Providers focus on veterans' mental health, spread word on services

Mike Swanner (from right), Beth Armour and Byron Deserisy, all veterans and with Healing Waters Fly Fishing, an organization working with military service-connected disabilities, continue to tie •ies Friday as Diana Collings speaks about suicide prevention during the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks Mental Health Summit in Fayetteville. The summit offered a job fair, health information and speakers covering the subjects of suicide prevention, caregiving and recovery.
Mike Swanner (from right), Beth Armour and Byron Deserisy, all veterans and with Healing Waters Fly Fishing, an organization working with military service-connected disabilities, continue to tie •ies Friday as Diana Collings speaks about suicide prevention during the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks Mental Health Summit in Fayetteville. The summit offered a job fair, health information and speakers covering the subjects of suicide prevention, caregiving and recovery.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks and other Northwest Arkansas providers are getting better at helping veterans with depression post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues, officials and veterans said Friday, though there's still room for improvement.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Rosalyn Cox, state commander Arkansas Veterans of Foreign War, stands at attention Friday during the singing of the national anthem at the beginning of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks Mental Health Summit in Fayetteville.

Around 100 veterans, employers, religious groups and health care providers gathered for the health system's fourth Mental Health Summit to trade knowledge and advice, learn about specific concerns such as suicide prevention and get in touch with support and health services many veterans might not have known about. Several veterans walked with canes or service dogs between the booths and break-out sessions in the Fayetteville Town Center.

At a glance

Veterans mental health services contact information

Crisis Line

• By phone: 1-800-273-8255, press 1

• Online: veteranscrisisline.…

• Text: 838255

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks

• Mental health services: 479-444-5048

• Military sexual trauma: 479-443-4301, ext. 67117

Source: Staff report

"You guys have served our country in ways we can't even thank you for enough," said Janet Tekell, mental health chief for the health system, which has facilities in Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Ozark as well as locations in Missouri and Oklahoma. "It's very important for us to meet your needs."

Mental illness of some kind affects one in five adults in the country in a given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness advocacy group, and the stresses of even non-combat military service can amplify the problem.

Months-long deployments and experiences during service often make veterans feel isolated from friends and family and depressed when returning from a deployment, for example, veterans often say. Thousands of men and women have been sexually assaulted by fellow military members, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The problems can become severe, as with post-traumatic stress disorder, in which a person repeatedly experiences their response to dangerous past events and can push him or her into substance abuse or other issues if left untreated. An average of 20 veterans died by suicide each day in 2014, according to a VA report released earlier this month.

John Green, a Marine infantry combat veteran, returned from his second deployment to Iraq in late 2004 and said he tried for years to fight through the effects of combat, which he called a "sleeping bear" in his mind. After five years, depression and insomnia had taken such a toll on relationships and work he finally turned to the Ozarks health system.

Counselors and other professionals there provided several types of evidence-based therapy, a variety of support groups, "stuff you wouldn't get in the community as a civilian," Green said. Now he encourages other veterans to give the health system a try and works in its peer support program to help them through their treatment.

"I tell people that's a strength that you have, because of lot of people don't make it there, to have that courage to say, 'I can't handle this,'" Green said at a panel during Friday's conference. "I like to remind veterans of that."

Getting the word out to veterans about such services and helping them past the stigma or reluctance that often accompany mental health problems are the keys to helping them, other experts said. A crisis phone number, online chat and texting service have helped 65,000 people, said Diana Collings, who works to prevent veteran suicide in Mount Vernon, Mo.

"The person is not a vacuum. You're part of your family and in your community," she said, stressing the importance of veterans and families' openly talking about mental health needs. "VA can't do this alone."

Tekell said surveys of veterans using the health system have shown they're treated respectfully and feel they can access mental health care easily. Some have reported they fear they'll lose their access to VA services if they want to change or stop mental health treatment, or they feel like they can't involve their families, but neither are true, she said.

The health system began offering mental health services as part of veterans primary health care six or so years ago so they don't even need to leave the room if they're uncomfortable with letting other people know they need mental health care, Tekell said. Same-day appointments are available. She's also working on adding more behavior-based therapy groups veterans have requested.

"We're not about just treating people; we want people to recover," Tekell said.

Some veterans, such as Green, work to help other veterans. Army veteran and professional counselor Jamie Frank has run Anchor Psychology in the area for about a year, she said Friday. Many veterans fear losing or never obtaining security clearances if they seek out help for mental health, and Frank called on the military to treat mental health checkups the same as physicals.

"Working with veterans is like working with my own," said Frank, who's mother, husband and son also are or have been in the armed forces. "Anybody I can help, it's what I want to do."

Jeremy Plante, a Desert Storm veteran and another member of the health system's peer support program, said he also hopes the peer program catches on across the VA system.

"They're more able to talk to a peer who's walked that walk without all the diplomas on the wall," Plante said during the conference, referring to other veterans. "I just want to instill hope to you, because that's where it all begins."

NW News on 08/20/2016

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