Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, May 19, 2008
(INDIANAPOLIS) - A $1-million dollar grant from the Lilly Foundation is paving the way for a major expansion of a nationwide effort to help U.S. veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Give An Hour and The American Psychiatric Foundation will be using the grant to recruit and educate volunteer mental health professionals who will become part of a network aiming to bridge the gap in mental health services for military personnel returning from service, as well as their families.
Among troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, approximately 40% of soldiers, a third of Marines and half of the National Guard members report psychological problems, but mental health services are in short supply.
Give An Hour is recruiting mental health professionals to volunteer one hour each week for a minimum of one year to provide direct services in person, by phone or in consultation with schools and community organizations that serve the military community. Services are wide-ranging and include marital and family therapy, substance abuse counseling and treatment for post- traumatic stress disorder.
"This grant will help us reach our goal of recruiting 10% of the 400,000 mental health professionals in the United States by 2015 to assist in this effort," said Dr. Richard K. Harding, M.D., president of the APF. "It is an ambitious goal, but we are confident it can be achieved."
More information is available at www.giveanhour.org.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.