Military personnel and their families have help available in times of need

The Madison County Chamber of Commerce held their monthly luncheon at Ole Times Country Cafe and Catering company on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

Keynote speaker at the luncheon was Walter Majors representing Community Counseling Centers.

Majors spoke about the special services that are available though Community Counseling Centers for members of the military who are in need of additional support re-integrating back into their communities, or dealing with substance abuse, traumas, social and family changes and other needs returning veterans and their families face.

The services are a cooperative effort of the military, Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri, Mental Health America of the Heartland and the Community Counseling Centers. The Missouri Legislature provided a special appropriation to help address the needs of the veterans and their families. Tricare is  the military health care benefit once a service member is deployed. Once Tricare expires, services are funded through a grant from the DMH and the individuals ability to pay.

Majors said specialized services are available for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),  and related disorders, Suicidal thoughts or attempts, marital family distress, children’s needs addressing the problems of deployment or the return of a veteran, and re-integration of the veteran back into the community and the family.

Majors said the first three visits would be of no cost.  The Center would evaluate the veteran and see if they can help with their individual situation.

Majors provided brochures  from The Department of Mental Health which state therapy sessions would be provided by a licensed mental health professional who is trained to understand the impact of deployment on families.

Majors talked about one of the programs the clinicians are trained in called “Battlemind.”  The program helps to find the soldier’s inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage. This allows them to facilitate their attention to the unique service needs of families and veterans.

Majors said statistics show only about 30 to 40 percent of  returning veterans actually get help when needed. He said low income families were most vulnerable. Most of the veterans are within the 18-25 age group, with eight percent of those having co-occuring problems, including higher attempts at suicide.

The services provided include education, family therapy, individual therapy, group therapy, and addressing problems in home if need be. Family members eligible for help include: Children, couples, spouses, parents and grandparents and other select family members according to the DMH brochure.

A 24 hour-seven days a week emergency number is available for immediate help. 1-800-273-talk. (1-800-273-8255)

Majors said he is a member of the Patriot Guard and encourages any veteran who needs help to call. He said there are multiple ways for a veteran to get help and there is no shame in seeking assistance.

Majors provided one additional statistic. He said when veterans returned from Vietnam about 38 percent got divorced within a year. That statistic has increased to 70 percent today for returning veterans.

The Fredericktown Community Counseling Center can be reached at (573) 783-4104.