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RETIRED JUSTICE EVELYN LUNDBERG STRATTON'S VETERANS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES NEWS

JULY 10, 2016

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired Veterans in the Courts Initiative

Evelyn Lundberg Stratton retired from the Ohio Supreme Court at the end of 2012 so as to pursue more fully criminal justice reforms with a particular emphasis on veterans who become involved with the justice system. She

established the Veterans in the Courts Initiative in 2009. Video http://bit.ly/1glCXZ0

Subscribe to this free weekly, all volunteer-generated, news summary by joining our Veterans in The Courts Initiative Group http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD

3,860 providers of veterans’ services, just like you, nationwide and in 33 countries, receive this newsletter

directly. Another 10,000+ can see it on 5 social media sites. Thank you for sharing!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE TOPIC PAGE

FEATURED STORIES 1 DEPLOYMENT HEALTH NEWS* ***

OPPORTUNITIES 2 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES 22

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 3 GENERAL NEWS 25

OHIO 6 "VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LINKEDIN GROUP 30

VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS 9 OTHER LINKEDIN GROUPS 31

PTS/TBI/MST 17 VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG 31

SUICIDE 19 HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER 31

***DoD publishes Development Health News every other week.

FEATURED STORIES

VA panel's final report recommends broader health-care choices for veterans http://bit.ly/29k1a2z

Commission says Veterans Health Administration has 'profound deficiencies' that require

urgent reform; proposes a 'bold transformation.'

A national commission assigned to come up with reforms for the Department of

Veterans Affairs is calling for a transformation in health care for veterans, with expanded options for community medical treatment and a new governing board to oversee the nation's largest health-care system.

A commission report contains 18 recommendations to achieve a "bold transformation of a complex system that will take years to fully realize," adding, "We believe these

recommendations are essential to ensure that our nation's veterans receive the health care they need and deserve, both now and in the future."

. . . The commission's majority concluded that the so-called Choice Program, created by Congress to let veterans seek private care when timely medical appointments are not available in VA clinics, is flawed in design and execution.

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Instead, the commission proposes a new community network of care for all veterans,

regardless of wait times or geographic locations. That system would include Department of Defense medical facilities and other federal

health providers, as well as private doctors and hospitals credentialed by the VHA. WSJ: VA Health-System Overhaul Urged by Commission Panel recommends closing some

facilities, letting veterans go to private doctors (subscription)

NYT/AP: Report: VA Health Care Still Has ‘Profound Deficiencies’. The Commission on Care says in a report to be released Wednesday that the VA delivers high-quality health care but is inconsistent from one site to the next, and problems with access remain.

CNN Video: Billions spent to fix VA didn’t solve problems, made some issues worse. The report indicates the billions pumped into the VA since the wait-list scandal erupted two years ago have failed to relieve many of the problems…

VOA: Report Finds ‘Deficiencies’ Remain at Veterans’ Hospitals. Congress created the Commission on Care in 2014 as part of a $16 billion reform law meant to overhaul the VA

NYT: Suicide Rate Among Veterans Has Risen Sharply Since 2001 http://nyti.ms/29mLT0U

The suicide rate among veterans has surged 35 percent since 2001, driven in part by sharp

increases among those who have served since 2001, according to the largest study of such

suicides. Of particular concern is the suicide rate among women, which has increased 85

percent in that time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs released key findings Thursday of a recently completed

study examining the death records of more than 55 million veterans from 1979 to 2014

from every state. The study provides for the first time a clear picture of an issue that has

been a top concern of the Pentagon and the White house.

Previous estimates relied only on three million death records from 20 states, not including

the four largest, and depended on self-reporting of veteran status on death certificates.

“This isn’t an estimate, this is the answer,” Dr. David J. Shulkin, the department’s

undersecretary for health, said Thursday.

Hardest hit were young veterans. The suicide rate for veterans age 18 to 29 was 86 deaths

per 100,000 for men and 33 deaths per 100,000 for women — much higher than previous

estimates, and almost twice as high as all other age groups. The civilian suicide rate is

about 14 deaths per 100,000.

Dr. Shulkin said rates had increased across all age groups, but the rise among young

veterans was “by far the highest.”

Women were also disproportionately hit. Though female veterans commit suicide at lower

rates than their male colleagues, those younger than 30 are more than six times as likely to

take their own lives than women in the civilian world.

OPPORTUNITIES

SVA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN http://bit.ly/29k0Pww Applications are now open for the Student Veterans of America (SVA) Leadership Institute,

which will be held this year in Dallas, Texas and is sponsored by Raytheon.

Join SVA to learn more about what it takes to make your SVA Chapter the best it can

possibly be! SVA’s 2016 Leadership Institute Series will give you the tools you need to

improve your SVA Chapter.

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The Leadership Institute is a cohort-based, multi-day program where SVA brings a select

group of emerging chapter leaders together for intensive, in-residence chapter leadership

training.

The curriculum includes strategic planning, collaborative integration, advanced chapter

management techniques, and networking and professional etiquette.

If selected, SVA will cover the cost of travel, lodging, and meals for all event attendees.

National Institutes of Health Planning and Research Grant Opportunities http://bit.ly/29CRqE8

The National Institutes of Health has released companion funding opportunities for research

to detect and prevent suicidal behavior, ideation, and self-harm in youth who are in contact

with the juvenile justice system.

The separate funding opportunity announcements include a planning grant, which provides

resources for preliminary research activities, and a research grant, which will support a

larger-scale study in the topic area.

Applications for the planning grant may be submitted between September 16, 2016

and September 8, 2019; rolling deadlines are February 16, June 16, and October 16.

Applications for the research grant may be submitted between September 5, 2016

and September 8, 2019; rolling deadlines are February 5, June 5, and October 5. For more

information, see Standard Due Dates for Completing Applications.

Indian Health Service Releases New Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative Funding Opportunity Announcements

The Indian Health Service has released new Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention

Initiative (MSPI) funding opportunity announcements for MSPI Purpose Area 4: Generation

Indigenous Support.

Projects under this purpose area concentrate efforts on Native youth and families by

focusing on promoting early intervention strategies and implementation of positive youth

development programming to reduce risk factors for suicidal behavior and substance abuse.

These funding opportunities are available to Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian

organizations, and IHS federal facilities. Applications are due August 1.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Job Vacancies The United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has posted job announcements for two positions

within its Center for Mental Health Services in Rockville, Maryland.

Vacancy for a GS13 public health advisor, serving as a government project officer for

Garrett Lee Smith suicide prevention state grantees, is open from July 7 to 14.

Vacancy for a GS11/12 public health advisor, serving as a government project officer for

Native American and Alaska Native suicide prevention grantees, is open from July 14 to 21.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Health.mil: New Healthcare Ops director talks his philosophy and future for DHA http://bit.ly/29y9K1b

He’s been a soldier for nearly 31 years, bringing a wealth of knowledge from a career based

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in military medicine. Recently, Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Clark became the director of the

Healthcare Operations (HCO) Directorate for the Defense Health Agency (DHA). We sat

down with him to learn how he plans to move forward the directorate, and in turn, DHA.

Q: What’s your philosophy for HCO?

Clark: DHA director Navy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono has three very clear priorities:

1. Support the services, working with them to achieve the things we need to do as a

Military Health System;

2. Strengthen our role as a combat support agency, providing combatant commands

the support they need; and

3. Focus on internal efficiencies and effectiveness. Incoming DHA Research and Development director brings new perspective

Statement by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald on the Commission on Care Report http://bit.ly/29xjCbs

. . . “While we will examine the report closely over the coming weeks and respond in a more

detailed fashion, I am pleased to see that many of their recommendations are in line with

our MyVA efforts to transform the VA into a Veteran-centric organization.

Necessary transformational progress has been under way for the past two years, increasing

access to health care and improving the Veteran experience of VA.

This past March, VA set a new record for completed appointments: 5.3 million inside VA,

730,000 more than in March 2014. We also issued twice as many authorizations for care in

the community than in March 2014.

Clinical workload is up 11 percent in the past two years. Nearly 97 percent of appointments

are now completed within 30 days of the Veteran’s preferred date; 22 percent are same-day

appointments; average wait times are five days for primary care, six days for specialty care,

and two days for mental health care.

Nearly 90 percent of Veterans surveyed say they are “satisfied or completely satisfied” with

the timeliness of their appointments. Nurse Practitioners Launch Ad Blitz To Lift VA Hurdle (Forbes) http://bit.ly/29k3INU

The nation’s nurse practitioners are launching an unprecedented lobbying blitz to build

public support for a Department of Veterans Affairs proposal to allow veterans to have direct

access to advanced practice registered nurses.

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners said its “Veterans Deserve Care” effort will

include national television and radio advertisements and digital media, along with a related

public awareness campaign. The association wouldn’t disclose a specific spending amount

other than to say it would be “seven figures” and is a first for the group.

As VA Tackles Veteran Suicide, Its Image Problem Continues to Hurt Doc Recruitment http://bit.ly/29mMEaj

Veterans Affairs has hired nearly 800 psychologists and psychiatrists since 2014, but it still

struggles to attract all kinds of doctors because of the department’s image problems, said

the VA undersecretary of health.

“Our applications for clinical positions across the board are down 78 percent,” since the

patient wait times scandal erupted two years ago, said Dr. David Shulkin, during a Thursday

call with reporters about the department’s latest suicide data on veterans. “I don’t have a

specific number for what percent are mental health professionals, but yes, it has been a

challenge for us.”

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VA: Coming Soon to My HealtheVet http://bit.ly/29xuKVQ In the near future, when you log on to My HealtheVet you will be asked if you would like to

try the new, enhanced version of My HealtheVet.

We are making changes to our website and would like a few thousand Veterans to try it.

Once we’ve tested these changes for a month, we’ll open the new system to all Veterans,

around July 30.

The new site will have a sharper look, with clearer labels and easier access on your favorite

mobile devices.

Learn from VA mistakes to enact true reform http://bit.ly/29k2liy (S&S Opinion by: Nathan Anderson, a Green Beret, is national field director of Concerned

Veterans for America. He currently serves in the Army Reserve)

. . . The Caring for Our Heroes in the 21st Century Act could help the VA do better. The

proposal is designed to make the VA function more like the highly specialized care provider

it was originally envisioned as, particularly for those with service-connected injuries. Just as

importantly, it puts veterans in the pilot seat for their crucial health care decisions.

This proposal would enact much-needed organizational reform at the VA. It turns the

current VA integrated medical system into a government-chartered nonprofit corporation

that would be governed by a board of directors appointed by Congress and the president.

This new model, while still funded and overseen by Congress, would give the VA more

flexibility to adapt to the changing needs of the veteran population.

A YEAR IN, VA PROGRESSES WITH DEPARTMENTWIDE IT 'TRANSFORMATION' http://bit.ly/29mNeoj

About a year into its IT modernization effort, the Veterans Affairs Department has cut down

employee use of “prohibited software” by 90 percent, a new agency report shows.

Last year, VA Secretary Robert McDonald introduced plans for a large-scale, department

wide “transformation” that included making its Office of Information and Technology less

complex and “easier to do business with,” Chief Information Officer LaVerne Council wrote

in a new OI&T progress report.

The redesign tasked OI&T with updating many of its operations, such as the National

Service Desk, which provides IT customer service, which may soon include customer

callbacks and more metrics tracking each reported incident, the report said. VA Local Events & News

VA New Orleans Town Hall, July 12th

Chicago VAMC Town Hall, July 14th

Miami VAHCS free mindfulness workshops for enrolled Veterans and their caregivers

starting Saturday, July 16th

Dayton VAMC 4th Floor Medical Unit Grand Opening, July 19th

St. Cloud VA HCS 2016 Community Mental Health Summit Planned July 19th

Richmond VAMC: McGuire's annual Veterans & Family Resource and

Employment Fair August 13th

VVVAMC Summer Student Leader Program Teaches Leadership Skills

Groundbreaking of VA clinic in Lake Charles

VA clinic in Evesham celebrates opening

Milwaukee VA welcomes new director

Missoula welcomes new VA center

Eastern Shore Vets receive $57,000 in rental aid program

VA Butler Healthcare Veterans Health Library

First Veteran Center In KY To Celebrate 25 Years

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VA OIG Reports Redmond Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Federal Benefits

Media Report: Former Leavenworth VA Physician Assistant confesses to wrongdoing in court

documents

Healthcare Inspection – Evaluation of Reported Wait Times, VA Greater Los Angeles

Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California

Audit of VBA's Compensation and Pension Benefit Payments to Incarcerated Veterans

GAO Watchdog: Some texts to VA suicide hotline went unanswered http://bit.ly/29nZa9A

. . . The GAO report also addressed the wait time for callers and noted that the VA is

working on its response times to those calling the hotline.

But no similar attention has been placed on responding to text messages, it added.

The hotline received about 13,000 texts in 2014 and 16,000 in 2015, and VA officials told

the GAO that 87 percent received a response within two minutes in both years.

As part of its report, the agency sent 14 test text messages to the hotline. Of those, four

went unanswered, for a rate of 28.6 percent of texts unanswered, though the GAO specified

its sample is “nongeneralizable.”

Of the rest of the texts, eight got responses within two minutes, and two got responses

within five minutes.

The texts sent by the agency were simple greetings such as “Hi” or “Hello.” That might have

contributed to the slow responses, the GAO said, because hotline workers try to respond

first to ones that indicate a crisis.

As to why some weren't answered at all, the hotline’s text messaging service provider

offered five possible reasons: incompatibilities between devices sending the texts messages

and the software the VA uses to process the messages; software malfunctions that freeze

the hotline’s text messaging interface; inaudible audio prompts used to alert responders of

incoming texts; attempts to overload the system with a large number of texts; and

incompatibilities between the web browsers used by the call center and the text messaging

software.

The VA told the GAO it relies on its text messaging service provider to monitor and test the

text messaging system, the report says. But the provider said it doesn’t conduct any routine

testing.

Additional resources from my blog

LIST OF VA TOWN HALLS & OTHER MEETINGS NATIONWIDE: http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6

OHIO

EVENT: Cardinal Health sponsoring 1st Annual Charity Golf Outing benefitting Resurrection Lives Foundation, Safari Golf Club, Powell, OH, Sunday August 28th Flyer http://bit.ly/29AExe4 Sign-Up Form https://goo.gl/RjTTmD

Cardinal Health, Ohio’s largest company, with up to 37,000 employees in the health care

industry worldwide, is sponsoring the 1st Annual Charity Golf Outing benefitting Resurrection

Lives Foundation (RLF) at Safari Golf Club in Powell, OH on Sunday August 28th

100% of proceeds will go to Resurrecting Lives Foundation self-sustaining funding model.

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Sean Clifton, former Ohio Army National Guard/U.S. Army Special Forces and wounded

warrior (Afghanistan 2011) and now an FBI analyst, will be the guest speaker.

Resurrecting Lives Foundation focuses on recovery and reintegration of Global War on

Terrorism (GWOT) Veterans by advocating for TBI awareness, treatment and Veteran

employment.

Cardinal Health is committed to assisting veterans as they reenter the workforce. We

provide several services, from support through training and development, to help you build

a successful career path with us. In addition, we assist the veterans we hire with a variety

of resources. We also offer support for current employees who may be active service

members in the Reserve or Guard.

Safari Golf Club is part of the world famous Columbus Zoo & Aquarium complex, home to

Jungle Jack Hanna, in Powell, Ohio. The giant Zoombezi Bay Water Park is located in the

same complex and right next to the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.

Bring the whole family. They can enjoy a day at the zoo, see one of the largest Manatee

habitats outside of Florida at the aquarium, and cool off at Zoombezi Bay, while you play a

round of golf (at the course that Jack Nicklaus uses for charity events during his near-by

PGA Memorial Tournament) and benefit our military veterans at the same time. Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Goes Purple And Supports The Gary Sinise Foundation http://bit.ly/29tTePQ

Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Goes Purple And Supports The Gary Sinise Foundation To Salute

Military Heroes And Their Families Through Its ‘Our Farm Salutes’ Campaign.

Bob Evans Farms Bolsters Its Support of Those That Serve with a $200,000 Donation and a

Supply of Farm Fresh Foods to Support the Gary Sinise Foundation’s ‘Serving Heroes’

Program.

. . . As part of the “Our Farms Salutes” campaign, Bob Evans Farms is urging all Americans

to join Bob Evans Farms in going purple this summer to show gratitude to those that serve.

By visiting OurFarmSalutes.com, the public can share a message of support or make a

donation to help support the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Serving Heroes program.

Throughout 2016, in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation and its Serving Heroes

program, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. will serve over 6,000 meals to military heroes and their

families at military bases, USO centers and VAs across the country at Serving Heroes

events.

In addition, Bob Evans will share a series of broadcast television and radio public service

announcements featuring Gary Sinise in support of the Foundation’s Serving Heroes

program.

Designed by ‘The Barn Artist,’ Scott Hagan and Columbus artist David Browning, the newly

painted Bob Evans barn features a mural honoring current and past members of the Air

Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines. The painting took a

total of 11 days, 176 man-hours and 30 gallons of paint to complete and will remain on the

building through Veteran’s Day.

“A hearty meal and time spent with family around a dinner table is often the thing service

members miss most during tours of duty,” said Gary Sinise, founder of the Gary Sinise

Foundation. “The generous contribution made by Bob Evans Farms to our Serving Heroes

program will help us to feed our nation’s service men and women and their families, in

mind, body and soul; and the painted purple barn stands as a beacon of honor to those who

protect our freedoms.”

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For more information on the “Our Farm Salutes” campaign, look for the purple

packaging on Bob Evans packaged foods products in your local grocery store, or

please visit www.OurFarmSalutes.com.

Cincinnati CVAMC Intimate Partner Violence Coordinator & North Kentucky Regional Veterans Treatment Court treatment team member to lead Webinar: Intimate Partner Violence & the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), July 28th http://bit.ly/29xnIRe

Thursday, July 28, 2016 / 2:00-3:30pm CT

This webinar is hosted by the Battered Women’s Justice Project and is open to the public.

In order to provide an integrated approach to addressing IPV among veterans, their

partners, and VA employees, the VHA began implementation of the IPV Assistance Program

in 2014.

Currently piloted at six (6) VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), the program focuses on both

veteran victims/veterans who experience violence and veteran offenders/veterans who use

violence.

It draws on the resources that address immediate concerns of involved individuals such as

mental health, primary care, women’s health, and Veterans Justice Outreach Program staff.

. . . The presenters will discuss the goals of the program, screening, responsibilities of the

Domestic Violence Coordinators (DVCs)/Network Points of Contact (POCs), and the role

Community of Practice can play in offering IPV Assistance Program services.

They will also the program’s future implementation throughout the VA Healthcare System.

EVENT: Dayton VAMC 4th Floor Medical Unit Grand Opening, July 19th http://bit.ly/29AOrwb

Dayton, VAMC, Join Us for A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

You're Invited!

The Grand Opening of our 4th Floor Med 1 Unit

July 19, 2016

A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place at 1:00pm, followed by an open house until

3:00pm.

Event Location:

Dayton VA Medical Center

4100 W. Third St., Dayton, OH 45428

Building 330, 4th floor (Main Hospital)

Two Ohio State Students named 2016 Tillman Scholars http://bit.ly/29pztW0 Editor’s Note: Scanning the list of students, I saw two from Ohio, both going to Ohio State.

If I missed anyone, please accept my apology. A one-page summary of each student with a

photo is included in the document at the link above.

Amy Riedel: U.S. Navy, The Ohio State University, Juris Doctor

Khalida Hendricks: U.S. Army, The Ohio State University, Ph.D., Theoretical Particle

Physics

Congratulations!

VA Pittsburgh Women Veterans Newsletter, Summer 2016 http://bit.ly/29o2BwZ

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An 8-page, full-color newsletter addressing women’s issues in detail. ODVS has teamed with GovDelivery to manage ODVS digital communications http://dvs.ohio.gov/

. . . ODVS has teamed with GovDelivery to manage our digital communications ensuring

faster, more efficient delivery of important veterans news.

EVENT: 5th Annual Nick Rozanski Memorial Foundation "Play it as it Lies" Golf Outing. http://bit.ly/29pOl6K

Please join us on Friday, August 19th, 2016 at Safari Golf Club for the 5th Annual Nick

Rozanski Memorial Foundation "Play it as it Lies" Golf Outing.

After golf, please bring your family and friends and join us at The Bogey Bar & Grill from

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for the "19th Hole" family fun night. Help us wind down after an

afternoon of golfing with a fun filled evening including food, music, bounce houses for the

kids and a raffle auction.

Additional resources from my blog

OPERATION LEGAL HELP OHIO http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK

RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

OHIO JOBS FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1CL3Ay0

RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV EVENTS FOR OHIO VETERANS http://bit.ly/1Tx7tix

VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS

Webinar: Female Veterans in the Criminal Justice System July 26th http://bit.ly/29xkSM3 This webinar is hosted by the Battered Women’s Justice Project and is open to the public.

. . . This webinar will:

examine what research tells us about female justice-involved veterans and

where future research is focusing;

address healthcare needs and what treatment and services are available and being

provided through the Veterans Health Administration, and;

provide a personal perspective from one female veteran who mentors others in a

Veterans Treatment Court.

Webinar: Intimate Partner Violence & the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), July 28th http://bit.ly/1E1bymI

This webinar is hosted by the Battered Women’s Justice Project and is open to the public.

In order to provide an integrated approach to addressing IPV among veterans, their

partners, and VA employees, the VHA began implementation of the IPV Assistance Program

in 2014.

Currently piloted at six (6) VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), the program focuses on both

veteran victims/veterans who experience violence and veteran offenders/veterans who use

violence.

It draws on the resources that address immediate concerns of involved individuals such as

mental health, primary care, women’s health, and Veterans Justice Outreach Program staff.

. . . The presenters will discuss the goals of the program, screening, responsibilities of the

Domestic Violence Coordinators (DVCs)/Network Points of Contact (POCs), and the role

Community of Practice can play in offering IPV Assistance Program services.

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They will also the program’s future implementation throughout the VA Healthcare System.

ARMY ONESOURCE CO-ORGANIZED SUMMIT TO ADDRESS CAPACITY AND CONNECTIVITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL LEGAL SERVICES NETWORK http://bit.ly/29y7wPk

Washington, D.C. – For more than a year, Army OneSource and the American Bar

Association have collaborated on a concept, the development of a National Military and

Veterans Legal Services Network. In order to advance the innovative idea to operational

impact, the Military and Veterans Legal Network Summit was held on June 23-24 in the

nation’s capital.

. . . “Engaging with individuals of this caliber – those with extensive knowledge and

expertise – demonstrated the desire and true need for improved legal outcomes for our

Service members, their Families and Veterans.

The intent of the Summit was to gather expertise and ideas generated by the Work Teams,

and then synthesize this information into a comprehensive report that guides our next

action steps to better serving our Military population through a national legal network.

Ultimately, this network will increase service capacity and connectivity at the local, state

and national levels in administrative, civil and criminal law,” said Shaunya Murrill, Chief of

Outreach & Strategic Integration at United States Army Installation Management Command.

The Military and Veterans Legal Network Summit was made possible by Army OneSource,

the American Bar Association, Jones Day Law Firm, and Summit sponsor, The Bob Woodruff

Foundation.

WP: One reason so many veterans are homeless? They can’t afford lawyers. http://wapo.st/29o1ddE

New research shows that vets are losing their homes and missing out on crucial benefits

because they lack legal aid.

. . . With nearly 50,000 veterans sleeping on the streets each night, it’s clear we are failing

to serve those who have served our country. But the solution isn’t as obvious as it might

seem. Veterans don’t need simply more doctors and shelter beds; new research shows that

veterans need lawyers to fight on their behalf as well.

According to a new study from the Department of Veterans Affairs, at least five out of the

top 10 problems leading to homelessness among veterans cannot be solved without legal

help. The study surveyed more than 6,000 homeless veterans and service providers, asking

them what services veterans need to become stably housed.

The survey found that many veterans are able to secure food, medical services and

substance-abuse treatment. But for problems that require legal assistance such as fighting

evictions, upgrading military discharge status or restoring a driver’s license, many veterans

are not receiving the help they need. Legal assistance is often critical to ensure that

veterans find justice and get the benefits they have earned — and can keep a roof over

their heads.

. . . Increasingly, VA health-care teams are acknowledging the role legal needs play in

shaping veterans’ health and well-being and are embedding civil legal-aid lawyers in their

teams. At these medical-legal partnerships, doctors, social workers and nurses work in

tandem with civil legal-aid attorneys to identify and resolve problems at the root of

homelessness so they can keep veterans healthy and housed.

. . . USAF veteran Randall Barry connected with the Homeless Veterans Project (HVP) of the

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Los Angeles-based Inner City Law Center, a medical-legal partnership that provides wrap-

around health care, case management and legal services to chronically homeless veterans

who are high-need high users of emergency health services. HVP attorneys worked with the

VA’s Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams to connect Barry with transitional housing and a

psychiatrist who diagnosed and treated his bipolar disorder. With a diagnosis in hand, the

partnership’s lawyers then helped Barry secure the benefits he deserved through a

successful disabilities claim but was long denied.

. . . a homeless Vietnam-era Army veteran from Connecticut, also needed legal assistance.

He lost his state-issued identification, so he was unable to obtain disability benefits to help

him afford a home, and untreated schizophrenia made stability of any kind all but

impossible. The VA’s Errera Community Care Center connected him with the Connecticut

Veterans Legal Center, a civil legal-aid group that represents veterans in a wide array of

legal problems. The Errera community center helped him manage his schizophrenia while

the legal center worked to get him a new birth certificate and driver’s license this year.

. . . Emerging partnerships between civil legal-aid and community health and housing

organizations can permanently transform veterans’ lives but require investment to meet the

need.

Most partnerships struggle to leverage existing, scarce legal-aid resources, alongside private

philanthropy. The Department of Veterans Affairs has taken steps to raise awareness of

legal needs and solutions.

Congress can help by passing the veterans omnibus bill, section 608 of which would

authorize the VA to provide funding to organizations that provide civil legal services to

veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Medical-legal partnerships and other civil legal-aid interventions for veterans show the

promise of a holistic approach to veterans care. It’s time to make the investments we must

to ensure we don’t leave any veterans behind. FL: City veterans court becomes political football http://bit.ly/29xeDHZ

When Jacksonville City Councilman Aaron Bowman endorsed the re-election bid of 4th

Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey Tuesday, he cited Corey’s commitment to Veterans

Court.

. . . It didn’t take too long for Public Defender Matt Shirk — who, like Corey, is in a

competitive race for re-election — to push back.

FL: Veterans Court Achieves Milestone http://bit.ly/29lmkNz On Monday afternoon ten veterans successfully completed their court ordered program

assigned to them by the Orange County Veterans Court. This was a milestone for the

Veterans Court program, meeting in downtown Orlando at the Orange County Courthouse.

Since 2013 the Court has assisted 150 veterans to complete their jail diversion program and

is actively assisting many others.

Newest grads of Orange County's veterans court testify to program's success -

Orlando Sentinel

FL: Newest grads of Orange County's veterans court testify to program's success http://bit.ly/29p3o0z

Sometimes this community really gets things right.

One of those times was Monday afternoon when I watched 10 veterans of this country’s

armed forces graduate from Orange County’s veteran’s court program.

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All 10 veterans of had been charged with non-violent crimes. And all 10 had completed the

county’s diversion program – some getting help for PTSD, others for substance abuse.

“I have a job now. I’m sober. Things are good,” said one former Army private.

“I appreciate this opportunity to redeem myself,” said another.

“I’m happy that you all got me talking to my counselor,” said a third.

There was also a Marine and an Air Force vet.

The stories were feel-good -- veterans who needed help, but probably wouldn't have gotten

it without this program. But Judge Jerry Brewer, who helped start up court, working with

organizations including the VA, said this program isn’t merely feel-good … it’s also effective.

“When I checked after 18 months, not a single veteran had re-offended,” Brewer said.

. . . This week’s graduation ceremony marked a milestone -- 150 veterans to complete the

program. Dozens more were gathered in the courtroom to watch and perhaps enter the

program themselves.

The scene was a far removed from two years ago, when there were more excuses than

action. ("The Time for Veteran’s Court is Now”)

And even further removed from 2011 when State Rep. Bryan Nelson first proposed the

program and was ignored by his fellow legislators -- many of whom loved to talk about

veterans on the campaign trail, but failed to take action when it mattered.

Finally, Nelson's idea got traction. State Sen. David Simmons helped secure the financing.

And then-Chief Judge Belvin Perry worked with State Attorney Jeff Ashtonand Public

Defender Bob Wesley to make this idea a reality. Good for all of them.

Ideally, this is how all court programs would run – with individual attention focused on how

to stop the offender from offending again. It's the only way to make a lasting difference. But

it makes sense to start with a program that serves those who have served this country --

and who deal with many of the same problems after doing so.

FL: Column: Compassion and justice in drug cases http://bit.ly/29p40De Ron Ficarrotta is the chief judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County

. . . Here in Hillsborough County at the 13th Judicial Circuit, we are proud of the lasting

impact our drug court programs are having on drug offenders' lives. In May, 54 participants

successfully completed treatment and court requirements in one of our drug court

programs. Their successes help reduce substance abuse, lower the recidivism rate and save

taxpayer dollars. That's a win-win for everyone.

Here is a brief description of how our problem-solving treatment programs work.

. . . Veterans Treatment Court, less than two years old, has quickly become a shining

example of effectiveness by integrating alcohol, drug treatment and mental health services

into the justice system. Presently, 55 mentors are actively involved on a daily basis with a

hands-on mentorship program, ensuring our veterans receive the benefits and treatment

they have earned and deserve. Col. D.J. Reyes was recently honored with the prestigious

2016 Liberty Bell Award, recognizing his hard work and dedication as Lead Coordinator and

Volunteer for Veteran Mentors. Nearly 80 percent of veterans involved successfully complete

all requirements of the program.

Drug and other treatment courts have proven that the combination of accountability and

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compassion saves lives and reduces exorbitant criminal justice costs. Now is the time to

expand these programs so they can reach every seriously addicted individual who comes

into contact with the justice system.

FL: UPDATE: Florida Supreme Court will reprimand Hillsborough judge http://bit.ly/29CTtIi

TAMPA — The Florida Supreme Court will publicly reprimand a Hillsborough judge for his

attempts to secure a more lenient sentence for a former U.S. Army Green Beret charged

with multiple felonies, the court announced Thursday.

. . . Holder, who was first elected to the bench in 1994, is a veteran and presides over

Hillsborough County's Veterans Treatment Court. It was there he met Clay S. Allred,

then a 29-year-old who was arrested and expelled from the University of South Florida in

2014 for confronting a Muslim gas station clerk and firing his gun into the air several times

as he drove away. "I hate you people," Allred told the clerk.

Prosecutors charged him with two felonies: discharging a firearm from a vehicle and

aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Allred ultimately reached a deal with the state:

he would plead "no contest" to the charges, averting a trial, in exchange for a sentence of

two years of house arrest, followed by three years of probation.

Although the case was closed, Holder continued to lobby for Allred. In November, he wrote

a letter to USF's president asking that Allred to be readmitted to the university as an online

student. He pleaded before the school's board of trustees, enlisted the support of Veterans

Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald in Washington, D.C., and sought help from U.S. Sen. Bill

Nelson, D-Fla.

The commission found that when Holder failed to persuade USF officials, he tried to

renegotiate the defendant's deal with Hillsborough prosecutors. But this tactic didn't

succeed, either.

ID: Battling for rehabilitation http://bit.ly/29FdApm

CALDWELL — Veterans who require rehabilitation after committing a crime are a unique

challenge for the courts system.

“We are dealing with people who have learned discipline,” District Judge George Southworth

said. “That’s the very nature of military service.”

Marton Elkins, Allen Titsworth, Corey Chrapowski and Derick Guevara are success stories for

Southworth and other Canyon County public servants tackling this unique challenge.

The four graduates of Idaho’s second Veterans Treatment Court were presented with hats

representing their branch of service and plaques Monday afternoon.

IN: Greenwood veterans court growing http://bit.ly/29lkah3

When veterans come through the Greenwood city court, Judge Lewis Gregory notices

something different.

Gregory can see shame and regret on the face and in the body language of a veteran

standing before him, waiting to hear his or her punishment for breaking the law.

From possession of an illegal substance to driving while intoxicated, almost all of the crimes

they are before Gregory for are drug or alcohol related. And Gregory said he sympathizes

with their struggle to return to a normal life following combat overseas.

. . . the court will use about $52,000 in federal funding to hire a caseworker to take on as

many as 45 to 50 veteran court cases per year, Gregory said. The new caseworker will earn

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a salary up to $48,000, and Gregory would like to find a veteran to handle the cases,

Gregory said. MO: Carthage judge to lead veterans court http://bit.ly/29y6nri

Jasper County's criminal court system will add a veterans court to its treatment court

program this summer to try to help U.S. Military veterans who are entangled in the criminal

justice system.

. . . Erik Theis, Jasper County Courts Administrator, said the new treatment court will start

in August and be based in the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage under the direction of

Circuit Judge John Nicholas.

Theis said the veterans court will be the fourth treatment court in Jasper County, focusing

on reducing repeat offenders and helping specific kinds of offenders find out how to avoid

spending more time in jail and become productive citizens.

The county already operates a drug court for drug offenders, a mental health court and a

DWI court to try to reduce the incidents of driving while intoxicated. NV: Henderson Veterans Court offers second chance to struggling former military members http://bit.ly/29kwgHd

Albert Gutierrez was too old to continue down the path he was on, which included sleepless

nights locked up in jail. Years of alcohol abuse had left the 70-year-old U.S. Army veteran in

trouble with the law and estranged from his family.

When the treatment court known as Veterans Court was made an option to him, he had a

choice.

“Some of the younger people (who could go through Veterans Court) said they would rather

go to jail 30 days and be done instead going through the program,” Gutierrez said. “I

decided I’d rather do the program. This program saves lives.”

NV: EVENT: EMG Town Hall on Veterans Treatment Court, August 13th http://bit.ly/29CSyI0

Andre’ Haynes in association with the Veterans Transition Resource Center present the EMG

Town Hall on Veterans Treatment Courts.

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, August 13, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Andre’ Haynes in

association with the Veterans Transition Resource Center present the EMG Town Hall on Veterans Treatment Courts on Saturday - August 13, 2016 from 1200-1400 (12:00p.m. - 2:00p.m.) at the Veterans Transition Resource Center located at 2550 Nature Park Drive, Suite 200, North Las Vegas,

Nevada 89084. Ages 18+ are welcome and admission is free. Registration is required at www.emgnv.com.

The primary purpose of the EMG Town Hall™ on Veterans Treatment Courts is to discuss discrepancies about NRS 176A.280, 176A.285 and 176A.290. The secondary purpose is to contribute ideas to nonpartisan BDR (Bill Draft Request) 57 that will be introduced during the 2017 NV Legislative Session.

Destiny Beavers EMG CARES FOUNDATION INC 7028234364 email us here

PA: New magistrate-level program to help veterans with legal woes http://bit.ly/29nSM1R

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SUNBURY — A new program at the magistrate level in Northumberland County is designed

to support veterans charged with summary offenses by diverting them to the services they

need and to help them deal with issues such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic

brain injury or drug and alcohol abuse.

The program is the first of its kind at the magistrate level and one of the first in the state.

“The Veterans Diversion Program recognizes that veterans may struggle with readjustment

issues as a result of their service to our country,” President Judge Charles Saylor said. “It is

imperative to identify and intercept these individuals early on to get them into appropriate

treatment. The best place to do this is at the first point of contact with the court system,

namely the magisterial district courts.” PA: Clinton County to start Veterans Court http://bit.ly/29p1NYB

LOCK HAVEN - Due to more local military veterans facing substance abuse or related issues

that lead to trouble, Clinton County plans to start a new Veterans Court Program.

. . . Just as with the county Treatment Court, "this will take a comprehensive approach that

also involves the local Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Veterans Administration," Strouse said.

The program was approved by both President Judge Craig P. Miller and Judge Michael F.

Salisbury.

Judge Salisbury already oversees the county Treatment Court Program, and will also direct

the new Veterans Court.

As Ed Hosler, chief deputy probation officer and a veteran himself, said, "We need to look at

how we treat our veterans. We need to try to honor their service by trying to help them, not

just lock them up."

. . . Among the rules is that a candidate must memorize what Hosler called "general orders"

- strict rules or conditions they must follow to gain incentives and ultimately graduate from

the program.

. . . All branches of the military have general orders that soldiers must follow. They'll have

to recite them in court. This is much like the military and it's designed to be that way ... to

give them that bond back," said Hosler, who served 10 years in the Army and Army

National Guard. "In the military you belong to a brotherhood, so to speak. So these guys

might be looking to belong again ... to find that comradery again and that's what we're

striving for here."

He provided the "Orders of Veterans Court" as follows:

To conduct myself at all times with the dignity and honor that is befitting a veteran

of the United States armed forces.

To be honest and forthright with the Veterans Court Team and myself at all times,

and to use the resources available to me when I begin experiencing triggers,

symptoms or negative thought patterns.

To take charge of any addictive or criminal behaviors and mental health issues that

are keeping me from becoming a productive, healthy and active member of society.

To comply at all times with the requirements of the Veterans' Court program and to

report any violations of the program rules to my probation officer immediately.

To work as part of a team, accepting the help of professionals and my fellow

veterans to successfully recover mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

Both Hosler and Bechdel said Team RWB (Red, White & Blue) should be integral to the

Veterans Court Program.

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PA: Court Cases http://bit.ly/29yb2Jx Appearing before Judge John DiSalle were:

William J. Slider, 26, 7 Applewood Drive, New Eagle; aggravated assault of a police officer,

terroristic threats, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness;

charged Dec. 12; sentence – 23 months of probation through veterans court program,

100 hours of community service and 90 meetings in a 12-step program. PA: Veterans Court founding judge announces retirement http://bit.ly/29p33uA

Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Bruce F. Bratton has announced his

retirement for personal and family reasons, effective Aug. 31st.

. . . Bratton, a Vietnam veteran, founded the county's highly successful Veterans Court in

2010 and has continued to preside over the specialty court since its inception.

"His passionate interest in the problems and issues involving veterans entangled in the

criminal court system, often accompanied and complicated by drug, alcohol and mental

health concerns, served as an inspiration for all of us to recognize the importance of

creating new approaches to deal with issues of addiction and mental health throughout our

court system," Presiding Judge Richard A. Lewis said. SC: Corrections department to begin notifying inmates of proposed mental health lawsuit settlement http://goo.gl/VPfnUo

COLUMBIA — An estimated 3,500 South Carolina inmates with serious mental health issues

will learn next week the details of a proposed lawsuit settlement with the S.C. Department

of Corrections.

Judge Robert Hood on Tuesday gave SCDC the authority to begin notifying the plaintiffs in

the 10-year-old class-action suit accusing the department of inadequately treating the

mentally ill.

The lawsuit alleged SCDC had a lack of effective counseling and overly relied on tactics such

as isolation and pepper spray to subdue unruly mentally ill prisoners.

. . . SCDC will take a variety of approaches to inform all impacted parties of the settlement,

including posting a notice in each wing of the housing units, giving copies to those in

isolation, and providing readers and interpreters to those who might need help reading the

letter.

. . . The agreement comes two years after Circuit Court Judge Michael Baxley issued a

scathing January 2014 ruling in which he gave SCDC six months to create a plan to fix the

department’s treatment failures.

Among other things, Baxley noted that mentally ill prisoners were locked in solitary at twice

the rate of other inmates. Mentally ill inmates also spent longer in lock-up because they

kept racking up violations, often for nuisance behaviors, with one man piling up 19 years

worth of disciplinary sentences, Baxley found.

The department appealed Baxley’s ruling while at the same time starting a mediation

process with the disabilities group and moving to fix some of the outlined deficiencies.

Among those changes, SCDC Director Bryan Stirling said, is a more intense screening

process for inmates who could potentially be diagnosed with a mental disability for the first

time.

“We’ve been working on this for the better part of two years,” Stirling said. “We didn’t want

to wait to go through the court process before making changes (that benefit inmates).”

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Those changes include a four-year plan to address the issues Baxley highlighted in his

ruling, such as the development of a comprehensive mental health program that ends the

“inappropriate segregation” of inmates, and efforts to drive down the use of excessive force

and punishment incidents.

TN: Veterans Treatment Court uses “PT for PTSD” to promote health http://bit.ly/29r8r0h CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – “PT for PTSD” was the motto of the day at All

Rise for Exercise, an event created by the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court

(VTC). On June 14th, 2016, Austin Peay’s Foy Fitness Center opened their doors to VTC

participants, staff, and Judge Kenneth R. Goble Jr.

All Rise for Exercise is a one-hour workout session where participants enjoy the benefits of

physical activity. They also get to spend time with Judge Goble and VTC staff in a more

relaxed environment. This is the second All Rise for Exercise with more than double the

participation of last time.

Guest speakers from Prime Fitness Clarksville opened with an introduction to healthy

choices in workouts and dieting. Sara Kluttz, owner of Prime Fitness Clarksville, led the

group in a warm up. After that everyone made use of the Foy Fitness equipment doing

various activities at their own pace and level.

TN: Home Depot aims to give back to veterans through community collaboration http://bit.ly/29r8HfS

On Tuesday, dozens of Home Depot crew members worked to revitalize a Midtown facility

for Shelby County veterans.

A community collaboration took place inside the North Bellevue building, turning it into a

first of its kind.

"Sometimes we are not known for being first for a whole lot of stuff in Memphis," Veterans

Judge Bill Anderson said. "But by-golly we have researched it and this is the first

collaboration of this type in the country."

The empty facility will soon be home to Mental Health, Drug and Veterans Courts. Sprucing

things up Tuesday were the men and women of Home Depot.

Additional resources from my blog

LIST OF NATIONAL AND STATE LEGAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/19DC5zu

U.S. VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS LOCATIONS http://bit.ly/1Lf1VX5

PTS/TBI/MST

House passes mental health bill http://bit.ly/29xi6Xa The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a long-delayed mental health bill that

Republicans have cast as their response to recent mass shootings.

. . . The bill aims to improve the oversight and effectiveness of federal mental health

programs and authorizes a range of grants for treatment.

. . . The measure would create a new assistant secretary role in the Department of Health

and Human Services (HHS) to oversee mental health and substance abuse programs. The

role is intended for a doctor, which Murphy touts as a way to improve the oversight of

federal mental health programs that he views as currently ineffective.

The bill also authorizes grants for areas such as preventing suicide and early intervention for

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children with mental illnesses. Funding for the range of grants will depend on the

appropriations process, but Murphy noted that he has talked to appropriators and is hopeful

that funding can begin in 2018.

DCoE Webinar Rewind: Cognitive Rehabilitation for Mild TBI http://bit.ly/29pcMRX

According to the Defense Medical Surveillance System, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI),

also known as concussion, accounts for more than 82 percent of TBI cases throughout

the Defense Department worldwide.

“Service members and veterans who have sustained a concussion may experience cognitive

symptoms that keep them from normal activity,” said Linda M. Picon, the Department of

Veterans Affairs liaison for TBI at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health

and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE).

“These symptoms may be related to a history of mild TBI and to deployment-related

complaints such as chronic pain, headaches, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression,

anxiety, sleep difficulties, substance use disorders and life stressors following return from

deployment,” said Picon during a recent webinar hosted by DCoE. Top PTSD research for psychiatrists http://bit.ly/29yazaj

To honor the end of PTSD Awareness Month as well as all who have fought and served for

the United States, Healio.com/Psychiatry gathered the top four PTSD news items.

These include a recently published critique of changes to the DSM-5 definition of PTSD, a

video from the 2015 APA annual meeting exploring associations between genetics, TBI and

PTSD, and more.

Health.mil: PTSD awareness leads to positive treatment http://bit.ly/29nZ7KF . . . Air Force Maj. Joel Foster, Chief of Air Force Deployment Mental Health, said treating

PTSD has improved dramatically in the last 20 years.

“Twenty years ago we didn’t really know what PTSD was and didn’t know what to do with

patients who had PTSD,” Foster said. “We tried to treat it like other anxiety problems. We

put people in various types of therapy groups which weren’t always very helpful. What we

didn’t realize back then was that this approach was not effective in treating PTSD.”

He added that now mental health providers use evidence-based trauma-focused therapies.

Two of these therapies are prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy, which are

taught to all mental health providers in the Air Force. Part of the reason these treatments

work is because they treat the cardinal symptom of PTSD – avoidance of memories and

reminders of the traumatic event.

“What these treatments do is break the cycle of avoidance,” said Foster. “We work with the

patient to expose them to the stimuli that they are afraid of gradually over time and in a

supportive environment, the person undergoing treatment gets comfortable, gains

confidence, and resumes their normal activities which helps them to make use of social

supports for even greater improvements in their symptoms and overall satisfaction with

life.”

“Most patients can make substantial improvement within 6-12 weeks with dramatic

reductions in distress and symptoms,” Foster said. “For most the therapy is not as bad as

they think it’s going to be. Nearly every person I’ve worked with has told me that the

anxiety and fear they have before treatment is always much worse than going through the

treatment.”

EVENT: State of the Science: Advances, Current Diagnostics, and Treatments of Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Health Care, Falls Church

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VA & Virtually, September 13th – 15th http://bit.ly/29CRjbI This summit from the Defense Centers of Excellence will give virtual participants real-time

access to more than 26 hours of state-of-the-science programing each day, plus

opportunities to join panel discussions and Q&A sessions and network with professionals.

A wide variety of topics related to psychological health and traumatic brain injury in service

members will be covered. The summit will take place on September 13-15. Registration will

begin on July 11.

Event: Combat PTSD Conference, San Antonio, TX, October 18th – 19th http://bit.ly/29r6Nfq

The assessment and treatment of combat-related PTSD and Comorbid Conditions.

A scientific conference focused on emerging outcomes and ongoing research on the

assessment and treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and

comorbid conditions in active duty service members and veterans who deployed after 9-11

in support of combat operations.

Conference details and agendas can be found at the link above. Additional resources from my blog

RESURRECTING LIVES FOUNDATION http://bit.ly/1R9toOV

EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERAN SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH NEWS IS POSTED IN THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SECTION BELOW

SUICIDE

VA Conducts Nation’s Largest Analysis of Veteran Suicide http://bit.ly/29kakfj WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has undertaken the most

comprehensive analysis of Veteran suicide rates in the U.S., examining over 55 million

Veteran records from 1979 to 2014 from every state in the nation.

The effort extends VA’s knowledge from the previous report issued in 2010, which examined

three million Veteran records from 20 states were available.

Based on the data from 2010, VA estimated the number of Veteran deaths by

suicide averaged 22 per day. The current analysis indicates that in 2014, an

average of 20 Veterans a day died from suicide.

. . . The final report will be publicly released later this month. Key findings of the analysis

will include:

65% of all Veterans who died from suicide in 2014 were 50 years of age or older.

Veterans accounted for 18% of all deaths from suicide among U.S. adults. This is a

decrease from 22% in 2010.

Since 2001, U.S. adult civilian suicides increased 23%, while Veteran suicides

increased 32% in the same time period. After controlling for age and gender, this

makes the risk of suicide 21% greater for Veterans.

Since 2001, the rate of suicide among US Veterans who use VA services increased by

8.8%, while the rate of suicide among Veterans who do not use VA services

increased by 38.6%.

o In the same time period, the rate of suicide among male Veterans who use VA

services increased 11%, while the rate of suicide increased 35% among male

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Veterans who do not use VA services.

o In the same time period, the rate of suicide among female Veterans who use

VA services increased 4.6%, while the rate of suicide increased 98% among

female Veterans who do not use VA services. o

. . . VA is aggressively undertaking a number of new measures to prevent suicide, including:

Ensuring same-day access for Veterans with urgent mental health needs at over

1,000 points of care by the end of calendar year 2016. In fiscal year 2015, more

than 1.6 million Veterans received mental health treatment from VA, including at

over 150 medical centers, 820 community-based outpatient clinics and 300 Vet

Centers that provide readjustment counseling. Veterans also enter VA health care

through the Veterans Crisis Line, VA staff on college and university campuses, or

other outreach points.

Using predictive modeling to determine which Veterans may be at highest risk of

suicide, so providers can intervene early. Veterans in the top 0.1% of risk, who have

a 43-fold increased risk of death from suicide within a month, can be identified

before clinical signs of suicide are evident in order to save lives before a crisis

occurs.

o Expanding telemental health care by establishing four new regional

telemental health hubs across the VA healthcare system.

o Hiring over 60 new crisis intervention responders for the Veterans Crisis Line.

Each responder receives intensive training on a wide variety of topics in crisis

intervention, substance use disorders, screening, brief intervention, and

referral to treatment.

o Building new collaborations between Veteran programs in VA and those

working in community settings, such as Give an Hour, Psych Armor Institute,

University of Michigan’s Peer Advisors for Veterans Education Program

(PAVE), and the Cohen Veterans Network.

o Creating stronger inter-agency (e.g. Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration, Department of Defense, National Institutes of

Health) and new public-private partnerships (e.g., Johnson & Johnson

Healthcare System, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Walgreen’s, and many

more) focused on preventing suicide among Veterans.

JAMA Psychiatry: Association of Religious Involvement and Suicide http://goo.gl/SlRf4k According to an April 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the

suicide rate among white women in the United States increased by 60% from 4.7 per

100 000 in 1999 to 7.5 per 100 000 in 2014.1

The article in this issue of JAMA Psychiatry by VanderWeele et al2 on religious service

attendance in 1996 and the suicide rate from 1996 to 2010 among 89 708 women (97.5%

white) in the Nurse’s Health Study, then, is a timely one.

This report on US women found that among those attending religious services once per

week or more, the incident suicide risk was 84% lower than in those never attending

religious services (hazard ratio, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.06-0.46), with more than a 5-fold

reduction in incidence rate from 7 per 100 000 person-years to only 1 per 100 000 person-

years. The results were similar after excluding women who were depressed or had chronic

illness at baseline in 1996.

Military Veteran Project to stay in Topeka, hires replacement for founder Melissa Jarboe http://bit.ly/29r7Xri

The Military Veteran Project has made many changes in the past six months, including the

selection of a new executive director, but one thing that won’t change is the location of

MVP’s headquarters in Topeka.

Melissa Jarboe, MVP founder and current executive director, originally said in a Capital-

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Journal interview in November that the company was looking to possibly leave Topeka. She

recently said, however, MVP plans to keep the headquarters in the capitol city indefinitely.

The military nonprofit will, however, will expand its reach with satellite offices located on the

west coast, in the southern region of the country and in Washington D.C., Jarboe said.

The organization also made changes to its board of directors, including three new hires, and

will announce its selection for the executive director position in 2017, Jarboe said.

The Military Veteran Project, started by Jarboe in 2012 after her husband died of

complications from a bullet wound he suffered in Afghanistan, works to prevent military

suicide and aide and empower military veterans.

Veterans Find Camaraderie at Annapolis Sailing Clinic http://bit.ly/29nYssE

. . . “I’ve lost a lot of friends to suicide,” Marine Corps veteran Hector Cardona said,

explaining that he came to the sailing clinic in his quest to find activities veterans can learn

to do together.

It’s difficult for veterans to re-enter the civilian sector when the one relationship they crave

is missing: the brotherhood of their battle buddies, said Marine Corps combat veteran Mike

Wood, Valhalla Sailing Project’s executive director.

Valhalla assists military veterans by filling the need for a squad atmosphere through

formations of four-person crews to sail and race as teams, Wood said, noting the

organization is operated by combat veterans who are sailboat racers.

Utah officials unsure why youth suicide rate has nearly tripled since 2007 http://bit.ly/29CQTSL Utah health officials are grappling with a rising youth suicide rate that's nearly tripled since 2007 and is now the leading cause of death among 10- to 17-year-olds in Utah. A state report released this month shows Utah's youth suicide was 8.5 per 100,000 people in 2014, the most recent data available. In 2007, the rate was 3.0 per 100,000. Health officials, suicide prevention advocates and educators have been working to curb suicides, but officials don't know why Utah's child suicide rate is more than double the national rate and climbing. State health officials haven't been able to find any clear causes of the state's growing rate, but the health department is working to launch an in-depth study, said Andrea Hood, a suicide prevention coordinator at the Utah Department of Health.

The New SPRC.org http://www.sprc.org/

Jerry Reed, PhD, MSW, SPRC Project Director, Education Development Center, Inc.;

Eileen Zeller, MPH, Lead Public Health Advisor, Suicide Prevention Branch, Substance Abuse

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is proud to announce the launch of its new

website, which was designed to reflect the enormous progress made in the science and

practice of suicide prevention since SPRC first went online in 2002.

In the last 14 years, we have increased our understanding of why people die by suicide,

created more effective interventions, and expanded our vision of the people and

organizations that can and should be involved in suicide prevention.

We have learned how to improve the systems--most notably the health care and behavioral

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health care systems--that are crucial to identifying and protecting people who are at risk for

suicide.

SPRC, supported by a strong and long-term collaborative relationship between EDC and

SAMHSA, continues to be dedicated to bringing state-of-the-art prevention to Garrett Lee

Smith grantees, state and community-based suicide prevention programs, health and

behavioral health care providers, and our many national partners.

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Editor’s Note: Retired Justice Stratton invites all educational organizations to share their veterans-

related activities and news with our readers. Thank you for your support of our veterans and

military personnel.

Upheld: Residency-At-Enlistment for Free College for Texas Veterans http://bit.ly/29FdD4u

The Texas Hazlewood Act gives veterans, and in certain instances their children and their

spouses, up to 150 hours of free tuition. An appellate court has upheld a challenge to the

Act’s residency-at-enlistment requirement holding the provision is constitutional.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit also held that the condition did not infringe on

the Plaintiff’s right to travel. Moreover, the Court opined, “Without a clearer indication from

the Supreme Court that Texas’s decisions violate constitutional provisions, we are hesitant

to impose further restrictions on the sovereign power of the State to regulate its own

education system.”

The Act applies to honorably discharged veterans who enlisted in Texas, was a resident of

Texas, or designated Texas as “Home of Record,” at the time of entry into active duty in the

U.S. Armed Forces.

Veterans must enlist in Texas for Hazlewood Act benefits, Fifth Circuit finds

Johns Hopkins University: Hopkins study finds brain cells that orient us in relation to gravity http://bsun.md/29llmRw

You're playing tennis with a friend, volleying back and forth, when he suddenly smacks a

rocket to your backhand. You lunge, extend your racket and hit a good return.

You've almost certainly moved your head, body and line of sight in ways that radically

changed their orientation to the ground. But you never forgot which way was up and which

was down, and you knew where the ball would be at the optimal swinging moment.

How did your brain and body perform such a complex feat of perceptual adjustment?

The calculation takes place in a portion of the brain scientists once thought was responsible

for something completely different, and the location of the cells in question could help

explain what makes human begins so good at tracking and interpreting motion while also

remaining aligned and balanced.

So says a team of neuroscience researchers at the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute at

the Johns Hopkins University. Michigan State University: MSU HONORED FOR COMMITMENT TO STUDENT VETERANS http://bit.ly/29y94cc

On June 22, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency honored Michigan State University and 14

other institutions in the state for their commitment to helping student veterans transition

from military to college life through the Michigan Veteran Education Initiative.

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MVEI places veteran resource representatives on college campuses throughout the state to

help student veterans succeed as they pursue an education through a partnership between

the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and Michigan College Access Network.

MIT: Army partners with MIT Lincoln Lab on voice analysis program to detect brain injury http://bit.ly/29ll2SC

Can the acoustics of someone's voice indicate if he or she has a brain injury?

Researchers with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) are

developing a computer algorithm to identify vocal biomarkers that could help diagnose mild

traumatic brain injury, or concussion.

The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA), a subordinate organization of the U.S.

Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), has partnered with MIT LL to

help evaluate, test and validate the algorithm. So far, the algorithm has a successful track

record in assessing mental or cognitive state from speech.

University of Pennsylvania: Three Veterans at the University of Pennsylvania Named 2016 Tillman Scholars http://bit.ly/29pyfKi

Three military veterans who are enrolled as graduate students at the University of

Pennsylvania, John Schippert, Jonathan Wood and Matthew Miclette, have been appointed

as 2016 Tillman Scholars through the Pat Tillman Foundation.

This year, the Tillman Foundation will award $1.8 million to assist with educational expenses

for 60 active duty military personnel, veterans and military spouses.

Please see the chart below for a complete list of 2016 Tillman Scholars.

Texas A&M Health Science Center Research: Number of “Oldest-Old” Veterans Entering Health Care System Rising Dramatically http://bit.ly/29xgxZ9

. . . With increased life expectancy and demographic shifts in our population, the proportion

of oldest-old adults, aged over 80 years, continues to increase. The publicly funded

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) must care efficiently and effectively for its increasing

population of veterans, who are older, sicker, and socioeconomically disadvantaged relative

to non-veterans.

Given the large number of veterans over age 80 and the increasing emphasis on managing

the aging process, it is important to identify associations between healthcare utilization and

survival for VHA’s oldest patients. . .

University of Texas Health Science Center: Event: Combat PTSD Conference, San Antonio, TX, October 18th – 19th http://bit.ly/29r6Nfq

The assessment and treatment of combat-related PTSD and Comorbid Conditions.

A scientific conference focused on emerging outcomes and ongoing research on the

assessment and treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and

comorbid conditions in active duty service members and veterans who deployed after 9-11

in support of combat operations.

Conference details and agendas can be found at the link above.

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Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences: USU Students Learn Public Health, Zombie Style http://bit.ly/29k8gnq

BETHESDA, Md., July 01, 2016 — A course at the Uniformed Services University of the

Health Sciences here is teaching students global health care delivery in a unique way that’s

sure to be a “thriller.”

Students in USU’s family nurse practitioner doctorate of nursing practice program must take

a population health course as part of their degree requirements. This online class outlines

key principles in responding to and understanding population health – the overall health of a

group, be it a group of employees, a community, or entire nation. Students must apply

what they learn about theories and models of public health care through debate, small-

group work and a series of creative scenarios --including a zombie pandemic.

“We use the narrative device of a zombie pandemic in animations and assignment to help

engage students in content,” explained Catherine Ling, assistant professor and family nurse

practitioner for the DNP and PhD programs in USU’s Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of

Nursing.

The students watch video clips of scenarios, including one of the nation’s “president”

delivering a brief “State of the Zombie Pandemic” address. They see the impact that a

fictitious zombie virus has made on a population and the fear it has created – along with

“anti-zombie” posters strewn all over cities.

Yale University Research: Yale Study: Clinicians often overlook veterans’ mental health

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disorders http://bit.ly/29nYMYD Nationally, at least one in five military veterans who experience trauma are at a heightened

risk for depression, suicide or substance abuse but are often overlooked in clinical settings

because they don’t fit the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to

a Yale University-led study.

The research, published June 1 in the World Psychiatry journal, examined sub-

threshold PTSD, which occurs when someone experiences trauma-related symptoms that

aren’t severe or long-lasting enough to warrant a PTSD diagnosis.

GENERAL NEWS

Latest Army medical innovation to keep soldiers ready for the fight (MRAT) http://bit.ly/29CU3pG

Editor’s Note. Mental assessment is not mentioned in this article.

Earlier this year, Army Maj. Leigh Lechanski, a physical therapist at the Army’s hospital at

Fort Campbell, Kentucky, thought there was an upward trend in soldier injuries for new

arrivals to the post.

“We thought soldiers were getting hurt within the first 90 to 120 days after arriving, so we

considered doing differently some things, such as physical conditioning, for all new arrivals,”

she said. “But we found out that it wasn’t when they arrived that had the biggest impact. It

was whether they had a previous injury in the last four months.”

Lechanski made that discovery and along with her colleague, Army Lt. Col Zack Solomon,

implemented a conditioning program that targeted and better helped those soldiers

recovering from injuries using the new Medical Readiness Assessment Tool, better known as

the MRAT.

The MRAT received the Innovation Award at December’s Association of Military Surgeons of

the United States meeting recognized as one of the brightest innovations in the Military

Health System. It’s helping medical personnel get a bigger picture of soldiers’ overall health

and making sure they are mission ready.

“The MRAT is like a crystal ball that allows leaders and medical providers to predict what

could make our soldiers non-deployable and head off any issues before they happen, said

Col. David Trybula, the director of prospective clinical analytics with the Army Surgeon

General office.

“If MRAT cuts our non-deployable rate in half, which is our goal over the next couple of

years, it will allow us to have a larger fighting force with a smaller Army.”

Trybula said the web-based MRAT uses information already available in 12 different areas,

such as past injuries, tobacco use or issues with weight.

It then looks at historical information to predict and identify any issues affecting readiness.

A 24-month trend tool gives medical providers a better overall picture of each individual

soldier. It looks at physical fitness scores, provides a holistic look on what a soldier is doing

and prompts doctors to ask more of the questions they should be asking.

“You’ll be able to have a face-to-face conversation with that soldier about what they’re

doing for their personal health, as well as that holistic means of looking at any interventions

needed,” said Trybula.

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MRAT will also lead to a clearer picture of the health of an entire unit or even the Army as a

whole.

BLS Data - June 2016 and 2nd Quarter 2016

Colleagues and Fellow Veterans,

As with the first Friday of each month, the BLS employment statistics were released

today. Attached is our monthly ‘cheat sheet’ for your use and information. We have also

included the 2nd quarter 2016 statistic report. The national unemployment rate for June

2016 increased from 4.7% to 4.9% and the Veteran unemployment numbers for June 2016

increased from 3.4% to 4.2%.

Thanks to all of you who are working directly or indirectly, to ensure our Veterans have

meaningful employment.

BLS Employment Data - June 2016.pdf

BLS Employment Data - 2nd Quarter 2016.pdf

V/R

Curtis L. Coy

Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity

Veterans Benefits Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CA: Leadership Council Recently Established to Support the State’s Women Veterans http://goo.gl/o8N6vo

. . . According to a Veterans Affairs (VA) Women’s Health program overview, the VA has

found that women Veterans underutilize VA care, largely due to a lack of knowledge about

VA benefits and available services and their eligibility to them.

Women also experience gaps in services as cited in a women Veteran study conducted by

Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which found current reintegration services fail to

embrace alternative family structures.

To address this issue, women Veterans, in partnership with Army OneSource, the California

Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), and the Women Veterans Alliance, formed a new

California Women Veterans Leadership Council.

“The CalWVLC is the first opportunity for women Veterans in California to collaborate with

each other and use our leadership skills to encourage our continued success through

education, advocacy and mentorship.

It is exactly what we need to have a collective voice to make sure women who have served

are never again forgotten and the benefits we earned are available to us today and in the

future.” Kristine Hesse, MSgt, U.S. Air Force (Retired), Director of Women Veterans

Outreach, National Veterans Foundation.

The mission of the Council is to improve the quality of life of California’s women Veterans,

including aspects of their education, career success, physical health, and mental well-being.

“This Council is long overdue and will work to elevate issues women Veterans face and

create positive change for them in California,” stated Melissa Washington, Navy Veteran and

Chair of the California Women Veterans Leadership Council.

California Women Veterans Leadership Council

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Health.mil: Advances in health information technology and Internet of Things changing health care delivery http://bit.ly/29k7Wp2

Army Lt. Col. Mark Mellott, branch chief of the Defense Health Agency’s Health Information

Technology Innovation and Advanced Technology Development Division, sees the Internet

of Things as ‘the perfect storm’ when it comes to changing knowledge, attitudes and beliefs

regarding how healthcare is administered to beneficiaries.

SAMHSA: Can Technology Improve our Mental Health? http://bit.ly/29pxfWJ While some modern technology may have a negative affect our mental health, other

technologies show promise for improving mental health.

The mobile app industry along with virtual reality may prove to be a crucial component for

the future of mental health. Many patients are able to take advantage of technology that

allows them to schedule appointments, look up health information, and monitor symptoms,

leading to a strong provider-client relationship.

Some community providers offer access to software such as the shared-decision making

tool developed by SAMHSA that people can use in preparation for psychiatric appointments.

With workforce shortages and financial constraints limiting access to trained mental health

professionals, software developers are attempting to develop technology to extend or

replace traditional diagnosis and treatment. The number of mobile apps is booming, and

some developers are even working to deliver treatments by virtual reality.

The VA App Store: 9 mobile apps designed to help veterans http://tek.io/29k42MJ . . . If you've tried searching iTunes or the Play store for VA apps you may have been

disappointed at what you found. There are native iOS and Android apps that the VA made,

but they're nowhere near as robust as what's available on the VA App Store.

This mobile site runs "apps" that are formatted for mobile users but available on all

platforms. You can sort by type of app and platform, as well as being able to manually

search for what you want.

The one drawback of the VA App Store platform is that it's a bit confusing, especially if

you're not a tech-savvy vet. Most of the things you can do on the App Store are available on

websites or native mobile apps, which might be easier if you don't feel like learning a new

system.

Resources: Save Our Veterans, Inc. http://www.saveourveterans.org/

Welcome to Save Our Veterans! Our mission is to improve the working life of unemployed

and underemployed American veterans, as well as their family and friends. We provide

career training programs and job placement assistance for qualified veterans.

We are headquartered in Indiana, with the goal of assisting veterans nationwide toward

greater self-sufficiency and confidence in the workplace. NON-VA EVENTS FOR VETERANS

VETCON 2016, Albany, NY October 24th-25th Come learn what it takes to be a small

business owner! This conference is the first of its kind in the Capital Region held to help

veterans as they make transitions into their future professional careers. It is an

unprecedented collection of public and private businesses, non-profit and for-profit

organizations, and government agencies gathering together for a worthy initiative.

Elizabeth Dole Foundation: Hidden Heroes http://bit.ly/29px1yL . . . When the Elizabeth Dole Foundation launches the Hidden Heroes campaign this

September, we want to reach every military and veteran caregiver - from the young spouse

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caring for her husband with PTS from service in Iraq, to the son assisting his father with

lingering injuries from that fateful day in Normandy. We want each of these hidden heroes

to connect with the community of caregivers and resources that our Foundation is building.

As we prepare to launch Hidden Heroes, we remain hard at work raising awareness and

developing resources for caregivers. Please read below about how our team represented

military and veteran caregivers at this month’s The United State of Women summit. Also,

learn about the National Summit to Create a Military and Veteran Legal Network hosted by

our partners at the American Bar Association, Army One Source and Bob Woodruff

Foundation.

Our Fellows have been prominent participants in each of these national events, and they

have also taken on their own initiatives in their home states. Earlier this month, New Mexico

Fellow Maria Baca spoke at the New Mexico VA Caregiver Support Meeting and provided a

lovely brunch for all the attending caregivers. They organized a separate, simultaneous

meeting for veterans, so the caregivers could truly enjoy their respite opportunity.

I look forward to seeing such great grassroots projects spread across the country.

Elizabeth Dole Another Step Forward for National Institutes of Health Funding http://bit.ly/29mMTSA

Following in their Senate colleagues’ footsteps, a House subcommittee signed off on a

budget increase for the National Institutes of Health Thursday. The increases for fiscal-year

2017 confirm lawmakers’ public pledges to establish a pattern of improved budgets for the

agency, which before last year saw more than a decade of flat funding.

. . . The subcommittee’s proposed budget, which it released Wednesday, also includes

dedicated increases for the Obama administration’s BRAIN Initiative and Alzheimer’s disease

research; about $580 million to fight the opioid epidemic.

NIH Research: Exercise Releases Brain-Healthy Protein http://bit.ly/29pOlDH We all know that exercise is important for a strong and healthy body. Less appreciated is

that exercise seems also to be important for a strong and healthy mind, boosting memory

and learning, while possibly delaying age-related cognitive decline [1]. How is this so?

Researchers have assembled a growing body of evidence that suggests skeletal muscle cells

secrete proteins and other factors into the blood during exercise that have a regenerative

effect on the brain.

Now, an NIH-supported study has identified a new biochemical candidate to help explore the

muscle-brain connection: a protein secreted by skeletal muscle cells called cathepsin B. The

study found that levels of this protein rise in the blood of people who exercise regularly, in

this case running on a treadmill. In mice, brain cells treated with the protein also exhibited

molecular changes associated with the production of new neurons. Interestingly, the

researchers found that the memory boost normally provided by exercise is diminished in

mice unable to produce cathepsin B.

Some hospitals resist new fresh air rules for psychiatric patients http://bit.ly/29xrbPy

Friday, the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health issued new “Fresh Air” rules for

psychiatric patients across the state. Now the Boston hospital plans to convert a fourth-floor

rooftop into a secure patio, giving patients in the 25-bed psychiatric unit an outdoor space,

said spokeswoman Jennifer Kritz.

. . . The rules require hospitals to grant mental health patients daily access to the outdoors.

But up to 20 hospitals, including Massachusetts General, plan to seek waivers to the new

rules, citing a lack of space. Those hospitals represent about one-third of psychiatric

facilities statewide.

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The rules present a tug-of-war over patients’ rights, doctors’ judgment, and the logistical

demands of running a hospital in an urban environment.

Veteran preference in federal hiring 'third rail of civil service reform' http://bit.ly/29nXYTw

WASHINGTON — With an effort in Congress to scale back veteran preference in federal

hiring awaiting action by a House-Senate conference committee, a former top personnel

official says there's a better plan.

Jeffrey Neal, who was in charge of hiring for the Department of Homeland Security until he

retired in 2011, says a Senate proposal to limit veteran preference to a single use is flawed

because it does take into account former service members' high job turnover.

. . . If Congress wants to prevent veterans from going to the head of the line over and over,

Neal says, a better strategy would be to restrict the benefit to those in full-time permanent

positions.

That way, someone on probation, or working part-time, could get extra points twice or even

three times. But the approach "does not punish the veteran who finds s/he accepted a job

that isn't working out, or who needs to relocate and must look for another job," Neal writes.

Neal calls veterans preference a "third rail of civil service reform."

Carrier Partners with Army to Help Soldiers Obtain CDLs http://bit.ly/29p1I76

R&R Trucking has reached a multi-year agreement with the U.S. Army post at Fort Knox,

Ky., to assist soldiers in obtaining a commercial driver’s license.

The Joplin, Mo.-based fleet will bring truck driver training to the base at no monetary cost to

the soldier. After completion of a five-week CDL training program, a soldier will be offered

employment at R&R.

“We are proud to help bring CDL training directly to the Fort Knox base”, said R&R CEO Phil

Nelson, "and believe we lead the way in what our industry has committed to do.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The Fort Knox initiative is an addition to the Army’s Career Skills Program, which was

launched nationally in 2015 in cooperation with the Soldier for Life Transition Assistance

Program. The CSP provides credentialing, training, apprenticeships and internships to active

duty service members who will be leaving the service. ALL CURRENT AND FORMER U.S. MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDERS CAN LEARN TO RIDE FOR FREE WITH HARLEY-DAVIDSON® RIDING ACADEMY http://bit.ly/29nZN2P

To thank the millions of people who have courageously defended our country, guarded our

safety, and helped protect everyone’s personal freedom to ride, Harley-Davidson is offering

a free Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy New Rider Course for all current and former U.S.

military personnel and first responders (law enforcement, fire, and EMS). You can register

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In addition to the Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy offer, there is an alternate offer

available.

With this alternate offer, qualified participants will be eligible to receive a Harley-Davidson™

Gift Card in an amount equal to the value of a course offered at an authorized Motorcycle

Safety Foundation (MSF) or other state accredited riding school, upon proof of completion of

a basic motorcycle riding course and a receipt.

30 of 32

BBC News in Pictures: The women who served in Vietnam http://bbc.in/29ybisc I met Starnes, along with Ruth Dewton and Jeanne Moran Gourley, both Vietnam vets, at

the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, known simply as The Wall. They are

among more than 1,000 women, non-combatants, who served as line and staff officers and

enlisted personnel in the US Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

Starnes, wearer of a Vietnam veterans' vest, has spent 17 years tracking down those

women who served in non-nursing roles. Their stories are told in the book, Women Vietnam

Veterans: Our Untold Stories, by Donna Lowery who served 26 years in the military,

including 19 months in Vietnam.

After half a century of silence, these forgotten women are remembered in this monumental

anthology. It is long, heavy, etched with their names, but necessary. It is the women's Wall.

NY bill would require mental health education in schools http://bit.ly/29peene ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's Assembly has passed legislation to require that health

education in schools includes mental health.

A companion bill is poised for a Senate vote. It would take effect in July 2018.

Lawmakers have inserted similar requirements in the law concerning health education about

alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and the prevention and detection of cancers.

Sponsors say curriculums about the importance of mental health and challenges of mental

illness will help students more recognize the signs and seek help when it's needed.

The Mental Health Association says 50 percent of students with emotional or behavioral

disorders drop out of high school, while many others don't graduate. Additional resources from my blog

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

EVENTS FOR VETERANS & VETERANS SERVICE PROVIDERS http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi

VETERANS JOB LISTINGS AND HIRING FAIRS WEBSITES http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay NEWSLETTERS & BLOG FOR VETERANS http://bit.ly/1GQzKjf

"VETERANS IN JUSTICE" LinkedIn Professional Group (VIJ)

Please join us on LinkedIn or Facebook for networking and discussions on the issues regarding

veterans in the criminal justice system. This group's mission is to connect professionals and

advocates who work with and for justice-involved veterans and to share ideas and practices for

assisting those veterans -- from the conditions that lead to justice involvement, through initial

police contact, arrest, criminal case processing, conviction, sentencing, incarceration, and

release. Access our group at http://linkd.in/1947vfS Facebook:

www.facebook.com/veteransinjustice

Join The National Discussion - 1,328 Professionals in VIJ Group

Active Topics

Webinar: Female Veterans in the Criminal Justice System (Jul 26, 2016)

Webinar: Intimate Partner Violence and the Veterans Health Administration (July 28, 2016)

SAMHSA News: Mental Illness in the Workplace - Accommodations

A Veteran Spent Last Night in Jail

Law & Order Generation: The Injustice of Indifference

VA Benefits and discharge types

Another American Hero Discarded, SSG Lewis Foutch

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Addiction treatment connected to jail?

More . . .

LINKEDIN GROUPS

Military and Veteran Benefit Forum Veteran Mentor Network http://linkd.in/1fOlgOt 28,933 members Institute for Veteran Cultural Studies http://linkd.in/1cz3gq1 NAMI http://linkd.in/1cz3Gg7 BI-IFEA (Brain injury-Ideas for Education & Advocacy) http://linkd.in/1cz4e5V Military-Civilian: Hot Jobs and Careers for Veterans and Their Families http://linkd.in/1c59DkM VETERANS IN JUSTICE GROUP http://linkd.in/12APdMS

Four subgroups created: Veterans Treatment Courts http://linkd.in/145DdHc Mental Health http://linkd.in/12QFCjI Female Veterans http://linkd.in/145CTbn Peer Support & Mentoring http://linkd.in/145D32G

Cuyahoga County Ohio Veterans and Supporters (Bryan A. McGown "Gunny") http://linkd.in/Zxwx1f Veteran Employment Representatives http://linkd.in/ZxwUcc MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://bit.ly/1RVPLFl Midwest Military Outreach, Inc. http://linkd.in/1eiMTkJ Military Veteran Job Fairs & Hiring Conferences http://linkd.in/Zxx4jS Wounded Warrior Resources http://linkd.in/17TMNhJ The Value of a Veteran http://linkd.in/15vD7H4 MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS POST DEPLOYMENT FOR PROVIDERS, COMBAT VETERANS & THEIR FAMILIES http://linkd.in/1fkQLA8 (Please email us other groups that you find and think would be informative and useful for our audience)

VETERANS IN THE COURTS INITIATIVE BLOG estrattonconsulting.wordpress.com

Editor's Note: To focus this newsletter on veterans-related criminal justice and mental illness issues and to shorten it

to a more manageable size, we have moved our tables & lists of reference materials and other longer term information to retired Justice Stratton's blog. Please follow the links below.

Operation Legal Help Ohio http://bit.ly/1Gg0HbK

National Legal Assistance http://bit.ly/19DC5zu

VA Town Halls & Events http://bit.ly/1Gg1DN6

Jobs & Hiring Fairs Listings http://bit.ly/19Dz2ay

Events: Conferences, Webinars, etc.

http://bit.ly/1Gg1nOi

Additional Resources http://bit.ly/1Gg21LH

Current Newsletter http://bit.ly/19ovER5

2015 Newsletters http://bit.ly/1FKASAC

Ohio Resources For Veterans http://bit.ly/19ouWn0

Editor's Note: Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations that provide articles for these news clips every week. I would especially like to thank and urge you to follow: Mary Ellen Salzano, founder facilitator of the CA Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families, Dr. Ingrid Herrera-Yee, project manager for

the military spouse mental health professional network at the National Military Family Association. Dr. Herrera-Yee is currently a Board Member for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Military Spouses of Strength, Military Mental Health Project and the National Guard Suicide and Resiliency Council among others. She has also been a special contributor to NBC News, Military Times, Air Force Times, Military Spouse Magazine and BuzzFeed. She spends her free time mentoring spouses through eMentor and Joining Forces. Dr. Herrera-Yee received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was a Clinical Fellow at Harvard University. Lily Casura, journalist, author and founder of Healing Combat Trauma - the award-winning, first

website to address the issue of combat veterans and PTSD (established February 2006), and USMC 1stLt Andrew T. Bolla, PIO at the USMC Wounded Warrior Regiment, publisher of WWR In the News, DoD Morning News of Note and USA Colonel (Ret.) Wayne Gatewood, of Quality Support Inc. Wayne disseminates a daily Veterans News e-mail to an international audience Jr James Hutton, Director of Media Relations at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

HOW TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

There are three ways to join my newsletter:

Join my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Google Group at http://bit.ly/1DZ3esD or,

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Subscribe to my Veterans In The Courts Initiative Blog for immediate news and for my weekly newsletter

at http://bit.ly/1DP1TCi or,

Please contact my editor Pete Miller at cruzzen@gmail.com and request to be added.

1. Please send us a little info about yourselves as we like to introduce our new sign-ups to others for networking purposes. (See our transmittal email page for examples.) If you do NOT wish to be recognized, please let Pete know, otherwise we will list you. 2. We provide these news clips summaries as a way to share information of a general nature and it is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation and advice in a particular matter. The opinions and interpretations expressed within are those of the author of the individual news stories only and may not reflect those of other identified parties. 3. We do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of these news clips, nor do we endorse or make any representations about their content. We only pass them through to our readers and rely on you to check out their content. We don't intend to make any editorial judgment about their content or politics. 4. In no event will I, EStratton Consulting, or my Editor Pete Miller, be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of the use of or reliance on the contents of this news clips summary. How you chose to use them is strictly up to you. 5. Please fell free to pass the news clips on to any of your networks, so that we may get the word out as far as possible. You may also send in information similar in content to what we pass on. While we may occasionally pass on such information, we don't intend to promote commercial or for profit products nor be a substitute for your own efforts to promote your own entity or website. We especially welcome information about national funding or training opportunities. 6. If you pass on our clips, please also pass on our Disclaimer.

EDITOR/CONTACT

Pete Miller, cruzzen@gmail.com, @OHCircuitRider

Ohio Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice & Mental Illness

Veterans In The Courts Initiative

Editor/Publisher - Veterans Treatment Court News Daily

Editor/Publisher - Traumatic Brain Injury Nes Daily