Photo courtesy of Coalition for Iraq + Afghanistan Veterans

The Coming Home Project, based in San Francisco, California, is holding a retreat for OIF & OEF family members with deployed loved ones to gather, relax and restore July 25-28, 2009. The retreat will be held at the Angela Center in Santa Rosa, California.

The challenges family members face during their loved one’s deployment are unique and acute: managing separation, communication, parenting, employment, marital concerns, and financial issues are just some of the challenges. Children and teenagers also can find this period extremely stressful.

• Renew mind, body, spirit, and relationships in a beautiful, tranquil setting in Santa Rosa, California.
• Learn relaxation, breathing, movement and other techniques for managing strong feelings, reducing stress and enhancing well-being.
• Improve communication and relationships. Enjoy tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, leisurely walks and delicious food.
• Find comfort and strength, safety and trust in the presence of others who know the impacts of serving.
• Share stories and experiences, use writing and drawing to express what is sometimes hard to say, and support and learn from one another. Everything is confidential.

Given the widespread suffering from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries among veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA is just getting up to speed on adequate treatment. Yet many veterans return home to rural areas where there are no VA hospitals or doctors. Where are they supposed to find the right kind of care?

This article published in Rural Health Advocate presents the need for rural health care workers to learn how to treat these afflictions.

What should happen?  Rural providers must acquaint themselves with the symptom complexes of PTSD and TBI.  Clinics, hospitals, and private practice providers should investigate TriCare, the insurance provided to National Guard members.  Open lines of communication to VA facilities are a must.  Finally, and most importantly, health care providers should take each patient’s military service history in order to identify at risk men and women and help the returnee back into the rural community with appropriate care.

A COMMUNITY SUMMIT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS OF VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES

Date: April 16, 2009 Time: 8am-4pm

The summit is a unique opportunity for California veterans, their families and care providers to critically examine existing networks of care for veterans. At the summit, training will be offered on Post Traumatic Stress, transition for combat to community, housing, employment issues and resources for newly separated veterans. The conference will examine mental health issues and their profound impacts on housing, employment, economic stability and social welfare of our state’s military personnel and veterans.

Agenda

Please click the following links for registration:

Attendee Registration Exhibitor Registration

Sponsor Registration