What does it mean to be veteran informed? There seems to be a growing interest in serving this population and we’ll likely hear more about it going forward. Why? Because of the numbers and the need. With an estimated 2.2 million veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), we’re bound to see some of these veterans in our private and community practices. When we do, will we know how to treat them?
I began working primarily with a veteran population in July 2012. I work as a community provider for our local Veterans Treatment Court (for more information on Veterans Treatment Courts see Justice for Vets). The court I work with is a part of the VTC Mentor Court Program that helps train others on setting up and operating a Veteran’s Treatment Court in their jurisdiction.
Since 2012, I’ve learned a little about working with this population. The experience has made me a better counselor and administrator but I know there is always more to learn. I don’t consider myself an “expert” but I would like to share what I’ve learned. While this list is not exhaustive, it does include some of the highlights of the process I’ve gone through in becoming a veteran informed treatment provider.
Identify and hire veteran staff
How many veterans do you have on staff? I would bet many agencies have no idea. It’s not really something we are in the habit of asking or considering. The information may (or may not) have been listed on a resume…but did anyone consider it after hire? Work to recognize and utilize any veteran staff in the process of becoming veteran informed. They can be a valuable source of information. When hiring new staff, consider those with military service as likely having experiences and assets not typically found in the general population. While being a veteran isn’t a prerequisite for working with veterans, it may help some form the initial connection.
Identify veteran clients
I’ve talked about this before but it’s worth mentioning again. Not all veterans identify with the term veteran. Ask if they have ever served in the military or something general like “have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces”. The idea is to capture as many as possible with the initial question. Those who served in the guard or reserves, or those with an other than honorable discharge may not respond to more specific questions. Make the question as broad as possible to capture as many as possible. You can always ask clarifying questions to screen out any false positives.
Get training on military culture
We’re still in the process of training all current and new staff in military culture. I’m always on the lookout for other resources. At a minimum, everyone should complete the Military Culture training offered by the National Center for PTSD. Another good resource is the Center for Deployment Psychology. The more familiar we can become with military culture, language, ranks, values, etc., the better.
Understand that veterans are not a homogeneous group
Once you finish the training on military culture, remind yourself that it doesn’t apply to all veterans. Not everyone who served in the armed forces will relate or identify with their service in the same way. Some will have positive memories of their service and view it as an integral part of their identify. Some may not even consider it a relevant factor. For those that do, I’ve found it helpful to let them reconnect with some of the values and pride of their service…especially when working through difficult interpersonal problems. For those that don’t see it as relevant, it’s probably best to leave it alone.
Try to understand, but don’t try too hard
I’ll start with this, I’m not a veteran and I’m not going to pretend to be. I can study and research and do my very best to understand the military culture and warrior ethos that may be driving my client’s behavior. But the fact remains that he or she may have experiences that I can only imagine. I think it’s generally good counseling practice to try to understand our client’s experiences without trying to relate to those experiences. For those of us who haven’t served and have never been in combat, even our best understanding will be limited. We need to be genuine in our conversations. If we don’t know what an acronym means, ask. If we don’t understand the thinking behind a belief, ask. I try to remember that the client is the expert and learn from them.
Become familiar with available resources
Not everyone will qualify for benefits or services through the Veterans Administration but many will. For those that don’t, there’s always a possibility (sometimes slim) of a change in status or a discharge upgrade. There are also private resources available in some communities to aid veterans and their families. Do some research to figure out what’s available. Start with your local Veterans Service Organizations (VSO). Through the VSO (or a VA Hospital), you should be able to find a service officer. These are trained experts who help veterans in navigating the process of filing claims and navigating the complicated government systems. Learn the acronyms and differences between the VA (Veterans Affairs), the VHA (Veterans Health Administration), and the VBA (Veterans Benefits Administration). All states and several U.S. Territories have their own Department of Veterans Affairs agencies as well.
Learn about common problems faced by returning veterans
We’ve all heard about PTSD. It is likely the first thing many of us consider when thinking about this population. The Center for Deployment Psychology is again, a valuable resource for learning about some of the common problems faced by this population to include: PTSD, Depression, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Suicide, Chronic Pain, and Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Substance Use Disorders (SUD) are common as primary and co-occurring diagnoses. Veterans may also experience a variety of relationship, adjustment or general existential problems as they return to civilian life. There is a growing awareness about the impact of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Learn all you can about what you’re likely to face and develop screening processes to identify these problems.
Learn and use effective evidence based treatments
It would be great to have a full complement of available treatments for the variety of problems we’re likely to face with this population. It would be nice to select from the menu of proven treatments for PTSD. As private practitioners and agencies, we probably don’t have that luxury. However, everything we use should be safe and proven effective. The VA/DOD provides comprehensive Clinical Practice Guidelines for Substance Use Disorders (SUD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and many other common problems. While most of us in the private sector won’t be able to fully implement these standards, they are valuable guides in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of these problems.
I’m sure there are areas I’ve left out and I would love to hear from others about your experiences. Each of these topics deserve much more coverage than I’ve been able to offer here and I may explore each of them in detail in the future. Here’s a list of related information from this site:
Other Than Honorable: Treating Veterans Without Benefits
Locking up our Heroes: Veteran Incarceration Rates
How to Assess Veterans: 7 Questions to Ask
Please leave comments or suggestions below and explore some the rest of the site. While you’re at it, be sure to subscribe to this blog, “like” our Facebook page and follow me on twitter.
2 thoughts on “Veteran Informed Treatment: 8 Important Steps”
I spent three months in an interview process. At the end they went with the other person. They told me it was a tie and I didn’t have the tie breaker. I figured the person had more education. The company had a stamp on their website that many companies have that read we hire vets. I wondered if that was true or just a P.R. campaign.
Sorry about that Jerron…they obviously didn’t know what a great guy you are. I’ve actually heard from veterans who say they are hesitant to put anything about their service on a resume because they think it might hurt them. We’ve started asking everyone we interview if they’ve served. Of course, there aren’t a lot of licensed counselors with military service looking for jobs at a non-profit if they qualify for the pay and benefits offered at the VA.
In the case of a “tie-breaker”, I would assume those with military service would always win out. I’ve always heard that you should “hire character and train skills”, not the other way around. Those with military service (in my opinion) are much more likely to possess the character traits I’m looking for.
Comments are closed.