Together with Veterans - Serving Those who Served
According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, New Hampshire adults who have served in the military account for 8.6% of the state’s population – among these Veterans, 3.7% live in poverty. We know that New Hampshire has one of the fastest aging populations in the nation, and as of 2019, nearly one-quarter (23.5%) of NH residents age 75 and older are Veterans. Add social isolation from the pandemic to the usual challenges of aging and trauma from military service – and the result is an increased risk for mental health problems, like depression and suicide, for Veterans.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (2019), the suicide rate among Veterans is higher than the suicide rate of the rest of the population. Veterans make up just 7.9% of the U.S. population – but they account for 13.5% of suicides each year. Health.mil, the official website for military health, noted that addressing social isolation is an important aspect of suicide prevention, because “successful suicide prevention efforts are linked to fostering connectedness - the vital relationships and interpersonal connections that individuals forge with family, friends, and their community.”
To address the issues of mental health and social isolation, the Partnership for Public Health (PPH) implemented the “Together with Veterans” model over two years ago. Together with Veterans is a public health initiative that focuses on supporting Veterans in a way that improves their quality of life. The program is consistent with their mission of improving the health and well-being of the region through inter-organizational collaboration and community and public health improvement activities.
PPH was inspired by the Lakes Region Veterans Coalition (LRVC), which also uses the Together With Veterans model. LRVC has a “Buddy Check Coffee” program that connects Veterans either in-person or virtually, depending on their preferences. Any Veteran who signs up will receive a $5 gift card to a local coffee shop of their choice. The goal is to connect Veterans with others who understand what they are going through and to create a social space for those who may be suffering from social isolation.
PPH brings together local organizations, Veterans and community members and asks them to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (also known as SWOT) assessment. This information is used to develop unique supports and strategies that will circumvent threats to the local Veteran population.
PPH has just embarked on a statewide needs assessment that will shed light on the wellbeing of those who served in the military and take a hard look at their access to mental health services. PPH will use what they learn to identify gaps in the state and regional support system and to encourage coalitions that serve Veterans to fill those gaps and find them the help they need.
PPH hopes to use this model to expand coalitions to each region throughout the state. For more information, visit their website at www.pphnh.org or visit their website at (20+) Partnership for Public Health | Laconia NH | Facebook.
Other Programs For Veterans: Together We Served and Veterans Count
Together We Served provides virtual base for connecting Veterans - VA News
Together We Served is a website exclusive to those in active duty and Veterans that aims to replicate the brotherhood/sisterhood they experienced while serving. It provides a secure platform for those who wish to reconnect with old battle buddies, even if they have forgotten names, by automatically matching the service information entered by each user. With over 2 million members, Together We Served is an initiative that has helped Veterans battle social isolation and connect with other Veterans who really understand each other based on their shared experiences.
Veterans Count, a program of Easterseals, provides critical and timely clinical and social services, as well as financial assistance, to service members, Veterans, and their families when other resources are not available to ensure their dignity, physical and mental health, and overall well-being.
They have developed a one-of-a-kind Care Coordination program that provides confidential support designed to meet the unique needs of service members, veterans, and their families.