What Can We Do?

1. How Community Information and Referral Organizations can better support our military forces, their families, and veterans. What Can We Do?

2. Deanna Dalton

3. Military Liaison • Insure a comprehensive database. • Know specific taxonomy for population • Know the top referrals for veterans and service members • Add agencies and programs into special events, database, and maintain records. Role at 211Info

4. Social Media/Cloud work. • website content and functionality • Blog posts on current events, climate, agencies and programs • FB/Twitter presence like Blog presence • Resource lists, email lists Role at 211info- Liaison

5. 211info Role- Liaison • Outreach and Action means to: • Connect • Present • Partner • Consult • Train • Table

6. How Community Information and Referral Organizations can better support and assist Military installations, its service members and dependents, veterans and their families. Today

7. Issue and Need around 20 min Discuss Need in communities 10 min (The need in your community) Action and Examples 20-30 min Discuss Action in communities 10 minutes (how can you implement/brainstorm!) Where do we go from here/conclude- 10 minutes Agenda

8. Issue and NEeds

9. Today’s Service Member is tomorrow’s Veteran!

10. Growing divide between Civilian and Military All volunteer force Bases are built in cultures Less than 1% of population Has worn uniform in recent conflicts Decrease in enlistment Decrease in the veteran population Media representation Us VS THEM

11. The Elusive Community A community we interact with only when we want to (or when the media tells us to) Interfacing with the military is at the discretion of the civilian. ORNG/Reserve component- one weekend a month

12. One Stop Shop: Bases

13. Military Culture • General characteristics, not blanket assumptions • Understand these are not applicable for all service members or veterans.

14. Civilian Culture General Characteristics and not blanket assumptions Understand these are not applicable for all civilians.

15. The Military/Veterans Tend to relocate near bases, armories, or in rural pockets Retiring veterans more likely to exhibit triggering of PTSD Have a desire to give back and provide mutual support

16. Unprecedented Complexities and needs Current Era Military and Veteran Injuries which would have been fatal in previous wars Multiple and uncertain deployments Many come back fine and reintegrate without complications Those that do not- family has moved on without their physical presence Hard to reintegrate when one knows they will be deployed again Constant fear of safety- Flight/Fight mode for 11+months.

17. And then there are the numbers… Plus the decline of veteran numbers…

22. Add the rural component…. Rural veterans are more likely to believe mental health stigma 85% Mental health professional shortages occur in rural communities Communication lines more deeply rooted and social interaction more intimate than urban counterparts Lack of accessibility, transportation, options, and exploration of identities

23. Often underfunded Large caseloads Lack non-VA affiliated services understaffed Many duplicate services Lack communication and cohesiveness Lacking culturally specific services There IS help! Programs do existbut……

24. What we need is….

25. Group up Based off of the wave of information received: Think about your community- What issues discussed do you see in your community and what needs do you see for your active military or veteran community members? Discussion Time (10-15 minutes):

26. ACTION: So what in the world can we possibly DO? Where in the world do we START?

27. How many veterans work at your agency? How many Reservists or Guard Members? Does your agency have a Veteran’s preference? Do they have encourage veterans to apply? Hiring our Heroes

28. Why Veterans? Cultural competency starts with hiring those that can navigate the culture. Veterans are the best for this.

29. Whether voluntary or paid, a designated person to begin thinking about and supporting military and veterans Provide trainings of cultural competency Be a reference point for agency on culture Outreach to community Acquire programs and services for database Create a liaison Role

30. Federal Department of Veteran Affairs State Department of Veteran Affairs County Veteran Service Officers National, Localized chapters: DAV, AL, LA, VFW, VVA, VFP, NABVETS Non- profits that have Veteran programs Faith Based initiatives Guard and Reserve Family Readiness Understanding the system

31. Knowing the links in the chain…. The Veteran Provider Community

32. Ecomapping to find resources

33. Areas of service and Community Connection • Education: Community Colleges Universities Trade Schools High Schools School Districts

34. Areas of service and Community Connection • County and State VSO’s

35. Areas of service and Community Connection • Government: Congress members Senate Members State legislators Advisors Representatives Committees

36. Areas of service and Community Connection • Military Leadership: National Guard/Reserve Base Commanders Chain of Command

37. Areas of service and Community Connection • Family Readiness: Joint Transition Yellow Ribbon Family Assistance Specialists Military OneSource Army OneSource

38. Areas of service and Community Connection • Minority Groups: Tribes LGBTQ Communities of Color Women Other than honorable discharged

39. Areas of service and Community Connection • Social Service Providers Homelessness Programs Utility Assistance Food Pantries Shelters

40. Areas of service and Community Connection • Health Providers Hospitals Clinics Vans QMHP Dental

41. Areas of service and Community Connection • Business and Employers Veteran Owners/owned Veteran friendly employers

42. Areas of service and Community Connection • Civic Organizations DAV AL WA VFW VVOA NABVETS

43. Areas of service and Community Connection • Public Safety Police Probation Officers Veterans courts Prisons Fire/Rescue

44. Areas of service and Community Connection • State and Federal agencies Dept. Human Services Self Sufficiency Offices Dept. of Labor Employment

45. More areas of action • Faith based community • Resource Fairs • Non- Profits • Local Papers • Mutual Support • Volunteer Programs • Events for Families • Community Centers

46. This is what I do!

47. I have… • Partnered with CVSO’s and FAS’s • Spoken to over 200 veterans and provided services on site • Cultural Competency trainings (in house and out) • A Behavioral Health Alliance member with Army One Source • Testified/letters of support • Texting/ Follow ups • On the Multnomah Veteran Task Force Committee • OMSN Partner • Provided over 50 outreach visits to agencies • Numerous blogs • Free Resource Guide • Highlight other programs and services in social media • Consultations for networks • Support for Social Workers • Community event supporter

48. I have been doing this….

49. For Four Months!

50. With authenticity With passion With dependability With consistency With integrity You can become a trusted and vital resource! You can do all of this and more!