When our nation's veterans return from the
horrors of war, many of them need help to
reintegrate into mainstream society. More than
that, some need help remembering how to interact
with their children, spouses and other family
members.
Of those returning from war-torn posts,
nationwide, 15-20 percent will suffer symptoms
of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
according to the Kings County Veterans Services
Office (VSO). The percentages are even higher
when referring to those who have suffered
traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Yet many don't get the help they need.
"The symptoms are not as obvious as most
injuries and are often overlooked," Joe Wright,
veterans services officer/public guardian for
Kings County, said. "The veterans sometimes
don't recognize that what they are dealing with
may be related to PTSD/TBI."
Wright said the process to diagnose PTSD/TBI can
be very lengthy and talking about the stressors
that may be causing the PTSD related issues are
sometimes very difficult for the veteran. Throw
in Kings County's relative isolation from a
veterans hospital, the closest being in Fresno,
and getting Kings County area veterans the help
they need becomes even more difficult.
Billboards designed to communicate to veterans
and active duty military, and their families,
that help is available in Kings County for those
who may be suffering from the stresses of war
went up in four spots around the county last
week. Judy Finney/The Advance.
"A couple of years ago I realized that we had
veterans coming to us for services that weren't
being met by the VA," Wright said. "We had
veterans that came into our office with PTSD
issues. We would get them set up with the
Veterans Center in Fresno to begin the process
of getting a PTSD diagnosis so we could then
file a claim."
Wright explained that process has several steps
over a two to three month period. He said some
veterans don't complete the process for various
reasons. Without a PTSD diagnosis the VSO can't
file a claim. Without the claim, veterans aren't
designated as having serviced-connected PTSD.
While counseling help is still available at the
Veterans Center, more in-depth care is harder to
get from the Veterans Hospital.
"It's not that VA isn't providing adequate
services, the problem is the services provided
don't always work for the veteran," Wright said.
"Getting to and from the appointments is
sometimes an issue. Veterans with PTSD many
times have trouble 'opening up' to talk about
their experiences."
He said the relationship between the veteran and
the doctor is critical.
"We've had a case where the local doctor was
replaced" Wright said. "Several veterans who
were seeing this doctor did not 'click' with the
new doctor and just quit going."
Wright said once he saw what was happening he
went to Mary Anne Ford Sherman for help.
Ford Sherman is the director of Kings County
Behavioral Health (KCBH) and a veteran herself.
Wright and Ford Sherman have been working to
find ways to provide services to veterans who
fall through the cracks of the VA system.
Through the collaboration between the two county
departments, veterans who have had trouble
getting the care they need through the VA can
seek help through KCBH.
"The commitment to serve vets and active duty
military families is about keeping our promise
to them and all they have sacrificed. We have an
obligation to recognize, acknowledge and reach
out to our veterans with all that we can to
ensure their physical and emotional wellness and
safety," Ford Sherman said. "It is the least we
can do because they give that to us every day
they serve."
The relationship that Kings County's VSO and
KCBH have formed to meet this growing need is
unique for a county the size of Kings County.
"It always boils down to two people in a room
having a desire to do something better, and
coming up with a plan," Ford Sherman said. "I
think for us, we discovered we both have the
same mission in a nano second and we just ran
with it."
Ford Sherman said KCBH is partnering with the
VSO and funding several projects, including:
1. Brochures and outreach materials for veterans
and their family members to increase awareness
on services and challenges veterans and their
families face.
2. A media campaign with billboards to educate,
acknowledge military contributions and reach out
to veterans regarding mental health issues,
addiction challenges or other opportunities to
receive help in their community.
3. Behavioral Health is launching a training
program for clinicians/case managers regarding
PTSD/TBI resources and approaches of help.
4. Funding, building and launching a "Veteran's
Network of Care" Web site for Kings County.
5. A full time public guardian tech to provide
financial guidance to individuals who need help
navigating their money in a positive way (which
ensures less homelessness, models for consumers
how their finances can stabilize their lives,
take responsibility and make sound decisions).
There are about 14,000 veterans living in Kings
County, according to Wright. Most of those are
married and have children. That equates to about
25 to 30 percent of the county population who
are eligible for some sort of veteran benefit.
In many counties, Wright said, there is no
working relationship between the VSO and the
behavioral health department.
"As a department head, I have direct access to
the Behavioral Health department head," Wright
said. "In most small counties, the VSO is buried
in some other department making it very
difficult to work closely with their BH
departments. Plus, Mary Anne is a veteran and
understands the issues better than most."
Ford Sherman recently spoke at a state-wide VSO
conference about the possibilities of what could
be done in a small county, using the
collaboration between Kings County's BH and VSO
as an example.
"The VSOs in each county are hungry for
information on how to access care for their
veterans," Ford Sherman said. "Veterans are
trying to access mental health and AOD (alcohol
and other drugs) systems and are sometimes being
turned away."
She said the assumption is made that because
they are vets, they are getting services from
the VA. But as she and Wright have learned, this
isn't always the case.
"Joe and I have educated ourselves on the
resources together, through a Veterans Center
orientation and meeting, a VA Hospital meeting,
monthly meetings together and a review of
legislation," Ford Sherman said.
Ford Sherman said the media campaign and the
billboards are aimed at the families, letting
them know there is help within the county if
there is a problem when their sailor, marine,
airman or soldier comes home. The billboards'
other purpose is to let the community know there
is a problem.
"Many times the problems are filtered through
the family, not the sailor or soldier," she
said. "That's where we need to (watch for)
problems in the home."
The billboards, which are specifically tailored
for the Kings County community, went up in four
locations late last week. For more information
about KCBH, call 582-3211, ext. 2382. For more
information about VSO call 582-3211, ext. 2662.
Both departments can be accessed through the
Kings County Web site,
www.countyofkings.comIf you served in
Iraq and were exposed to Burn pits, see
https://sites.google.com/site/burnpits/
to provide your info.
Other people you can contact for more
information about burn pits:
• Kerry Baker
(Disabled American Veterans), 202-314-5229
• Patrick Campbell
(Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America),
202-544-7692
• Kelly Kennedy, Military Health/Science
Reporter
(Military Times), 703-642-7317
• Will Jenkins
(Office of U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop),
202-225-3826 |
