An Integrated System of Care for Those Who Serve

Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and president of Give an Hour

Special to Veterans Advantage

In January of 2010 a number of leaders from the nonprofit and Veteran's Service Organization community came together for a gathering that also included representatives from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, as well as staff from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs office. Some corporate and foundation friends also joined the event.

We came together to discuss our perspectives, our ideas, and our visions for improving the care of those who serve and their families. We represented agencies and organizations that were dedicated to supporting the military community and already engaged in fine efforts to care for those who serve. And yet we each new that more could be done—indeed, more needed to be done because far too many individuals and family members were suffering.

The gathering was very productive. A weekend of meetings and discussions lead to the identification and exploration of many important issues affecting the military community. In addition, leaders who often found themselves competing with one another for limited resources in the fundraising arena had the opportunity to work together as colleagues on this important and shared mission.

One observation seemed particularly compelling to several participants. There seemed to be a lack of guidance available for community leaders who wanted to do more for their service members, veterans, and military families but lacked the knowledge and the resources to implement appropriate strategies to do so. By the close of the event, a small group had formed to address this need. The members of this group shared several beliefs: that no single organization or entity can or should provide for all of the needs of service members and families; that public-private partnerships are possible and desirable for addressing the needs of service members and families; and that harnessing the resources available in communities across America in support of the military community would make a tremendous difference in the lives of those who serve. The group also shared a sense of urgency. 

Over the next several months, we worked together to develop and refine a plan to assist community leaders. And we worked to craft an outline to share with others in our own community of organizations who are committed to caring for those who serve. The idea was simple” create a blueprint for communities to follow. Give them the foundation and the tools to build an effective and comprehensive system of support for military families. Of course, the devil was in the details.

Fortunately, as a group we had many great contacts, friends, and associates—so we asked them to help. We held meetings, had conference calls, and continued to wrestle with the development of the tool. As time passed, we found more friends, held more meetings, and by the fall of 2010 had a tool to which over 75 organizations and agencies had contributed. The tool and the concept became known as The Community Blueprint. We formed an Advisory Council and set out to find a single organization that could provide a permanent home for the Blueprint. In the spring of 2011 the Points of Light Institute offered to adopt the Community Blueprint as a national initiative.

The Community Blueprint focuses on eight areas that experts agree are critical if we are to create a comprehensive system of care for those who serve and their families. If our goal is to assist these men and women—who sacrifice so much for us—then we must attend to the whole person and the needs of the entire family. The eight areas of focus are employment, education, behavioral health, financial/legal issues, homelessness, family strength, reintegration and volunteerism. We are pleased with and proud of the tool that has been created, but it is only the beginning. The real work lies ahead in encouraging and empowering our communities and their leaders to adopt this tool—or any others of help. There is much that we can do if we harness the resources available to us.  

In addition to the effort to build the Community Blueprint, several other critical initiatives have been developed and launched over the last year. These initiatives were also designed to inspire our governmental officials, community leaders, and citizens to do more for our returning troops and their families.

President Obama issued a directive to all members of his cabinet instructing them to identify specific strategies and mechanisms to increase interagency collaboration and improve effectiveness in the delivery of services to military families. Our First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden announced the "Joining Forces" initiative, which encourages the development of partnerships to assist within key areas of concern—namely, education, employment, and wellness—and to raise awareness about the overall needs of those who serve and their families.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, began an unprecedented and inspirational campaign that underscored the "Sea of Goodwill" that currently exists across our country toward our military community. Admiral Mullen visited community after community, engaging citizens in town hall meetings, sharing his message, answering questions, and encouraging action. And new leaders within the Department of Defense—individuals who believe in working collaboratively with community-based organizations—began reaching out and implementing cooperative efforts designed to wrap needed services around returning troops and their families.

Clearly, a change is under way. And many new models for improving support and delivering care are being tested and developed. This is an exciting and challenging time. Historically there has been little collaboration or coordination between the Department of Defense and community-based organizations. Indeed, there has been little collaboration even among nongovernmental organizations that support the military community.

So here we are, with a huge challenge before us and a tremendous opportunity to fill a critical need and create a comprehensive and integrated system of care for those who serve and their families. The men and women who are working toward this goal are dedicating their brainpower, their compassion, and their energy to creating this system of care. There is reason for optimism.

But significant obstacles exist, and the heavy lifting remains. We need open-minded and open-hearted leaders in every agency, department, and organization who care more about the mission than they do about advancing their own careers. We need a legion of compassionate, determined, and dedicated citizens to follow through with programs and opportunities that will soon exist in their cities and towns.  And we need champions on both sides of the equation—military and community visionaries—who can push through the bureaucracy that often suffocates innovation and progress.

If we succeed, the impact will be huge, not just for the generation of military families that has served since 9/11, but for all that will follow.

Give an Hour, providing free mental health services to military personnel and their loved ones, at www.giveanhour.org.

Editors Note: Give an Hour is a strategic partner of Veterans Advantage. Learn more about our partnership with Give an Hour.

Veterans Advantage is also hosting a special online PTS Transition Center for its members, with customized news and resources to help in this vital area.