Resources for Veterans

SAMHSA

Web Page: www.samhsa.gov/vets

• Webcasts and conferences on recovery
• How to find treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues
• Publications about coping with trauma
• Statistical reports and more
• Read SAMHSA News, May/June 2007.

Previously in SAMHSA News …

• “National Guard Focuses on Mental Health, Substance Abuse,” July/August 2008, describes efforts by new SAMHSA and National Guard programs to help citizen soldiers with mental health and substance use problems.
• “Veterans & Their Families: A SAMHSA Priority,” January/February 2008, is the award-winning article featuring the personal stories of two Iraq and Afghanistan veterans battling substance abuse and working in their communities to help other veterans.
• “The Road Home: National Conference on Returning Veterans and Their Families,” May/June 2006, provides special coverage of SAMHSA’s first conference on veterans’ behavioral health.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-TALK

A prompt offers the option of pressing #1 and connecting directly to a special veterans suicide crisis line, located in Canandaigua, NY, and staffed by mental health professionals (see SAMHSA News online, July/August 2008).

Office of Applied Studies

Recent short reports:

• Serious Psychological Distress and Substance Use Disorder among Veterans
• Alcohol Use and Alcohol Related Risk Behaviors among Veterans.

Also see “Statistics on Mental Health” for an overview.

SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator

To access this searchable directory of alcohol and drug treatment programs, visit www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Providers can refer veterans to care in VA’s 153 medical centers, more than 600 clinics, and more than 200 Vet Centers through the VA Web site. Also available:

• VA’s National Center for PTSD: Includes fact sheets, tips, and guides on coping with war trauma or a loved one’s return from deployment.
• Mental Health Resources: Includes suicide warning signs and links for specialized topics.
• Veterans Service Organizations: Includes links to the VSO directory, health care, benefits, burials and memorials, and more.

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

• America Supports You. An official Web site of DoD connects individuals and organizations to hundreds of homefront groups offering a variety of support services.
• Military OneSource. Offers active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members and their families a 24/7, toll-free information and referral telephone service (1-800-342-9647). Includes educational and supportive materials on more than a dozen topics, including crisis, parenting, deployment, and relationships.

Military Web Sites

• Air Force Reserve Command
• Air National Guard
• Army National Guard
• Marine Forces Reserve
• Navy Reserve
• U.S. Air Force
• U.S. Army
• U.S. Army Reserve
• U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Coast Guard Reserve
• U.S. Marine Corps
• U.S. Navy.

Non-Federal Organizations

• Vets4Vets. Offers a place for veterans of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help each other through peer support.
• AMVETS. Provides assistance to veterans across the Nation in addition to supporting community service initiatives.
• National Veterans Foundation. Offers public awareness programs and outreach services for veterans.
• Operation Healthy Reunions. Provides education about mental health issues among soldiers and their families.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Addresses critical issues facing new veterans and their families, including mental health, traumatic brain injury, the VA system, and health coverage.
• Welcome Back Veterans. Sponsored by Major League Baseball and the Ad Council, seeks to raise public awareness about issues facing today’s veterans, and to raise funds to support programs and services that these returning soldiers need.