Have you thought about how you cope with sadness, grief, or trauma? Do you play Adele’s “Hello” on repeat or take a Garden State moment to hoist yourself on top of an old bus to scream at the top of your lungs? I suggest both of the above to start the process. First, however, this process requires acknowledging and talking about your emotions, which society often makes taboo, especially for men.
Dealing with complicated emotions and mental health is extremely important for everyone. And there’s one group of people in particular who need consistent access to mental health and economic support in the US--Veterans.
More than 18 percent of troops returning from active duty in Afghanistan in 2008 reported having symptoms of PTSD or depression. That's 300,000 troops! And that’s only the veterans surveyed in one study--who knows how many of these veterans downplayed their emotions.
Last year, 578,424 people in the US were homeless and ten percent had “served honorably on active duty in the US armed forces.” The amount of veterans who are homeless is so high that they are sadly the only profession to often be counted in studies of transient populations.
Veterans returning from wars, conflict and active duty experience traumatic events. Taboos around taking advantage of therapy and mental health support across the country, along with a glaring absencen of access and support on a state and city wide basis, pose challenges to veterans who need care. For this reason, I want to take a moment on this Veterans Day to recognize programs helping veterans receive the mental healthcare and economic support they need to have fulfilling lives.
The Robin Hood Foundation
The Robin Hood Foundation is one of the best places to start for veterans in need of assistance. The organization provides comprehensive access to support for mental health, housing, benefits, jobs, education, and legal advice for veterans.
Proud to honor Jessie, a @NYHomeless case worker at #RHHeroes Breakfast. Read her story: https://t.co/1wqGemRfB4pic.twitter.com/1ITGxaMT5e
— Robin Hood (@RobinHoodNYC) November 10, 2015Helmets to Hardhats
Salaries for general construction work increased by $6,000 in the past few years and the number of jobs is expected to increase by 24 percent.
Helmets to Hardhats provides vocational training for veterans interested in getting degrees and licenses in construction work. The organization event has a program for “wounded warriors,” veterans with disabilities, to gain information and access to jobs in the construction field.
Veterans from Helmets to Hardhats even had a program where veterans were hired for jobs to rebuild the World Trade Center. Check out the video below to see more about this project.
The Jericho Project: Veterans Initiative
This is another comprehensive program for veterans. Their mission is to “end homelessness at its roots” by providing jobs and sustainable housing. Too often homeless veterans bounce through temporary housing projects, but the Jericho Project Veterans Initiative invests in the lives of each veteran as they look for long-term housing and jobs.
Wounded Warrior Project
According to WWP, nearly 60 percent of “wounded warriors” have trouble finding meaning in their life. Over 70 percent had a friend killed or seriously injured in deployment. Which is why WWP knows that mental health and job support are the two key things veterans in the US need. They are a national nonprofit creating a community where veterans can feel honored and empowered to take advantage of mental health and economic support.
Thank you to all #Alumni who got up early to be on the @TODAYshow and telling us what #VeteransDayIs to you! pic.twitter.com/gcDHtyIqrG
— WWP (@wwp) November 11, 2015Give an Hour
Give an Hour helps recruit professional therapists and psychiatrists with veterans. The best part of this organization? All mental health for veterans is free. They provide completely free services for mental and behavioral health specialists for veterans across the US. This week they are even hosting a series of interactive webinars to help train more mental health professionals on how to provide quality mental health care for veterans.
Homelessness among veterans is a major problem in the US. In fact, BOTH Hawaii and cities like Los Angeles have declared states of emergency on homelessness as my colleague Nicki mentioned here. As Nicki also mentioned, declaring states of emergencies and giving housing to homeless citizens is “a band-aid on a bullet wound.”
Mental health programs and economic support for veterans should be affordable and accessible to every person serving in the US Armed Forces. Until then, private and public programs are putting forth strong efforts to support veterans. These programs don’t have to work alone. Today, take the time to listen or talk to a veteran in your life and let them know it’s ok to talk about their emotions and experiences.
You can also go to TAKE ACTION NOW and Tweet to make sure everyone around the world has access to live a healthy life.