ay0
RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV
EVENTS FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Tx7tix
EVENTS FOR LAWYERS & OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/2fQHYN7
RESOURCES FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/2fQNEql
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STEPPING UP INITIATIVE Editor’s Note: Closely associated with Veterans Treatment Courts and other specialty docket courts dealing with mental illness is the new STEEPING UP INITIATIVE. Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illness in Jails. Stepping Up and similar initiatives are an important evolution in the treatment of veterans and others incarcerated with mental illness. Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Evelyn Lundeberg Stratton (Retired) is the Director of Stepping Up Ohio. We have decided to create this new section of Retired Justice Stratton’s News Clips, rather than bury the stories somewhere else.
We particularly wish to thank County Court Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren in The Criminal Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County of Florida, a Pioneer and Creator of America's first mental health court dedicated to the decriminalization of people with mental illness, for sending us news articles to share with you.
CO: Colorado Bill expands mental health support for rural communities http://on9news.tv/2nR0VqX
KUSA - Mental illness is not a crime, yet Coloradans who suffer a mental health crisis can
still find themselves in a jail cell for up to 24 hours.
A bill introduced into the Colorado Senate last week would do away with the practice that
happens mostly in rural counties along the western slope that have limited access to mental
health resources.
“We’re only one of six states left in the country that allows this practice,” Moe Keller said,
vice president of public policy for Mental Health Colorado.
CO: Mental Health Colorado: Mental health holds in jails have to go https://is.gd/1qKZLd One of the biggest mental health issues the Colorado General Assembly will address this
session is the placement of individuals on involuntary mental health holds in jails.
Current law allows law enforcement to put a person having a mental health crisis in jail,
without charges, if they are a danger to themselves or others. Colorado is one of only six
states where this practice is still legal.
The bill known as SB17-207 (Senate Bill 207) would stop this practice and improve the
system of care set up to help people in crisis.
A hearing was held on the bill on Wednesday. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate
Judiciary committee with a 5 to zero vote. Senator Daniel Kagan (D) and Senator John
Cooke (R) sponsored the bill.
"To jail someone is only cruel and inhumane ... please support this bill," said Senator
Kagan.
LA: Louisiana senators reject budget cuts to youth mental health services https://is.gd/2DpA0C
Louisiana senators Wednesday told state health officials to go back to the drawing board
and find other money for budget cuts rather than eliminating a program that helps
thousands of children and teenagers with mental health issues.
In order to balance this year's state budget, the Edwards administration began the process
of closing the Medicaid program that helps children learn to deal with anger management
issues and other mental health issues. About 47,000 children were served in 2016.
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Closing the Psychosocial Rehabilitation program for youth would have saved about $2.2
million. The federal government sent an additional $3.6 million to help pay the psychologists
and other care providers in the program.
MA: In Massachusetts’ failing mental health care system, even the lucky ones aren’t so lucky http://bit.ly/2nUZ7gt
. . . While thousands with serious mental illness struggle to get any help, the roughly
21,000 Department of Mental Health clients are promised treatment at state-run facilities
and state-funded programs in the community that are operated by private vendors. Having
successfully completed an onerous application process, they’re supposed to have access to
the best care the state has to offer.
But the string of incidents raises questions about whether the department is doing enough
to ensure the safety of its clients and the public.
One state client on a watch list for sexual misconduct was found hiding in a Brookline
family’s home. Another allegedly stabbed a stranger as the victim left a movie theater,
while a third, known to have violent tendencies, allegedly assaulted a stranger with a brick.
Still another client who was supposed to be monitored for suicidal behavior fell or jumped
out of a group home window, broke his neck, and was not found until the following morning.
Current and former Department of Mental Health employees, along with clinicians who work
closely with the department, say the chronically underfunded agency too often fails to
properly manage those in its care.
Community treatment has been outsourced to private vendors, whose staff are often
underpaid and have limited training.
State budget cuts have decimated the ranks of case managers, who oversee treatment for
individual clients.
MD: School program helps get students access to mental health treatment https://is.gd/XM6rPW
A group of Frederick County school employees is exploring new ways for adolescents to
cope with academic and social pressures.
Teenagers and pre-teens have many demands placed on them, from sports and academics
to community service projects and dealing with social media, said Kristen Spear, one of the
four social workers in Frederick County Public Schools’ Community Agency School Services
program.
“They don’t have a lot of down time,” she said.
The CASS program is a group of social workers who focus on helping students with mental
health problems that have been identified.
The pressure to keep up can lead to depression, anxiety or other mental problems, Spear
said.
Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics show that 1 in 5 children has a diagnosable
mental health condition, she said.
The social workers mainly work out of the county’s middle schools, although they can also
help coordinate services for elementary or high school students.
SC: Reducing return visits to jail starts with behavioral health care http://bit.ly/2nQHI8M
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Spartanburg County’s former jail director said Thursday he hopes a planned 24/7 mental
health crisis center for adults will eventually be able to divert people from jail and get them
the help they need.
Neal Urch, who retired from his position at the jail at the end of 2016, said currently,
officers who arrest someone suspected of having a mental health crisis can either take the
person to the jail or the hospital emergency department.
“It would be great to give that officer another choice,” he said. “Hopefully (the crisis
stabilization unit) will be able to develop the needed security.”
The $1.1M crisis center is expected to open by September and be staffed by 13 health care
professionals. Organizers say the center should help reduce visits to the hospital
emergency department. But initially it will not be able to accept transfers from the jail due
to the costs of providing security.
TN: Washington County, TN mental health court reaches milestone http://bit.ly/2nR2hlo WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. - A unique program in Washington County, Tennessee is
keeping families together and saving tax-payer dollars. The mental health court, an
alternative to criminal prosecution, is now in its tenth year and going strong.
Judges Robert Lincoln, James Nidiffer, and Don Arnold oversee the program. They said it
separates criminals from people who just aren't getting the help they need.
For ten years now, the court has selected offenders who may be better served with mental
health treatment. Those who participate spend a year in treatment and working with the
three lawyers involved. If they graduate, their charges are dropped and their record
expunged.
The program a volunteer effort on everyone's part so it comes at no cost. With 56 graduates
already, the judges said it also saves tax-payer dollars by keeping the participants out of
prison and home with their families.
UT: Mental Health Court: Changing one defendant's life at a time https://is.gd/D4j2ai . . . Fifth District Court Judge John Walton saw there was a problem. Throughout his years
as both a prosecutor and then a judge, he saw the same individuals with mental health
issues revolving in and out of court.
"You see people in court all the time who have probably been found competent in criminal
court, but yet everyone would recognize the substantial, real and very serious mental health
problems that complicate their ability to live their life, be productive and stay out of the
criminal system," Walton said.
Walton traveled to Salt Lake City to observe the first Mental Health Court following its
launch in 2001. While the idea of this alternative court was still a relatively new at the time,
Walton felt it might be the answer to the lingering question of how to help those in the
criminal justice system suffering from mental health problems in southern Utah.
WA: Leaders looking to Benton County Jail to learn ways to improve mental health care http://bit.ly/2nH7tYW
. . . Benton County has created a multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals,
psychiatric prescribers, mental health professionals, mental health advocates (NAMI), case
managers and chaplains that meets weekly to discuss and plan individual treatment for
inmates.
Benton County corrections staff now receives mental health training to help officers better
understand mental illness, symptoms to look for, and effective skills to cope with mental
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health emergencies. They’ve partnered with professionals at Lourdes Counseling Center,
and the 4-day training takes place once, and sometimes twice a year.
Benton County’s also developed a mental health court for low-level offenders in the April of
2016.
Lourdes Transitions program works with nine local law enforcement groups, including
Benton County. They provide a Transitions Jail Diversion program that focuses on those who
are mentally ill and have committed a low-level misdemeanor. The program allows people
who are acutely mentally ill to receive treatment rather than go to jail.
Why we can’t ignore the silent epidemic of traumatic brain injury in prisons http://bit.ly/2nKhlkV
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a huge “hidden disability” within prison populations in the US
and the UK.
Despite evidence that TBI can lead sufferers to be more violent and reoffend, there is a
worrying lack of information about the extent of the problem and there is no standard
screening process.
At a time when there is huge concern about escalating prison population rates, is it not time
this issue was addressed?
Prisoners who have had head injuries are more likely to experience a variety of mental
health problems including severe depression and anxiety, substance use disorders, anger
and suicidal thoughts.
Surprisingly, it is only relatively recently that researchers have started investigating brain
injury within the criminal justice context. But those studies show higher rates of TBI within
incarcerated populations compared to the rate found in the general population.
Despite studies highlighting the significant prevalence of TBI in inmates, there has been
little consideration of this in the development of policies and procedures. An important
review conducted in the UK and published in 2009 exploring the mental health needs of
prisoners made no reference to brain injury at all.
Creating a Re-Entry Court by wagging the probation tail http://bit.ly/2nMMp3C
Guest bloggers Professor David B. Wexler & Judge Michael D. Jones (Retired) talk about
how to improve people’s chances of successful transition from prison to community through
a therapeutic application of existing law…
A recent Mainstream TJ blog explored the “exportable elements” of the Louisiana Reentry
Court spearheaded by Judge William (“Rusty”) Knight that could be explored in other
jurisdictions.
That invitation led us consider how the Arizona device known as a “probation tail” could be
tweaked in a way that would enable an interested judge to create his or her own reentry
court, one case at a time.
Here’s our tweak…
Use probation post release
Re-focus on responding to risks and needs through therapeutic interventions
Add judicial monitoring
Use Early Termination as an incentive
Treatment Advocacy Center News & Commentary, March 20th – 24th
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There's an App to Prevent Tragedies (RideAlong by Seattle Police)
A Marathon Journey with a Cause
TAC: Our Priorities for 2017
RESEARCH WEEKLY: In Search of Positive Treatment for Negative Symptoms
IAFF opens mental health treatment center for firefighters, paramedics http://bit.ly/2mAgsv7
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — The International Association of Fire Fighters opened its
mental health treatment facility center this weekend.
Although the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery has been
in the works for months, it formally opened its doors Sunday.
The facility will treat responders who suffer from PTSD and other work-related mental
health issues.
“We want it to be a place where people can relax,” Abby Morris, the center’s medical
director, told WTSP. “We also want people to feel as if they are away from a lot of the stress
and tension. We really want them to focus on themselves for a change.”
The center also aims to reduce the stigma some responders feel when asking for help.
“That mentality has to go away,” IAFF member Patrick Morrison said. “And it’s going to take
years for us to realize that the stigma about mental health doesn’t help anybody.”
UK: The Duchess of Cambridge Gives Emotional Speech on Motherhood and Mental Health https://is.gd/QrWASC
The Duchess of Cambridge gave an emotional and impassioned speech at the Royal College
of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in London this morning that has resonated with new
mothers everywhere. Speaking to a packed room of doctors and parents, the mother of two
opened up about the challenges new mothers face and the importance of treating mental
health struggles the same way you would treat any other ailment.
The Duchess was on hand to introduce Out of the Blue, a film series created by Best
Beginnings, part of the royal family’s Heads Together campaign that focuses on mental
health issues (like depression and anxiety) that many new mothers face. It is the goal of
Heads Together — with the support of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince
Harry — to both raise awareness around these issues as well as remove the stigma
associated with them.
UK: End humiliating restraint of mentally ill people, say charities https://is.gd/gae1JC Mental health charities have called for an immediate end to the face-down restraint of
patients, which is being used disproportionately on women and girls.
Organisations including Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, YoungMinds and Agenda say the
practice is “frightening and humiliating” and “re-traumatises” female victims of violence and
sexual abuse.
In an open letter to Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, the charities point to evidence
provided by Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk, revealing that patients are
regularly restrained in some mental health units but others deploy non-physical means of
calming patients or stopping acts of self-harm.
Neurobiology of Stress Journal https://is.gd/b7Ww4D Neurobiology of Stress is a multidisciplinary journal for the publication of original research
and review articles on basic, translational and clinical research into stress and related
disorders.
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It will focus on the impact of stress on the brain from cellular to behavioral functions and
stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders (such as depression, trauma and anxiety).
The translation of basic research findings into real-world applications will be a key aim of
the journal.
Basic, translational and clinical research on the following topics as they relate to stress will
be covered:
Molecular substrates and cell signaling
Genetics and epigenetics
Stress circuitry
Structural and physiological plasticity
Developmental Aspects
Laboratory models of stress
Neuroinflammation and pathology
Memory and Cognition
Motivational Processes
Fear and Anxiety
Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders (including depression, PTSD, substance
abuse)
Neuropsychopharmacology
VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS
AL: New Veterans Treatment Court http://bit.ly/2nKcNep . . . 12th Circuit Court Judge Jeff Kelley thought having a veterans treatment court serving
Coffee and Pike County soldiers would be beneficial because there are many military bases
in the Wiregrass.
"Try to see if there is some kind of service connection issues with the offense such as
substance abuse such as PTSD mental health issues," said Judge Jeff Kelley.
A large number of veterans are arrested for crimes directly related to trauma, addiction,
and mental illness. This new system is based on treatment not punishment.
"Acknowledge sign a form admitting that you committed the alleged criminal offense and
you'd plead guilty," said Judge Jeff Kelley. "The court with holds the jurisdiction that means
you have no conviction and we will allow you to go to this program."
. . . Nationally this program has a 98 percent success rate; however, some do not finish.
"They can actually be terminated and if they are terminated they have to come back before
the court and they are jurisdiction guilty and convicted," said Judge Jeff Kelley. " If they
complete the program their case is either dismissed or however the district attorney does it.
We've had one went from a felony to a misdemeanor."
The success of this strategy is the structure which is similar to what veterans are accustom
too
"They are use to discipline they've gone through the military and they thrive better when
they are accountable," said Judge Jeff Kelley.
The court system can be a revolving door for many and this has already helped keep 11,000
veterans nationwide to stay out of jail or prison.
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"The program not only helps the veterans helps the quality of their lives and their families
involved," said Judge Jeff Kelley. "It increases public safety if they aren't re-offending."
Over the last two years veterans treatment court has help 26 people in our area allowing
soldiers to return to the family they fought to protect.
CA: 5 veterans see Solano cases dismissed upon program completion http://bit.ly/2nXyKGY
FAIRFIELD — Five military veterans, each facing felony charges with the possibility of prison
looming over their heads, had their cases thrown out of court Friday.
The veterans had faced charges as serious as vehicular manslaughter and assault with a
deadly weapon. Instead of facing the wrath of prosecutors and the coercive power of the
court, each of the veterans received frequent applause and many hugs and compliments.
The Veterans Treatment Court honored its five most-recent graduates in a court hearing
presided over by Judge E. Bradley Nelson.
. . . The Veterans Treatment Program is funded in large part by the U.S. Department of
Justice and enables as many as 40 Solano County resident veterans, active duty service
members, reservists or members of the National Guard to receive an alternative to the
typical steps and consequences of the traditional criminal justice system.
The program, established in 2014, is a collaborative effort among the courts, the county,
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and local service and treatment providers.
CA: Service members honored, celebrated at Welcome Home barbecue http://bit.ly/2nXqA1j
Service members from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard all packed
the courtyard and Veterans Memorial Hall on Saturday afternoon to be honored and
celebrated at the Welcome Home For Our Veterans event and barbecue, hosted by the Mid-
Coast Veterans Alliance.
. . . Guest speakers included 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, Mayor Alice Patino,
Judge Rogelio Flores and Santa Maria Veterans Treatment Court Foundation board
member Amy Lopez, who also serves on the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
board.
. . . Flores, who helped organize the first Veterans Treatment Court in Santa Barbara
County, also noted how important it is to help veterans suffering from substance addiction -
- treatment in lieu of incarceration.
. . . Lopez, in her speech, also spoke about the nonstop efforts made at the Veterans
Treatment Court in Santa Maria and in Lompoc every day, and how important it is for the
community to fight for those who fought for our freedom.
DE: Veteran's court judge nominated again http://delonline.us/2nRafv4 A long-serving judge from Kent County has been nominated for re-appointment to the
Delaware Superior Court.
Gov. John Carney announced Saturday his nomination of Judge William L. Witham Jr. to
continue as resident judge for Kent County.
The Delaware Senate is expected to consider the nomination in the future.
"Judge Witham has served the State of Delaware with distinction," Carney said. "I am
pleased he has agreed to continue his service, and look forward to the Delaware Senate
considering his nomination."
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Witham became an associate judge of the Superior Court in February 1999. He was
appointed Kent County resident judge in January 2005.
He also oversaw the implementation of the state's Veterans Court and has served as the
judge for that court since its inception in 2011.
FL: Veterans Court gives many a second chance http://bit.ly/2nR5qBI
PORT ST. LUCIE — Back in 2014, I wrote the article "Justice for Veterans,” which outlined a
unique approach to the legal system for veterans.
St. Lucie County’s Veterans Court is an extension of this approach. Veterans Court
represents a nontraditional approach to criminal offenders who have served both during
peace and wartime.
Since its inception, Circuit Judge Robert E. Belanger has helped to reduce criminal
recidivism and lower incarceration costs by keeping veterans who have committed
nonviolent crimes out of jail. Rather than focusing only on the crimes they commit and the
punishments they receive, Veterans Court also attempts to solve some of the participants'
underlying health, substance abuse and psychosocial problems.
The Veterans Court is eligible to anyone who served honorably in the U.S. armed forces, has
been charged with a crime appropriate to the court, and resides in the 19th Judicial Circuit.
Admission to Veterans Court is not automatic. Veterans must seek entry into the program.
Veterans Court is also dependent on a nonadversarial courtroom atmosphere where a single
judge, dedicated court staff, the treatment team, and the mentors work together toward the
common goals of breaking the cycle of substance abuse and criminal behavior, and
addressing mental and physical health issues. An environment with clear and certain rules is
created, and each participant's compliance is within his or her own control.
Many former service members have a hard time re-entering the civilian population. Multiple
deployments, post-traumatic stress disorder, disability and substance abuse, compounded
by the lack of jobs, family, housing, and other social obstacles have taken their toll on
veterans.
Combat veterans who have had “run-ins” with the law or are struggling with addiction don’t
need to end up in jail; they need counseling and assistance.
The key to success in the Veterans Court program is the mentor. Each veteran in the
program is assigned a mentor, another veteran, who is most of the time from the same
branch of service or wartime era. That way the veteran is not alone. His or her mentor is
there for them every step of the way. A strong bond is forged between the mentor and the
veteran. Working together, nearly all veterans are able to successfully complete the
mandated program and go back to their lives.
HI: Lack of state funds threaten to discontinue Veterans Treatment Court http://bit.ly/2nXt5k7
Newspaper’s Editor’s note: This is part one in a two-part series looking at Big Island
Veterans Treatment Court, its successes and financial uncertainty. One graduate talks about
his journey from addiction and PTSD to a sober, healthy life. Part two Monday will detail one
man’s graduation from the program.
. . . The Big Island Veterans Treatment Court is now facing an unknown future as funding to
continue the program has not yet been determined.
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The program started in 2014 with a federal grant of $310,000. That money ends Sept. 30
and those who run the program are currently looking to the Legislature to keep the court
running for Hawaii Island’s veterans.
The veterans are keenly aware of the financial situation the court faces.
“The court is doing great now but what about the other vets after us?” Schoeppner asked.
Grayson Hashida, Drug Court Coordinator, said they are looking for the state to fund three
full-time positions: a supervisor, a Kona probation officer and a Hilo probation officer. Those
monies would also the cover the costs of drug testing and evaluating the program.
It would cost about $255,000 per year.
“What’s the old way — incarceration? That has proven ineffective,” Ibarra said. IA: Hogg, Hall cheer Woodbury County Veterans Court in the midst of state cuts http://bit.ly/2nKd1lG
SIOUX CITY | Iowa Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg and Rep. Chris Hall said they sat in on
a Veterans Treatment Court proceeding Friday to push the vitality of the Woodbury County
public service in the midst of statewide reductions.
“There are so many things that can be passed up to the legislators in the form of phone
calls or emails," Hall, D-Sioux City, told reporters after the meeting at the Woodbury County
Courthouse.
"But it has a completely different point when you actually can see the human value of these
veterans stepping into the courtroom, seeing the structure and the support that they get
from working with other veterans and having a support system that is geared to their needs
and circumstances.”
Woodbury is the only Iowa county to have a Veterans Treatment Court . . .
. . . Spurred by lower-than-expected revenues, the state needs to cut nearly $118 million
from the state budget. The lurking deficit has forced the state's court system to shave $3
million from operational spending.
IL: Wauconda man pleads guilty to bomb possession http://bit.ly/2nXkxd8 A Wauconda man who authorities said threatened to blow up police offices pleaded guilty to
a bomb possession charge in Lake County court Friday.
Andreas Stachel, 50, of the 400 block of Lake Shore Boulevard, was sentenced to 24
months of probation, 90 days in Lake County jail, 180 days in work release jail, after
pleading guilty in front of Judge Christopher Stride.
Stachel also has been assigned to the Lake County Veterans Court, was ordered to perform
100 hours of community service, and must remain drug and alcohol free while out on
probation, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Jason Grindel said.
. . . He is due to appear April 7 in Veterans Court.
IN: We Salute You: Veterans Treatment Court (Video) http://bit.ly/2nMycnc A local Veterans Treatment Court is helping veterans in the community get back on their
feet. One in five veterans has symptoms of a mental health disorder or cognitive
impairment. One in six veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom suffer from a substance abuse issue.
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Research continues to draw a link between substance abuse and combat–related mental
illness. Unfortunately, left untreated mental health disorders can lead veterans to the
criminal justice system.
Judge Wayne Trockman came on the “We Salute You” segment with 44News Morning
Anchor Melissa Schroeder Thursday. He explained how the local Veterans Treatment Court
is making a difference in the Tri-State. If you would like more information, call 812-421-
6330.
MI: Limited state funding forces Kent Co. vets court to rely on charity http://bit.ly/2nGZ5sr
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — They are programs that are proven to work: special courts for
veterans whose scars from their service lead to legal troubles at home.
But limited state funding has forced these courts to turn to charity to keep their doors open.
. . . When 24 Hour News 8 followed Kent County veterans going through the court last
summer, it was in the process of applying for another grant from the State Court
Administrative Office in Lansing.
The state had $750,000 to distribute among 23 courts in November. The Wyoming court
asked for $177,000 but received $44,000.
“It’s not that the state was not trying to give us money, but they only had so much money
in the pot and they had to split it up among different courts, so we got what we got. But it
just wasn’t enough,” said Cortes.
The funding problem is taking its toll. Cortes said the program started with 13 Kent County
veterans and now serves far fewer.
“As people graduated and as our funding issues cropped up, we weren’t sure we would have
money, so we stopped accepting people. We got down to about six (veterans).”
With more competition among courts across the state, Wyoming and other veteran’s
treatment courts have been forced to turn to donors to keep operating.
“We decided that we needed to step up for such a good cause and we unanimously voted to
donate $12,000 to the court,” said Mark Moyer, commander of American Legion Post 311 in
Grand Rapids.
His group is one of many that have donated to the Friends of Kent County Veteran’s
Treatment Court.
MT: Editorial: MSU, city commended for work with vets; Bozman Veterans Court in the works http://bit.ly/2nRr2yb
Our veterans deserve the very best we have to offer, and Montana State University and now
the Bozeman Municipal Court are saluted for their efforts helping those vets reintegrate into
our culture and communities.
MSU has been singled out in more than one national ranking for its treatment of war vets
and efforts to make them successful in the pursuit of higher education.
Now the Bozeman Municipal Court has joined the effort by seeking grant money for
alternative treatment to jail for war vets with substance abuse issues and other mental
health issues.
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The Bozeman City Commission voted last week to apply for a $400,000 grant from
the Bureau of Justice Assistance for a Bozeman Veterans Treatment Court to help
veterans overcome so many of the issues they face in the wake of their service.
The program would be aimed at veterans who are convicted of crimes and have an
identifiable mental health or substance abuse.
MT: Judge Doles Out Sweet Justice To Burglar Who Lied About Being A Battle-Hardened Combat Vet http://bit.ly/2nRjQ57
I’m no expert in criminal justice, but chances are people who steal valor are also the sort of
people who steal other stuff, too.
Case in point: Ryan Patrick Morris of Great Falls, Montana received a beefed-up sentence for
felony burglary last week after authorities discovered he lied about being a battle-hardened
combat veteran in hopes of garnering sympathy from a local judge.
NC: Tribe steps up for vets http://bit.ly/2nH5YtP PEMBROKE — The director of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Fayetteville
urged veterans Saturday to join in her efforts to establish a veterans treatment court in
Robeson County.
Elizabeth Goolsby was a keynote speaker at a Lumbee Tribe-sponsored veterans stand
down held at the Pembroke Boys and Girls Club. The stand down provided all veterans with
access to information about benefits they may be eligible to receive, as well as the process
for obtaining benefits. It also provided special services — including haircuts and confidential
counseling — for any veteran who identified themselves as being homeless.
Goolsby said that veterans treatment courts operating in Cumberland and Harnett counties
are successfully helping address social, legal, and medical issues that have landed veterans
in the court system.
NJ: Proposed 'veterans court' may not reach those who need it most http://bit.ly/2nRobFm
. . . A bill being voted on next week by the state Senate will create a "Veteran's Treatment
Court Pilot Program." The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1stDistrict) and Sen.
Diane Allen (R-7th District) will help troubled veterans who are arrested for minor offenses
skirt the regular judicial system and instead get the counseling, healthcare and other
assistance they need.
An Assembly bill, which was passed a month ago and had six bi-partisan sponsors, shares
the exact language as the Senate bill.
"We can't have these people who served and sacrificed for us sitting in jail cells," Van Drew
said. "Their problems are a cry for help. We want to get them the proper care and
counseling and get them on the right track."
The bill establishes a three-year program to divert "nonviolent offenders" who served in
wars "away from the criminal justice system and into appropriate treatment" for drugs and
alcohol abuse and mental health issues.
Under that language, however, veterans such as Smith and Bowles would not be eligible.
"While I applaud the effort, which is long overdue, the bill leaves too many veterans out,"
said Thomas Roughneen, the leading attorney at Citizen Soldier Law, a Chatham practice
that specializes in helping veterans and military personnel.
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"The awful truth is that many of these people have offenses that are violent or serious, and
they are the ones who need help the most," said Roughneen, who is a lieutenant colonel in
the New Jersey Army National Guard and an Iraq War veteran.
"Domestic violence is more prevalent than we think among these veterans and it is the start
of their downward spiral," he said.
NY: PBS: Veterans Courts (Video) http://bit.ly/2nKl0Pv
Veterans Courts are a new approach to mentoring our returning soldiers who run into legal
problems.
At this location in Essex County, New York, vets from previous generations serve as
mentors with insights from the past to help treat needs that focus on the individual not the
incident.
An older generations of veterans seek to prevent a new generation from failing through the
cracks.
PA: Judge: Treatment courts are seeing success http://bit.ly/2nXrniA LOCK HAVEN — It used to be in Clinton County that the courts dealt with drug offenders
mostly by locking them up in prison. And while that is still an option being used, the court
here has come a long way in just a few years in providing treatment options.
Thus was born the county Treatment Court, expanded more recently to include a Veterans
Court.
“At the start of 2014, when I first came on to the bench, I came from a career of
prosecutor, and I truly, honestly, believed that it was possible to incarcerate (to stop)
drugs. I no longer believe that,” Judge Michael Salisbury said, offering a candid reflection
upon his time in the justice system, especially with regard to drug abuse cases.
“I am now absolutely convinced that the way to address recidivism is through a combination
of justice and treatment,” he told a crowd of almost 100 people who attended Thursday
night’s Town Hall meeting sponsored by Advocates for a Drug Free Tomorrow and held at
the Masonic Temple in downtown Lock Haven.
Salisbury, one of five panelists who spoke, credited much of the progress in the area to
Judge Craig Miller, who had a vision for a specialized treatment court modeled somewhat
after the first such court started in 1989 in Miami, Fla., amid the cocaine epidemic.
Now, half of Pennsylvania counties have treatment courts, with those people admitted to
them showing a consistent 80 percent success rate.
PA: Army vet battled post-deployment demons until childhood friend became casualty of his personal war http://bit.ly/2nXgrBM
. . . Gajdys entered the Lackawanna County Veterans Court after his release from jail. He
was ordered to find a home group and sponsor in Alcoholics Anonymous. The court paired
him with his veteran mentor, Victor Ortalano, a former Marine who served in Vietnam.
The court and Ortalano, who battled his own addiction, helped, Gajdys said.
Started in 2009, the first veterans court in the state found success in helping arrested
former soldiers turn around their lives. While Lackawanna County Prison has a recidivism
rate of more than 50 percent, graduates of the veterans court have reoffended at a rate of
about 18 percent, said Barbara Durkin, the court’s coordinator.
The county’s treatment courts offer a potential expunging of charges or shortened
sentences if participants complete counseling and treatment for things like addiction and
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mental health disorders. They also must stay out of trouble. Jail looms for those who get
arrested again or fail to meet the program’s stringent requirements.
Gajdys credits the court and mentorship program with saving his life.
“It’s a soldier opening up to another soldier,” he said. “You can relate back and forth. I
wasn’t in Vietnam and he wasn’t in Iraq, but we both fought in war. We know what it’s like
to be shot at, and have friends die, and the heartache and the stuff that you go through.”
TX: Dallas American Legion members learn about Veterans Court http://bit.ly/2nGLS38 Attorney Gary Michak recently spoke about “Veterans Court,” which was recently
implemented in Luzerne County, at the Daddow-Isaac Post 674 American Legion.
Veterans Court is designed to assist veterans charged with nonviolent crimes who struggle
with addiction or mental illness related to PTSD or other disorders.
This gives the veteran an alternative disposition as opposed to incarceration. In addition,
the program seeks out veterans to serve as mentors to assist in the aid and transition of the
veteran within the program.
TX: Veterans treatment court (Feature Story) http://bit.ly/2nH1u6w
. . . Veterans Treatment Court offers a diversion program to honorably discharged veterans
who have gotten on the wrong side of the law, providing those who have served their
country an alternative to prosecution and a second chance.
“If you commit capital murder, we can’t help you,” Jefferson County District Attorney Bob
Wortham described. “But, for lesser offenses, drug charges and many other charges, which
could be the result of mental illness, like PTSD, veterans may qualify for Veterans
Treatment Court. We’re here to see that justice is done. We are doing veterans justice by
helping them overcome their demons.”
Veterans who participate in the program must sign a contract with the court and then follow
certain steps and treatment guidelines in order to satisfy their agreement, including going to
counseling for mental or behavioral issues.
Judge Kent Walston of the 58th District Court presides over Veterans Treatment Court in
Jefferson County. A Naval veteran who served actively for six years, Judge Walston says he
is proud to be in a position to assist the nation’s defenders, who deserve some special
consideration for their innumerable sacrifices.
“We don’t give veterans special treatment,” Walston remarked. “We give them special help.”
TX: Travis Co. veterans court running out of cash fast http://bit.ly/2nKgukd Travis County's Veterans Treatment Court is scrambling for funding after it was caught in
the crosshairs of the sanctuary city fight between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Travis
County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.
Gov. Abbott cut off state grant funding to several county programs last month when Sheriff
Hernandez wouldn't back off of her immigration policy not to cooperate with ICE in the
county jail.
TX: This North Texas Judge Is Taking His Veterans Court On The Road (News Interview Audio) http://bit.ly/2nMRmtg
Returning to civilian live is no easy task for members of the military; a difficult transition
can land a veteran in trouble. North Texas Judge John Roach has come up with a one-of-a-
kind way to reach those vets: He’s taking his court on the road.
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Interview Highlights:
what veterans courts are for:
the difference between a veterans court and the standard system
why Judge Roach created the new system
the response to the traveling veterans court
TX: 17TH VETERANS TREATMENT COURT GRADUATION CEREMONY https://is.gd/1tjXWF
On Wednesday March 22, 2017, the 430th Judicial District Court held the 17th Veterans
Treatment Court Graduation ceremony.
The Mission of the Hidalgo County Veterans Treatment Court Program is to help Veterans
who are on probation for non-violent offenses, by providing intensive treatment and
supervision to promote public safety and reduce recidivism.
Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra was a special guest speaker at the ceremony and spoke to the
Veterans about second chances. Sheriff Guerra congratulated the Veterans for completing
the program, and for making a decision to continue forward in a positive direction. He also
asked them to help other Veterans that may be struggling.
. . . The Hidalgo County Veterans Treatment Court Program is a collaboration between
several county departments, including
the 430th District Judicial Court/Veterans Treatment Court,
Hidalgo County Community Supervision & Corrections Department (CSCD),
the McAllen Veterans Center,
Family Endeavors Supportive Services for Veterans Families,
Veterans Court Program Mentor Program Coordinator,
Hidalgo County Veterans Services,
Hidalgo County Public Defenders Office, Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office,
The University of Texas – RGV, and
The South Texas Civil Rights Project.
UT: A court of redemption for vets http://bit.ly/2nGY3wG SALT LAKE CITY — It’s not every day in 3rd District Court that you see defendants rise up
and hug the judge.
Then again, every day isn’t graduation day in Judge Royal Hansen’s Veterans Court.
It’s been two years now since Hansen, who’s been on the state bench since being appointed
in 2003 by then-Gov. Michael Leavitt, launched a specialty court open exclusively to
veterans of the armed forces who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Believing the vets' problems are almost universally the result of addictions or mental health
issues — and usually a combination of both — the judge felt the best way to help them, and
still satisfy the demands of justice, was to show them a way out of the hole they’d dug
themselves into, not a way further in.
His plan: offer the veterans an alternative to incarceration that involves a court-monitored
commitment to report to the judge every week, stay clean and sober, see their therapists
without fail, interact with mentors and course managers and regularly provide community
service.
WI: DA concerned about meth makers in drug court (and veterans court) http://bit.ly/2nH7a0D
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ELKHORN—The Walworth County District Attorney is cautious about letting
methamphetamine manufacturers into Drug Treatment Court because making meth poses a
greater danger to the community, he said.
“Meth poses a greater risk to the community than heroin does in the sense that, not only is
it dangerous when someone uses the illegal substance, but meth--the process of creating it-
-puts the general public at risk as well,” District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld said. “I think we
have to (look at meth differently than heroin).”
. . . One method Walworth County legal officials have used to handle heroin-addicted
criminal offenders is Drug Treatment Court, "where participants actively engage in
treatment, are highly monitored through drug testing and are held accountable through
frequent court appearances," said Treatment Court Coordinator Katie Behl.
But as meth—a cheap and easy-to-make stimulant that can explode during its making—is
becoming more prevalent in Walworth County, Wiefenfeld said his office has to consider the
extra damage meth poses to the community before allowing manufacturers to enter drug
court.
Additional resources from my blog
LIST OF NATIONAL AND STATE LEGAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/19DC5zu
U.S. VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS LOCATIONS http://bit.ly/1Lf1VX5
PTS/TBI/MST
VA Research in the area of traumatic brain injury is leading to new discoveries, treatment http://bit.ly/2lYg5dm
National Brain Injury Awareness Month, observed in March, is an appropriate time to
remember our Veterans, particularly the wounds they have sustained—both visible and
invisible—through their service.
Nearly 1 in 5 among the 2.5 million service members and Veterans who have served in Iraq
or Afghanistan since 2003 have sustained at least one traumatic brain injury. The
overwhelming majority of these are classified as mild.
VA stands committed to improve the lives and long-term health of Veterans with TBI, using
a multipronged approach.
The effort involves preclinical (lab) research; the development of appropriate therapies;
treatment of symptoms such as pain, anxiety, sensory impairment, and memory loss;
reintegration back into the community; and caregiver support.
This work involves extensive partnerships between VA and both governmental and
nongovernmental agencies, and the results can be expected to help not only Veterans, but
all Americans affected by this condition. FL: House bill advances to allow alternative treatments for Florida veterans suffering brain injuries, PTSD http://bit.ly/2nGZkDQ
A Florida House committee unanimously advanced a first-of-its-kind bill Monday to allow
alternative treatments for veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-
traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).
Treatments to be considered include music, art, horses, dogs, acupuncture, yoga and more.
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HB 55, sponsored by both Rep. Daniel Burgess and Rep. Frank White, looks to expand
beyond the scope of simply prescribing drugs to vets suffering from the serious diagnoses of
TBI and PTSD.
The legislation would authorize the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with
certain licensed individuals andJared businesses offering such service options, as long as
they are recognized medically, scientifically or psychologically to have the benefits they
claim, and are evidenced-based in nature.
OR: Group-think can be a powerful part of brain-injury recovery http://bit.ly/2nXA1h0 . . . Traumatic brain injury can leave you feeling like a stranger in your own body. And it is
not understood or recognized by many. Since a lot of us look normal, it shouldn't be too
surprising that many assume we're fine after our life-changing, sometimes near-fatal
events.
Some tell us to "move on" or that we should have already overcome hardships related to
our injuries. Even well-meaning people unknowingly minimize the injury's lingering effects.
They compare forgetting the name of someone at a dinner party to our memory struggles.
But some of us forget, regularly, why we went into another room. We forget if we've eaten
lunch or why we're in a car and where we're going. Brain injury can be confusing, time
consuming, tiring and anxiety causing.
In a society where people thoughtfully accommodate others' gluten allergies and rightly
celebrate breast-cancer survivors with fun runs and pink ribbons adorning athletic wear, the
way brain injury is treated is curious. You don't typically hear people suggest that cancer
survivors "move on" or are milking their misfortune, but brain-injury survivors often receive
doubt, annoyance or impatience.
That's one reason TBI support groups are refreshing. No one doubts you when you say your
new normal is hard. Instead, you get jazz hands. Being understood -- and feeling you
belong -- ranks up there with gratitude and laughter as some of the best medicine available.
"Oregon has more TBI support groups per capita than any other state," Sherry Stock,
executive director of the Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon, told me. Joan Miller, a brain-injury
survivor herself, co-founded this particular Portland group in 2003. She says she wanted
survivors to have "a safe place to fall." SC: We need to talk about military mental health by Sgt. Jared Evans, president of My Carolina Veterans Alumni Council http://bit.ly/2nGQKVP
COLUMBIA, SC With Fort Jackson’s upcoming centennial celebration, South Carolina is
paying special tribute to the state’s military community for its incredible service to our
country. A line-up of events throughout the year will honor our servicemen and women and
bring attention to our strong community.
One aspect of military life that deserves attention from both loved ones and the larger
community is the mental health of our service members and veterans, more than one in
five of whom suffer emotionally.
Many organizations in South Carolina have made it their mission to provide help for the
military members who exhibit the five signs. From transitional assistance to activity-based
therapy, these organizations provide diverse methods for maintaining or improving
emotional well-being.
The S.C. Coalition of Military Mental Health Awareness provides a central space where
military members and their loved ones can search for the specific resource that will best fit
their needs and introduce them to organizations that they otherwise would not know.
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Most importantly, the coalition has fostered an open dialogue about mental health issues
among our troops.
Working with the Campaign to Change Direction, the coalition is encouraging organizations
and individuals to make a pledge to know the five signs of emotional suffering and to
change the culture surrounding military mental illness, and wellness.
. . . In this year of celebration for the men and women of Fort Jackson who serve our
country, it is important to recognize that their job is not an easy one. It takes a physical toll
on their bodies and a psychological toll on their minds. As we spend afternoons at parades,
let us also take time to learn about the mental health of our military community and try to
recognize a hero who could use a concerned friend.
MHA Launches First-Ever National Peer Specialist Certification http://bit.ly/2nH34FM After years of development, Mental Health America (MHA) is proud to announce the creation
of the MHA National Certified Peer Specialist (NCPS) credential.
This groundbreaking national advanced certification lets peers – individuals who share the
experience of living with a psychiatric disorder and/or addiction – show they have the
highest levels of knowledge and experience to create new opportunities in public and private
settings.
Peer-initiated and conceived, the MHA NCPS credential recognizes peers with the lived
experience, training, and job experience to work alongside healthcare teams. The expansion
of peer support into the private sector will open new career paths and opportunities, which
have been previously unexplored, for thousands of peer supporters.
Cohen Veterans Bioscience Newsletter March 2017 http://bit.ly/2nNEAKY March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Translational Toolbox: TBI Imaging Reference Library
Translational Toolbox: Cohen Brain Collection
Cognitive Network™
The PTSD KnowledgeMap™
Cohen Veterans Bioscience Webinar Series (Rewind): The “Tau Biology Project”
EVENT: VA Second Annual Brain Trust: Pathways to InnoVAtion, Boston, May 17th –
19th
NIH Funding Opportunity: Alcohol-PTSD Comorbidity: Preclinical Studies of Models
and Mechanisms (R01), Application Due Date May 17th
Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers battling dementia http://bit.ly/2nGVCuc
Relatives of Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers say the Chicago Bears legend has been
diagnosed with dementia.
His wife, Ardythe Sayers, tells The Kansas City Star that her 73-year-old husband was
diagnosed four years ago and she blames Sayers' football career. He played for the Bears
from seven seasons starting in 1965 after setting records at the University of Kansas.
"Like the doctor at the Mayo Clinic said, 'Yes, a part of this has to be on football,'" Ardie
Sayers said at their home in Wakarusa, Indiana. "It wasn't so much getting hit in the head .
It's just the shaking of the brain when they took him down with the force they play the
game in."
Ardie Sayers and the rest of the family had made no secret of his condition, but hadn't
shared it publicly. In 2013, he asked to withdraw a lawsuit filed against the National
Football League and a helmet maker that claimed they failed to prevent repeated head
injuries. The lawsuit contended that Sayers claimed he suffers headaches, occasional short-
term memory loss and other cognitive deficits because of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
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Plight of Gale Sayers, Dwight Clark should scare football parents
Canada: CTE: The facts about chronic traumatic encephalopathy https://is.gd/qOq4g2 . . . What athletes have had CTE?
The disease isn’t limited to professionals; it has been found in people who didn’t play sports
since college or high school, according to the CTE Centre.
That said, CTE has been confirmed in several high profile athletes, most recently former
NHL defenceman Steve Montador. Former WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife
and son before hanging himself in 2007, was shown to have tau tangles in his brain. So did
NHLer Bob Probert, who died of a heart attack five years ago, and Dave Duerson, a member
of the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears.
Boston University and the Krembil Neuroscience Centre in Toronto are accepting brain
donations from deceased athletes to advance CTE research.
These teenagers built their own mental health app http://bbc.in/2nGXW4u These four students have created an app to help teenagers talk about being bullied and get
access to counselling.
For Me was originally a school project but the NSPCC's Childline has turned it into reality.
"I hope that young people now realise they have somewhere to go," one of the creators,
Laura Hindle, tells Newsbeat.
The app features a private "locker" area where users get a daily mood tracker and can write
down their thoughts.
It also lets users chat with a counsellor.
Additional resources from my blog
RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV
EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERAN SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi
SUICIDE
Zero Suicide Organizational Self-Study and Zero Suicide Workforce Survey are now available in electronic format http://bit.ly/2nGVF9c
We are pleased to announce that the Zero Suicide Organizational Self-Study and Zero
Suicide Workforce Survey are now available in electronic format. Links to both of these
resources are found in the top right area of the Zero Suicide website home page (see screen
shot below).
The link for the Zero Suicide Organizational Self-Study will direct you to an online portal
in which to enter your responses, as well as to a PDF version of the Self-Study and
recommendations for completing the Self-Study. As a reminder, the Organizational Self-
Study is designed to assess what components of the comprehensive Zero Suicide approach
are currently in place and the degree to which the components are embedded within key
clinical areas. The Organizational Self-Study also helps to assess both organizational- and
clinical-specific strengths and opportunities for development across each of the seven
dimensions of Zero Suicide. We recommend taking the Self-Study annually. Once your
organization enters data in to the online portal, you will receive an annual email reminding
you to retake the Self-Study.
The link for the Zero Suicide Workforce Survey will direct you to a web page with a link
to the Online Workforce Survey Request Form and other materials intended to support
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administration of the updated Workforce Survey. The Request Form should be completed by
individuals who are ready to enter into the final stages of planning to make the survey
available to their organization. Once the Request Form is submitted the individual
requesting the survey for their organization will receive additional information, including a
survey link to distribute to staff, in 7 – 10 business days. The Zero Suicide Workforce
Survey has been updated to provide more detailed information, and is one tool your
organization can use to assess staff self-perception of their knowledge, comfort, and
confidence in interacting with patients who may be at risk for suicide. It can also assist your
implementation team in designing and prioritizing training needs.
National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Responds to New Data Showing Trends in Suicide Rates in Urban and Rural Areas http://bit.ly/2nGU1o7
A statement prepared by The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action
Alliance)
Washington, D.C. – Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Injury
Center released new data in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) showing an
increasing trend in suicide which has been steadily rising since 1999—especially among
rural communities.
In a new report, Trends in Suicide by Level of Urbanization—United States, 1999-2015,
using data from National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and annual county-level population
data from the U.S. Census Bureau, key findings show:
o higher rates of suicide in areas with lower levels of urbanization (i.e. more rural
areas).
o a growing disparity in suicide rates between less urban and more urban areas of
the U.S.
o annual suicide rates increased across all levels of urbanization (large metro
areas, medium metro areas, small metro areas, and non-metro areas).
o at the beginning of the study, suicide rates were lowest for more urban counties
and highest for less urban (more rural) counties, a gap that continued to widen
over time and began to accelerate beginning in 2007-2008.
. . . The report underscores the importance of looking at geographic areas to identify
highest risk – and ultimately need for coordinated and comprehensive prevention efforts.
. . . The data remind us about the important role communities play in preventing suicide
and the need for increased attention to suicide prevention in all settings and systems to
help reach people where they live, work and receive treatment—
Number of military suicides still high, but help is on the rise at Maxwell AFB http://on.mgmadv.com/2nKiEA7
Maj. Elisha Parkhill is a dreamer. As the mental health flight commander at Maxwell Air
Force Base, she believes in erasing the stigma of mental illness and providing the help
needed for people in an Air Force community who fall into depression and who attempt or
consider suicide.
A 10-day Intensive Outpatient Program she implemented, and which started Monday, is
working to do just that, as it is designed for those at a higher risk of suicide or who need
more intensive care. Through this, Parkhill works to assure people that their careers will not
be in jeopardy if they seek help for mental health issues.
It's just the opposite. "We're really doing our best to educate people to come and take care
of themselves," Parkhill said. "If you're depressed or anxious, why don't you go and see
your doctor? We're really trying to drive that home. I think there is a comfort in our
community to receive care from each other.
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"We've seen great improvement with just that because we're taking care of our own, which
is very important."
VETERANS GATHERED TO SUPPORT BILL THAT WILL TRACK VETERAN SUICIDE IN CALIFORNIA http://abc30.tv/2nKc7FV
. . . Because of that, Lara is a supporter of this new bill-- AB 242. The bill will require the
State Department of Public Health to collect data on veteran suicides and report it to the
legislature and the Department of Veteran Affairs each year.
Assemblyman Jim Patterson and Dr. Joaquin Arambula proposed it together.
"Getting ahead of the suicide, getting help when it's needed, not after it's too late, and I
think this is a good first step," said Patterson.
Virginia Beauty queen bringing awareness to veteran suicides http://bit.ly/2nRoxLY Cars honked, pictures were taken and pedestrians waved at the patriotically-clad cadre of
people who walked 10 miles up and down U.S. 29 on Monday morning, but few may have
understood why the tiara-clad Miss Albemarle 2016 and her cohorts were making the trek.
But that’s OK for Abigail Forsyth, the 19-year-old crowned Miss Albemarle in last year’s
Charlottesville Dogwood Festival — she figures a little digging might point people to a big
issue.
“I think that it’s so important that we draw attention to the people who fight the battle
abroad, and then come fight the silent battle at home,” Forsyth said.
Home for spring break from James Madison University, Forsyth decided to organize a walk
to raise awareness about the staggering statistic that 22 or more veterans commit suicide
every day in the United States.
Veteran Terry Sharpe, better known as “The Walking Marine,” walks 15 miles per day from
North Carolina to Washington, D.C., for that same reason.
After Forsyth joined his walk for a stint last year, she was inspired to do a walk of her own,
even if just for a fraction of Sharpe’s distance.
Canada: Veterans advisory group to hold meeting on suicide prevention https://tgam.ca/2nH7f4f
An expert group advising Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr on mental health is focusing
on suicide prevention at a meeting this week – a long overdue step, say some vet advocates
who sit on the committee.
It’s the first time an entire day-long meeting of the group, which includes retired soldiers
and mental-health specialists, will be dedicated to the issue of suicide. In the fall, several
veterans on the committee vented frustration with the advisory group’s direction and the
government’s pace of action on the growing suicide problem, after a continuing Globe and
Mail investigation revealed that at least 70 soldiers and vets who served on the Afghanistan
mission have taken their own lives after returning to Canada.
India: Over 100 military personnel commit suicide every year http://bit.ly/2nKixod NEW DELHI: The armed forces continue to lose around 100 personnel to suicides every year
despite successive governments holding that several measures have been taken to reduce
the stress among soldiers. As many as 125 military personnel took the extreme step to end
their lives in 2016.
Replying to question in Lok Sabha on Friday, minister of state for defence Subhash
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Bhamre said 101 soldiers, 19 airmen and five sailors committed suicide last year, with
another three cases of fratricide (to kill a fellow soldier or superior) being reported from the
three Services.
SPRC: Surveillance Success Stories – Montana http://bit.ly/2nNzdLN
Editor’s Note: A useful tool for those who specialize in suicide research and care is the Zero
Suicide Listserv http://bit.ly/2nNyom4
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is pleased to announce the release of its
latest Surveillance Success Story, which comes from the state of Montana. This story details
how the Montana Suicide Mortality Review Team accesses and analyzes data on suicide
deaths in the state, and uses that data to make recommendations about prevention
efforts. Please share this resource with your staff and colleagues, including the following
suggested social media posts:
Check out SPRC's latest #suicide Surveillance Success Story about the state of
Montana! https://go.edc.org/survmontana
SPRC's latest Surveillance Success Story describes how the state of Montana
accesses and analyzes #suicide data: https://go.edc.org/survmontana
The Surveillance Success Story Series describes how states, tribes, and health systems
access and analyze data on suicide deaths and attempts, and use data to inform evaluation
and program planning. Look for more success stories in the coming months!
SPRC: States http://bit.ly/2nGRYAv
Suicide prevention efforts can have greater power when they move beyond a single
organization to reach a whole community. Find out what’s going on in your state and
consider ways to join with partners to have a greater impact. Find your state below for
information and resources, including:
Contact information
Suicide prevention plans
State and community organizations involved in suicide prevention
Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Act and National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
(NSSP) grantees
Current legislation and news updates
SPRC: The Weekly Spark
Surveillance Success Stories: Montana
Creating Linguistically and Culturally Competent Suicide Prevention Materials
Parental Psychiatric Disease and Risk of Suicide Attempts in Offspring
AI Figured out the Word People Text When Their Suicide Risk Is High
MICHIGAN: CAPS Expands Program, Releases New Suicide Prevention Videos
Arctic States Join Forces for Suicide Prevention
Zero Suicide Organizational Self-Study and Workforce Survey Now Available Online
Webinar: Use of Technology in Crisis and Behavioral Health Care
ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH & SUICIDE NEWS IS POSTED IN THE SECTIONS BELOW.
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Boston University Research: CTE: The facts about chronic traumatic encephalopathy https://is.gd/qOq4g2 (Same article reported above by Canadian newspaper.)
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What is CTE?
The verbose way to say it is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It is defined by experts at
Boston University, home of the CTE Centre research facility, as a “progressive degenerative
disease” that is found in people who’ve suffered repeated head trauma. Researchers say it
can stem from major, debilitating concussions as well as repeated hits to the head that
don’t result in noticeable symptoms.
The condition is known to affect contact sports athletes, primarily boxers and football
players, though it has been linked to professional wrestling, soccer and horseback riding as
well. People who hit their head repeatedly during epileptic seizures and victims of domestic
abuse can also develop CTE, according to a review of confirmed CTE cases published by the
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology in 2009.
. . . What athletes have had CTE?
The disease isn’t limited to professionals; it has been found in people who didn’t play sports
since college or high school, according to the CTE Centre.
That said, CTE has been confirmed in several high profile athletes, most recently former
NHL defenceman Steve Montador. Former WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife
and son before hanging himself in 2007, was shown to have tau tangles in his brain. So did
NHLer Bob Probert, who died of a heart attack five years ago, and Dave Duerson, a member
of the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears.
Boston University and the Krembil Neuroscience Centre in Toronto are accepting brain
donations from deceased athletes to advance CTE research.
Case Western Reserve University offering military ethics graduate degree http://bit.ly/2nNKRGs
Editor’s Note: Thanks to Columbus, Ohio-native Kayla Williams, director of VA’s Center for
Women Veterans, for posting this article on Facebook.
CLEVELAND — Officials with Case Western Reserve University say the Ohio school's new
graduate program in military ethics is the first of its kind in the country.
Cleveland.com reports the Master of Arts in Military Ethics program allows students to earn
a specialized degree that would prepare them for careers in military ethics, law, foreign
affairs and veterans affairs.
Topics of study include emerging areas of ethical consideration such as cyberwarfare,
human enhancement and the use of new weaponry. The program is focused on how
advancing military technologies relate to the common humanity of both enemy and ally.
The degree is designed to be completed in one year, although the university will allow
students to finish at their own pace.
Applications are being accepted for the program's debut this fall. University of California, San Francisco - San Francisco VA Medical Center Research: http://bit.ly/2nH2QhT
Clinicians, researchers, and patients have long recognized the link between psychological
stress and physical health.
In their classic article on the physiological impact of stress, McEwen and Stellar (1993) used
PTSD as an example to describe how psychological trauma and subsequent, repeated
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reminders of traumatic events trigger a cascade of neuronal, hormonal, and immunologic
effects that damage the body over time.
Though studies have found patients with psychological trauma and PTSD are at greater risk
of a variety of chronic physical ailments, associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are
particularly concerning.
Despite advances in prevention and treatment, CVD remains the leading cause of death
worldwide and accounts for over $316 billion dollars annually in healthcare costs and lost
productivity in the United States (Mozaffarian et al., 2016). Emory University: Emory Healthcare No Cost Veterans Healthcare Program http://bit.ly/2nQGhHs
Editor’s Note: Feel free to contact Jason. Emory Healthcare is located in Atlanta, GA.
My name is Jason Dodge and I am a Veteran Outreach Coordinator for the Emory
Healthcare Veterans Program. I am connecting with veteran organizations and advocates in
order to help provide additional resources to veterans and their families. We are very
interested in collaborating with you and learning more about how we can join forces to
ensure that "No veteran is ever left behind!”
Emory’s Veterans Program offers Post-9/11 veterans expert and collaborative care to help
heal the invisible wounds of war, at no cost. Our comprehensive approach combines
behavioral health care, including psychiatry and neurology, rehabilitative medicine,
recreation and wellness, and family support to help them reintegrate and reclaim their life.
What We Treat…
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual
Trauma (MST), anxiety and depression.
Click on the link below to learn more about our program.
http://emoryhealthcare.org/veterans-program/index.html
Thank you for your time and attention.
Regards,
Jason W. Dodge
Emory Healthcare Veterans Program
Veterans Outreach Coordinator, Recreation Lead
Army and Air Force Veteran
12 Executive Park Drive NE, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30329-2206
(O) 404-712-9746
jason.dodge@emoryhealthcare.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwdodge
http://emoryhealthcare.org/veterans-program
Florida International University: Florida International University Helps Military Veterans Prepare for Future as Nursing Professionals https://is.gd/L3fNt7
Florida International University (FIU) is helping recent veterans, current reservists, and
national guard members prepare for a future as nursing professionals.
Their Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) program was founded in 2013 and
opened to service members who trained or served in select military classifications and were
discharged in the past two years, or five years for veterans who were employed in civilian
healthcare roles as a combat medic, flight medic, or hospital corpsmen.
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Harvard University Research: How blind people's brains rewire to improve other senses http://bit.ly/2nNBuX7
A new study delves into the neurological changes in people with blindness. It demonstrates
that losing one's sight before the age of 3 causes long-term alterations and subsequent
enhancements to the other senses.
. . . A recent study set out to chart these brain changes in more detail. The study was led by
Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers and is published today in PLOS One. For the first
time, the team combines structural, functional, and anatomical brain changes and compares
blind people's brains with those of people with normal sight.
To develop a picture of the brain changes that occur, the team used both diffusion-based
and resting state MRI. In all, 28 participants took part in the study: 12 were either blind
from birth or had become blind before the age of 3, and 16 participants had normal sight.
The scans of individuals with early blindness showed clear differences from the control scans
of normally sighted participants, so changes in structural and functional connectivity could
be measured.
Enhanced connections between specific parts of the brain were seen in the blind people that
were not present in the control group. These observed differences surprised researchers:
Harvard University: Feel Good Society Looks to Increase Mental Health Awareness https://is.gd/lzvwqy
A student run-health group dubbed the “Feel Good Society” has begun hosting weekly
meetings in an effort to improve mental health for students at the College.
Co-founder Alec S. Bowman ’17 began planning the group last semester when he reached
out to other co-founders Emily A. Johansen ’17 and Melanie M. Slone ’17 about fostering
more open discussions about mental health on campus.
The meetings, which started this semester, typically begin with an icebreaker before moving
to self-help topics ranging from meditation to dorm room cleanliness.
Bowman said he hopes meetings’ casual environment will encourage students to be more
open about their mental health. He added that he struggled with his own mental health
while at Harvard, and noted that the College’s existing resources were more “private and
individual.”
“It still felt like even when I went to use these resources to help myself, I was still somehow
isolating myself,” Bowman said.
Rather than focusing on specific individual experiences, the group aims to provide a set of
tips for participants in addressing their own mental health concerns.
University of Maine at Presque Isle: Veterans Program for UMPI students (Video) http://bit.ly/2nK9jIS
. . . The group is in its early stages, but so far around a half a dozen students have come
together.
“I think the main benefit is information because everybody has a different story, everybody
has a different experience and that information we can give to each other is just so helpful.”
The goal of the group is to connect student veterans and family members with resources in
the community and help them successfully integrate back into society – all while supporting
one another.
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University of Memphis: University of Memphis creating Veterans Care Center http://bit.ly/2nKarvS
The University of Memphis has announced plans for a new Veterans Care Center (VCC)
outpatient facility within its Psychological Services Center.
On March 7, the university announced the center, which will be made possible through a gift
in honor of President M. David Rudd. The center will offer veterans treatment and
assessment based on the most up-to-date research and will include a research clinic where
new therapies are developed.
The university said the VCC will address the mental health needs of veterans "regardless of
era, gender, discharge status or service connection," offer services to military and veteran
families and provide assessments and treatment for issues such as post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse.
"The U of M is taking great strides toward providing a campus community that is inclusive
and welcoming for our military veterans from the general Memphis community," said
Dr. Jim Whelan, director of the Psychological Services Center, in a release. "This facility is
another crucial step toward ensuring that we are equipped to meet the needs of our
servicemen and women."
The VCC will collaborate with the Shelby County Veterans Court to provide assessment
and treatment services and the U of M's Veterans Resource Center for consultation.
The VCC will also offer student veterans services for coping with challenges related to the
management of PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other symptoms within the academic
environment.
University of Michigan Health Laboratory: Drug and Alcohol Problems Linked to Vet Suicides, Especially in Women http://bit.ly/2nGLTnx
Veterans already have an increased risk of suicide. Those with substance use disorders or
mental health conditions are in particular need of help, a new study asserts.
Veterans who have drug or alcohol problems are more than twice as likely to die by suicide
as their comrades, a new study finds. And women veterans with substance use disorders
have an even higher rate of suicide — more than five times that of their veteran peers, the
research shows.
The risk of suicide differs depending on the type of substance the veteran has problems
with, according to the study.
The highest suicide risks are among those who misuse prescription sedative medicines, such
as tranquilizers. Female veterans who misuse opioid drugs also have an especially high risk
of suicide, according to the study.
The research, published in the journal Addiction by a team from the University of Michigan
and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, finds that much of the difference in suicide risk
lies with veterans who have both mental health conditions and substance use issues.
Montana State University: Editorial: MSU, city commended for work with vets http://bit.ly/2nRr2yb
Our veterans deserve the very best we have to offer, and Montana State University and now
the Bozeman Municipal Court are saluted for their efforts helping those vets reintegrate into
our culture and communities.
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MSU has been singled out in more than one national ranking for its treatment of war vets
and efforts to make them successful in the pursuit of higher education.
Now the Bozeman Municipal Court has joined the effort by seeking grant money for
alternative treatment to jail for war vets with substance abuse issues and other mental
health issues.
The Bozeman City Commission voted last week to apply for a $400,000 grant from
the Bureau of Justice Assistance for a Bozeman Veterans Treatment Court to help
veterans overcome so many of the issues they face in the wake of their service.
The program would be aimed at veterans who are convicted of crimes and have an
identifiable mental health or substance abuse.
New York University (NYU): Time to Innovate Mental Health Services http://bit.ly/2nXBIeG
. . . There are already a great deal of mental health resources available to students at NYU
— as outlined in NYU’s Student Health Insurance Guide — though the current system does
leave some gaps. Under the university plan, health services will provide students in need
with up to ten short-term counseling sessions and semester-long group psychotherapy.
Once these 10 sessions have been used up, however, the university re-directs students to
affiliate counselors and clinicians that can charge students — depending on their health
insurance — up to $240 per session.
Although this policy provides an important resource for students with mental illnesses, it
cuts students off in the middle of treatment if they are unable to afford outside therapy.
. . . NYU has proven that it is committed to helping students affected by mental illness
through the resources it provides and the efforts it makes to raise awareness.
But to truly give students the full treatment they need, the administration must innovate its
programs and find a way to accommodate those students who can’t afford their own.
University of Pennsylvania Research: Researchers, including Penn Law’s Stephen Morse, show brain scanning can predict legal mental state https://is.gd/h0BHyS
According to the influential Model Penal Code (MPC), a person’s mental state (mens rea)
when he or she commits a crime determines that person’s culpability. For example, it’s
worse to commit an act knowingly (with practical certainty about some legally relevant
circumstance) than recklessly (with conscious awareness of a substantial risk that the
circumstance exists or will occur).
Recent scholarship, however, has shown that people have difficulty distinguishing between
the legally defined knowing and reckless states. This has serious implications because the
differences in punishment depending on the defendant’s mental state can be substantial.
And it has led some to question whether there is a genuine difference between these two
mental states as the MPC defines them. Most criminal law theorists believe there is a
difference, but the recent scholarship called this distinction into question.
Could neuroscientific technology help determine if knowledge and recklessness are discrete
mental states? A new study co-authored by Penn Law professor Stephen J. Morse and a
number of other researchers from neuroscience, law, and philosophy, led by neuroscientist
Read Montague and law professor Gideon Yaffe, shows that brain imaging data can be used,
with high accuracy, to predict a participant’s mental state.
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Penn State University: Patrick and Amy Kennedy Discuss Mental Health Advocacy at Penn State http://bit.ly/2nQM67N
Former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy and his wife Amy Kennedy, a Penn
State alumna, took part in a discussion on mental health advocacy Wednesday night at
Penn State.
Moderated by Dr. Erika Saunders, chair of Penn State's Department of Psychiatry, and Dr.
Dennis Heisman, the Senior Director and Special Assistant to the Vice President for Student
Affairs, the discussion hosted by Counseling and Psychological Services and the Student
Programming Association, revolved around the work both of the Kennedys have done
through The Kennedy Forum and touched on Patrick Kennedy’s public struggle with
addiction as told by his 2015 New York Times best-selling book "A Common Struggle."
. . . Their goal is to get insurance providers to give evidence-based care, integrate mental
health and addiction care into the rest of medicine, leverage technology to track and
monitor health, and eventually move toward complete prevention.
. . . “I think there cannot be any education that doesn’t include social emotion learning,
probing mechanisms, the things that we don’t learn in school, but we’re supposedly
supposed to get somewhere,” Patrick said.
“If you’re trying to prepare the next generation for the real world, the real world is stressful
and unmanageable just like in life in general, and not allowing people to know how to cope
is really like tying an arm behind their back.
“The fact that you also are really appreciating how vital this is to the quality of life for the
student body – it is so amazing that the last class gift was to fund an endowment for a
counseling center. These are really incredible steps.”
University of Southern California (USC): Next Generation of Providers: USC Social Work Students Visit DCoE http://bit.ly/2nNFSWj
For the fourth consecutive year, students from the University of Southern California (USC)
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work learned how social workers help the military
community during a visit to the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and
Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE).
Fred Stone, a clinical associate professor at USC, says the annual visits are a chance for
students to understand some of the many ways that social workers play a vital role in the
military.
Stetson University: Leaders Sign Monumental Agreement Ushering in New Legal Service for Veterans - Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (Video) http://bit.ly/2nNHyil
With a stroke of pen the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and several local law partners
ushered in a new legal program for Veterans during an agreement signing ceremony on
February 15 at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center.
During the event, dozens of leaders from the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Stetson
University Veterans Law Institute, Bay Area Legal Services, and Gulf Coast Legal Services
gathered to recognize the start of the new Medical-Legal Partnership program – an
achievement many months in the making.
Texas A&M University: How Texas A&M is helping veterans and families adjust to campus life http://bit.ly/2nKdHr6
Last summer, Texas A&M’s San Antonio campus became the first university in the country
to require all faculty and staff to take a military competency course to help make this
transition easier. About 20 percent of the campus’ students are connected to the military,
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either as vets, active duty or family members; 15 percent are active duty and 3 percent are
dependents.
K.C. Kalmbach, a psychology professor at Texas A&M San Antonio, led the creation of the
Military Cultural Competency training program. She the university’s president, Cynthia
Teniente-Matson made the training mandatory because she wanted to reflect the school’s
military-embracing culture.
University of Texas Health Science Center Research: Groundbreaking Fort Hood Study On PTSD Gives Hope For A Permanent Cure http://bit.ly/2nQShsz
Retired sergeant first class Sean Brack - who - with several symptoms of the stress, knew
he needed help. Soon afterwards, Mr. Brack heard of an experimental therapy happening on
post done by the STRONG STAR consortium and the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio.
. . .Enter Dr. Alan Peterson, the director of the STRONG STAR Consortium and professor of
psychiatry.
The groundbreaking study Sean took part in, is an historic one – conducted on Fort Hood
and featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association - Psychiatry (JAMA).
Peterson says, “it's a very big deal. it's arguably the most important treatment study that's
ever been published related to P.T.S.D. in active duty military population.
It involves cognitive processing therapy - a type of talk-based treatment.
It has a track record of successfully treating post-traumatic stress disorder among civilians,
but it hadn't yet been studied among active-duty combat veterans.
The method essentially desensitizes the person to an event - things like loud noises that
sound like explosions, or a helicopter flying over takes someone back to the war instantly.
“Right now the most evidence we have is that this therapy works and it works well,” Peterson says.
Trident University: Trident University Adds Experienced Army Veteran To Lead Military and Veteran Affairs http://bit.ly/2nXi6aq
Mark A. Weedon has joined Trident University International’s (Trident) Outreach &
Partnerships team as Senior Director of Military and Veteran Affairs. Weedon is a 29-year
veteran of the United States Army, serving in many capacities while in the military.
In his new role, Weedon will directly oversee and manage Trident’s geographically dispersed
Regional Managers, as well as lead the continued growth and development of the Trident
Military Assistance Center, which launched in June 2015.
Weedon believes that Trident fulfills an important role in supporting the military community
with their higher education needs. “Higher education has opened numerous doors for me
and gives me a competitive advantage in the workforce,” stated Weedon. “Education is a
great equalizer, and to truly thrive in life, one must seek out learning opportunities
everyday.”
Trov University: Trov students walking 123 miles to benefit wounded veterans https://is.gd/S28zpR
For 37 Troy University students, writing a check to a charity wasn’t enough. That’s why
they’re walking from Troy to Panama City Beach, Florida to raise funds for a charity that
provides hunting, fishing and socialization opportunities to wounded veterans.
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Members of Alpha Tau Omega left Troy on Friday on the seventh annual “Walk Hard for
Heroes” benefit. The 123-mile walk is intended to raise funds for Jeep Sullivan Wounded
Warrior Outdoor Adventures, an organization in Florida.
Operated by Jeep Sullivan, the organization is a non-profit ministry that offers wounded
veterans and their families opportunities to enjoy the outdoors at no cost to them.
GENERAL NEWS
U.S. Xpress offers apprenticeship program for vets to fill truck driver jobs https://is.gd/qzOMmI
Don Davis and his wife, Rebekah nearly doubled their combined income when the two
military veterans became commercial truck drivers and started making long-haul trips
between Chicago and the East Coast for the Chattanooga-based U.S. Xpress Enterprises.
"We're used to being away from home in the military," said Dan Davis, a 33-year-old
veteran of the Army and Navy who twice served in Iraq. "Truck driving is definitely a great
career if you don't mind spending time by yourself, which a lot of us did in the military."
Davis used his GI bill to get his commercial drivers license through a truck driving school
and continues to receive GI benefits to supplement his income through a veterans
apprenticeship program that U.S. Xpress joined last month.
As part of the Post 9/11 GI Bill Apprenticeship Program, veterans may receive tax-free
educational benefits while training with U.S. Xpress to become truck drivers or diesel
technicians.
Participants can receive up to $25,700 from the Veterans Administration over a two-year
period, depending on their years of military service, on top of their salary from U.S. Xpress.
Veteran Market: New online marketplace to feature wares from veterans, military spouses http://bit.ly/2nQvXPM
A new website will serve as a “one-stop shop” for those seeking to buy goods and services
from veterans and military spouses.
The Veteran Market is an e-commerce platform where verified veterans, military spouses
and businesses can sell their products online. Co-founders Mike Phipps and Scott Davidson
said the site grew from the notion that there was not a centralized, verified marketplace for
veterans and military spouses to sell their wares.
“The idea developed that we would create a market online, tailored to the general public,
where they can go buy from verified veterans and military spouses online,” said Phipps,
managing director of The Millennium Group Int’l and a founding member of The American
Legion Business Task Force.
While sites such as Etsy give military spouses an online forum to sell their wares, the
founders of The Veteran Market say their site will provide a centralized online location for
selling products while ensuring that sellers don’t need to understand technology to set up
their own business sites. The Veteran Market can be used by all types of businesses,
ranging from home-based entrepreneurs to established businesses.
Sellers can also use the website to cultivate partnerships with other veteran-owned
businesses. For example, Ranger Up currently stocks several products that are outsourced
to other veteran-owned small businesses such as Liquid Metal Signs. The Veteran Market
will establish a forum for business owners like these to collaborate.
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Once sellers have created their space on the Veteran Market, they also can connect their
social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram) to promote themselves.
Florida group helps veterans start businesses http://bit.ly/2nXRaHs
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – A Florida business group is helping veterans start businesses.
The group, Veterans Florida, started this year after receiving $1 million in funding from the
state.
It offers veterans starting a business seven bi-weekly meetings followed by a continuing
mentorship.
Homer Boone, a veterans outreach manager for CareerSource Central Florida, says veterans
have a camaraderie that translates into easy communication with each other.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Small Business Administration data shows veterans’
share of new businesses has been decreasing in recent years.
It was more than a third of all new businesses in 2007, but only a fifth of new businesses in
2013.
Veterans Florida hopes to fill the gap with mentorships and other programs.
Ex-NFL player Drayton Florence develops app to help military veterans http://on.si.com/2nGNABw
AUSTIN, Texas – Drayton Florence grew up in a military household and went on to have an
11-year NFL career. When he got into tech after his playing career, he decided to use his
skills to help military veterans.
Florence helped develop the Vets 22 app, which aims to give veterans easy access to
resources including housing solutions, employment opportunities, discounts, chat features
and crisis hotlines.
Missouri Patriot Paws Holds First Graduation at Petco Store http://bit.ly/2nReJBY Missouri Patriot Paws (MPP) held its first graduation of St. Louis area veterans at the Petco
store in Washington.
In conjunction with the graduation, MPP was presented with a check, signifying the award of
a $5,000 grant from the Petco Foundation.
MPP is a nonprofit organization based in Rolla. It was established in 2013 to help train and
certify service dogs for Missouri veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder/traumatic
brain injury (PTSD/TBI).
How online counseling is reshaping company wellness plans http://bit.ly/2nXAv6O Virtual healthcare is moving beyond checking in with a doctor or nurse practitioner to
diagnose fevers, aches and rashes.
Employees of small businesses can now access virtual mental health professionals for issues
such as their depression, addiction and stress from divorce and money woes without leaving
their homes or missing time at work.
Virtual wellness provider MDLive recently announced MDLive Prime, a virtual health and
wellness benefit that now gives patients access to mental healthcare in all 50 states. The
program features licensed therapists and psychiatrists who reside in the same state as the
employee. While they cannot prescribe medications yet, they can offer patients counseling
and recommendations for increased care.
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Additional resources from my blog ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH
EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERANS SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi
VETERANS JOB LISTINGS AND HIRING FAIRS WEBSITES http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay NEWSLETTERS & BLOG FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1GQzKjf
"VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LinkedIn Professional Group (VIJ)
Please join us on LinkedIn or Facebook for networking and discussions on the issues regarding
veterans in the criminal justice system. This group's mission is to connect professionals and
advocates who work with and for justice-involved veterans and to share ideas and practices for
assisting those veterans -- from the conditions that lead to justice involvement, through initial
police contact, arrest, criminal case processing, conviction, sentencing, incarceration, and
release. Access our group at http://linkd.in/1947vfS Facebook:
www.facebook.com/veteransinjustice
Join The National Discussion - 1,346 Professionals in VIJ Group
Active Topics
ADDRESSING THE FLOW OF VETERANS INTO PRISON
Adding a sincere Letter of Explanation to your job applications can help you make a
positive impression on employers.
Abuse of Judicial Power in Family Court Against a Navy Veteran
Tips for discussing one's conviction record in a way that makes a positive impression on
employers
More . . .
LINKEDIN GROUPS
Military and Veteran Benefit Forum Veteran Mentor Network http://linkd.in/1fOlgOt 28,933 members Institute for Veteran Cultural Studies http://linkd.in/1cz3gq1 NAMI http://linkd.in/1cz3Gg7 BI-IFEA (Brain injury-Ideas for Education & Advocacy) http://linkd.in/1cz4e5V Military-Civilian: Hot Jobs and Careers for Veterans and Their Families http://linkd.in/1c59DkM
VETERANS IN JUSTICE GROUP http://linkd.in/12APdMS Cuyahoga County Ohio Veterans and Supporters (Bryan A. McGown "Gunny") http://linkd.in/Zxwx1f Veteran Employment Representatives http://linkd.in/ZxwUcc MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://bit.ly/1RVPLFl Midwest Military Outreach, Inc. http://linkd.in/1eiMTkJ Military Veteran Job Fairs & Hiring Conferences http://linkd.in/Zxx4jS Wounded Warrior Resources http://linkd.in/17TMNhJ The Value of a Veteran http://linkd.in/15vD7H4 MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://linkd.in/1fkQLA8 (Please email us other groups that you find and think would be informative and useful for our audience)
VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG estrattonconsulting.wordpress.com
To focus this newsletter on veterans-related criminal justice and mental illness issues and to shorten it to a more
manageable size, we have moved our tables & lists of reference materials and other longer term information to retired Justice Stratton's blog. Please follow the links below for that information.
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Operation Legal Help Ohio http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK
National Legal Assistance http://bit.ly/19DC5zu
VA Town Halls & Events http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6
Jobs & Hiring Fairs Listings http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay
Events: Conferences, Webinars, etc.
http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi
Additional Resources http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH
Current Newsletter http://bit.ly/19ovER5
2015 Newsletters http://bit.ly/1FKASAC
Ohio Resources For Veterans http://bit.ly/19ouWn0
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Editor's Note: Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations that provide articles for these news clips every week. I would especially like to thank and urge you to follow:
USMC 1stLt Andrew T. Bolla, PIO at the USMC Wounded Warrior Regiment, publisher of WWR In the News, DoD Morning News of Note
Lily Casura, journalist, author and founder of Healing Combat Trauma - the award-winning, first website to address the issue of combat veterans and PTSD (established February 2006)
U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Wayne Gatewood, of Quality Support Inc. Wayne disseminates a daily Veterans News e-mail to an international audience
Dr. Ingrid Herrera-Yee, Project Manager, Military Spouse Mental Health Pipeline, National Military Family Association. Dr. Herrera-Yee is currently a Board Member for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Military Spouses of Strength, Military Mental Health Project and the National Guard Suicide and Resiliency Council among others. She has also been a special contributor to NBC News, Military Times, Air Force Times, Military Spouse Magazine and BuzzFeed. She spends her free time mentoring spouses through eMentor and Joining Forces. Dr. Herrera-Yee received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was a Clinical Fellow at Harvard University.
U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) James Hutton, Director of Media Relations at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Justice for Vets, Justice For Vets is a professional services division of the National Association of Drug Court
professionals, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Alexandria, VA. Justice for Vets believes that no veteran or military service member should suffer from gaps in service, or the judicial system when they return to their communities. As the stewards of the Veterans Treatment Court movement
Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren, Pioneer, America's first mental health court dedicated to the decriminalization of people with mental illness
Mary Ellen Salzano, founder facilitator of the CA Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families Patrick W. Welch, PhD, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret), Veterans Advocate & Educator, Buffalo Veterans Treatment
Court - Senior Mentor
HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER There are three ways to join my newsletter:
Join my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Google Group at http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD or,
Subscribe to my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Blog for immediate news and for my weekly newsletter
at http://bit.ly/1DP1TCi or,
Please contact my editor Pete Miller at cruzzen@gmail.com and request to be added.
1. Please send us a little info about yourselves as we like to introduce our new sign-ups to others for networking purposes. (See our transmittal email page for examples.) If you do NOT wish to be recognized, please let Pete know, otherwise we will list you. 2. We provide these news clips summaries as a way to share information of a general nature and it is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation and advice in a particular matter. The opinions and interpretations expressed within are those of the author of the individual news stories only and may not reflect those of other identified parties. 3. We do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of these news clips, nor do we endorse or make any representations about their content. We only pass them through to our readers and rely on you to check out their content. We don't intend to make any editorial judgment about their content or politics. 4. In no event will I, EStratton Consulting, or my Editor Pete Miller, be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of the use of or reliance on the contents of this news clips summary. How you chose to use them is strictly up to you. 5. Please feel free to pass the news clips on to any of your networks, so that we may get the word out as far as possible. You may also send in information similar in content to what we pass on. While we may occasionally pass on such information, we don't intend to promote commercial or for profit products nor be a substitute for your own efforts to promote your own entity or website. We especially welcome information about national funding or training opportunities. 6. If you pass on our clips, please also pass on our Disclaimer. EDITOR/CONTACT
Pete Miller, cruzzen@gmail.com, @OHCircuitRider
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Ohio Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice & Mental Illness
Veterans In The Courts Initiative
Editor/Publisher - Veterans Treatment Court News Daily
Editor/Publisher - Traumatic Brain Injury News Daily
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