1 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... WWII American Theater Campaign Medal WWII Asian Pacific Campaign Medal WWII European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal WWII Victory Medal Korea Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service MedalSW Asia Service MedalKosovo Service Medal GWOT Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Navy Expeditionary MedalUSMC Combat Action Ribbon USMC Expeditionary Medal Briefing for: Advisory Committee on Women Veterans October 28, 2009 Vet Center Program

2 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 We are the people in VA who welcome home war Veterans with honor by providing readjustment counseling in a caring manner. Vet Centers understand and appreciate Veterans’ war experiences while assisting them and their family members toward a successful post-war adjustment in or near their community. Mission Statement

3 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Readjustment counseling is a wide range of psycho-social services offered to eligible Veterans and their families to assist them in making a successful transition from military to civilian life. Services offered at Vet Centers nationwide include: Counseling for Veterans and their families Marital and family counseling for military-related issues Bereavement counseling Military sexual trauma counseling and referral Demobilization outreach and services Substance abuse assessment and referral Employment assessment and referral Screening and referrals for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) issues Veterans community outreach and education Services:

4 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS), also known as the Vet Center Program, was established in 1979 to provide readjustment counseling to combat Veterans in a community-based setting, easy for Veterans to access. The Vet Center program was the first program in VA, or anywhere, to systematically address the psychological traumas of war in combat Veterans. RCS was established a full year before the definition of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was published in the Third Edition of the American Psychological Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM III) in History:

5 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee broadly defined ‘the purpose of readjustment counseling provision is to make fully available – and to encourage and facilitate the full use of – the resources of the VA’s health- care system to those Vietnam-era Veterans who feel the need for counseling to help them in their readjustment to civilian life.’ United States Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, Report “Veterans’ Health Care Amendments of 1979” The House Veterans Affairs Committee outlined ‘within the context of readjustment counseling, each Vet Center is tasked with three major functions: outreach, direct service delivery, and referral.’ United States House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Report “Veterans’ Administration Health Programs Amendments of 1983” Over the course of the last 30 years the eligibility for Vet Center services has expanded to include combat Veterans of all eras, Veterans sexually traumatized while on active duty, and families of service members killed on active duty.

6 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Vet Centers are staffed by relatively small teams (3-6 staff members) composed of a mix of mental health professionals and counselors from other disciplines. 53% of Vet Center direct counseling staff are53% of Vet Center direct counseling staff are combat theater Veterans, with an additional 20% that are non-combat Veterans. 30% of all Vet Center staff are Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) combat Veterans. 60% of Vet Center direct counseling staff are VHA qualified mental health professionals (Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, and Nurses).60% of Vet Center direct counseling staff are VHA qualified mental health professionals (Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, and Nurses). 42% of all Vet Center staff are women. 10% of all Vet Center staff are women combat theater Veterans, with an additional 8% that are non-combat Veterans.

7 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 In February 2004 the Under Secretary for Health authorized the Vet Center program to hire fifty 50 OEF/OIF Veterans to conduct outreach to their fellow combat Veterans. Due to the success of the initial 50 Outreach Specialists, an additional 50 positions were authorized by the Under Secretary for Health in April These positions are located in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal

8 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Elizabeth Lopez, El Paso Vet Center OEF/OIF Outreach Specialist First Outreach Specialist Hired (May 16, 2004) Iraq Patriot Missile Crew Member - 11th Brigade, 552 Echo Bat. Iraq TMT Gunner - NMCB 22 (Sea Bee) Iraq (2 nd Tour) 2005Vet Center Outreach Event 2006

9 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Jamie Hamilton, Austin Vet Center OEF/OIF Outreach Specialist OH-58 D Kiowa Warrior/UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter Mechanic/Crew Chief Iraq Afghanistan

10 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, ,622 OEF/OIF Veterans Cumulative through 6/30/09

11 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Vet Centers participate in the Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) process beginning with the pilot in November Vet Center staff are on site at each event to facilitate referrals for readjustment counseling and provide outreach materials and education to separating service members and their families. From November 2005 through July 31, 2009, Vet Centers have participated in 1,412 distinct PDHRA events and facilitated 23,045 Vet Center referrals.

12 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 On August 5, 2003, VA Secretary authorized Vet Centers to furnish bereavement counseling services to surviving parents, spouses, children and siblings of service members who have fallen while on active duty, to include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel.

13 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Over 15,958 bereavement visits have been provided by Vet Center staff, many times in the family’s home. This is an average of 9.6 visits per family. Through August 2009, the Vet Centers have assisted the families of 1,656 fallen Service Members, 1,160 (70%) were in-theater casualties in Iraq or Afghanistan.

14 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 VET CENTERS

15 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 STAFFING

16 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, Mobile Vet Centers are being utilized to provide access to VA for returning Veterans via outreach to demobilization active military bases, National Guard, and Reserve locations nationally. The vehicles provide essential homeless Veteran services including participation in Stand Down events. The vehicles also support Vet Center services to rural areas geographically distant from VA services. Initial MVC Demonstration for Congress, October 2008 Each Mobile Vet Center is equipped with a state of the art satellite communications package that includes fully encrypted tele-health equipment, access to all VA systems (Computerized Patient Record System, MyHealthEVet) and connectivity to emergency response systems.

17 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Red River Flooding Deployment MAR/APR 2009 – Fargo, ND

18 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 RURAL OUTREACH Vet Center outreach being conducted at the 87th Annual Greeley Stampede in Greeley, Colorado. The 2009 Rodeo was dedicated to OEF/OIF Veterans. Vet Center outreach was coordinated by the Cheyenne Vet Center OEF/OIF Outreach Specialist Larry Little, a retired USMC Sergeant Major and Veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. 87th Annual Greeley Stampede Greeley, Colorado

19 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 SPECAIL POPULATION OUTREACH Vet Center outreach at annual AMPSURF event, Pismo Beach, California. More than two dozen injured and disabled Veterans took to the waves for a little physical and mental therapy with Operation Restoration IV at Pismo Beach. Disabled Veterans and wounded active-duty service members from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, spent several days experiencing the thrill and healing power of surfing. RCS sent Chris Lopez and Brock McNabb from Santa Cruz, both OIF Veterans, and Joe Costello, Team Leader and OEF Veteran, San Marcos Vet Center. Joe is an avid surfer and participated in the water with the Veterans as well as providing counseling in the off hours. Operation Restoration IV Pismo Beach, California

20 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 New Initiative READJUSTMENT COUNSELING FOR WOMEN VETERANS AND FAMILIES Develop women Veteran and family focused services in existing and new sites in Vet Centers to promote state of the art holistic care. These would include leveraging new technologies to promote access, care, and case management of women Veterans and families. Hire more women providers (peer to peer) to provide services in a safe environment. Develop a 24/7 call center for women Veterans with peer counselors Develop a social networking program to facilitate rural services Provide women combat/family services in each Vet Center Develop new models to provide more comprehensive services such as employment, benefits, and some primary care (i.e., rural areas) Project Overview

21 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 24/7Vet Center Toll Free Telephone Number 24/7 Vet Center Toll Free Telephone Number Establishment of a national call in service where combat Veterans or family members can call at anytime to talk to another combat Veteran regarding any readjustment issues related to their military service. The person on the other side of the call is a Veteran who understands and values the military experience of serving in a combat zone, is trained as a Vet Center counselor, and has knowledge of VA and other resources that may assist the Veteran or the family in obtaining needed services.

22 Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Celebrating 30 Years in Service to our Nations Veterans …Keeping the Promise Readjustment Counseling Service... POC: Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, 15 Services Provide in FY ,034 Veterans and families provided 1,112,819 visits 67,334 (40%) of all Veterans receiving Vet Center services were not seen at any other VHA Facility Within the total services listed above 14,517 Veteran families were provided 53,064 visits