Veterans
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Called "Veterans Chat," the new service enables veterans, their families and friends to go online where they can anonymously chat with a trained VA counselor.
If a "chatter" is determined to be in a crisis, the counselor can take immediate steps to transfer the person to the VA Suicide Prevention Hotline, where further counseling and referral services are provided and crisis intervention steps can be taken.
"This online feature is intended to reach out to all veterans who may or may not be enrolled in the VA health care system and provide them with online access to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline," said Dr. Gerald Cross, VA's Acting Under Secretary for Health. "It is meant to provide Veterans with an anonymous way to access VA's suicide prevention services."
Veterans, family members or friends can access Veterans Chat through the suicide prevention Web site (www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org ).
There is a veterans tab on the lefthand side of the website that will take them directly to veteran resource information. On this page, they can see the hotline number (1-800-273-TALK), and click on the Veterans Chat tab on the right side of the Web page to enter.
Veterans retain anonymity by entering whatever names they choose once they enter the one-on-one chat. They are then joined by a counselor who is trained to provide information and respond to the requests and concerns of the caller.
If the counselor decides the caller is in a crisis, the counselor will encourage the veteran to call the Suicide Prevention Hotline, where a trained suicide prevention counselor will determine whether crisis
intervention techniques are required.
The pilot program, which has been in operation since July 3, has already had positive results.
In one instance, the online counselor determined that a veteran in the chat required immediate assistance.
The counselor convinced the veteran to provide the counselor with a home telephone number and then remained in the chat room with the veteran while the hotline staff called the number and talked to the veteran's mother.
The hotline counselor worked with the veteran's mother to convince the veteran to be admitted to a medical facility for further treatment.
"The chat line is not intended to be a crisis response line," said Dr. Janet Kemp, VA's National Suicide Prevention Coordinator at the VA medical center in Canandaigua, N.Y., where VA's trained counselors staff the chat line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
VA's suicide prevention hotline is also staffed continuously.
"Chat responders are trained in an intervention method specifically developed for the chat line to assist people with emotional distress and concerns," Kemp said. "We have procedures they can use to transfer chatters in crisis to the hotline for more immediate assistance."
Both Veterans Chat and the VA's Suicide Prevention Hotline have been established under the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which was established through collaboration between VA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Since becoming operational in July 2007, VA's Suicide Prevention Hotline has received more than 150,000 calls, resulting in 4,000 rescues.
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"The hidden wounds of war are being addressed vigorously and comprehensively by this administration as we move VA forward in its transformation to the 21st century," said Secretary Shinseki.
The VA published a proposed regulation in the Federal Register to make it easier for a veteran to claim service connection for PTSD by reducing the evidence needed if the stressor claimed by a veteran is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity.
Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over the next 60 days.
A final regulation will be published after consideration of all comments received.
Under the new rule, VA would not require corroboration of a stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity if a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirms that the stressful experience recalled by a veteran adequately supports a diagnosis of PTSD and the veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor.
Previously, claims adjudicators were required to corroborate that a non-combat veteran actually experienced a stressor related to hostile military activity.
This rule would simplify the development that is required for these cases.
PTSD is a recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear, helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war.
Feelings of fear, confusion or anger often subside, but if the feelings don't go away or get worse, a veteran may have PTSD.
VA is bolstering its mental health capacity to serve combat veterans, adding thousands of new professionals to its rolls in the last four years.
The department also has established a suicide prevention helpline (1-800-273-TALK) and Web site available for online chat in the evenings at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans .
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- Written by: Ginny Craven
LAKE COUNTY – Sergeant First Class Chuck Cossette knew he had a little R&R time coming for his mid-deployment leave and he was looking forward to visiting family in Lake County. He was contacting home, giving the information as allowed without compromising security. His family and friends only knew he was likely to be arriving sometime during the first week of August.
One day, while he was still in Iraq and talking with his mom Suzie Defrancisci via Skype, she contacted me by telephone so I could join the conversation. I have known SFC Cossette from some time and the local troop support effort Operation Tango Mike has sent him care packages during multiple tours of duty. I asked Chuck if he would like to go boating with friends when he got to Lake County. He said that would be good, but he would really love to go fishing!
After concluding my portion of the call, which I was honored to share, I began thinking about getting this soldier out for some fishing on Clearlake. I sent an e-mail to Judy and Bob Thein, whom I had met at a Stars of Lake County gala event. Bob is a local fishing guide and I hoped he might provide a low cost trip for our returning soldier. He did much more than that!
An immediate response was that Bob would not only take our soldier fishing, but that there would be no charge. Little did anyone know, Bob Thein had done this before, discreetly and without hesitation. It has been his way of giving back to our troops.
On a chillier than usual August morning, SFC Chuck Cossette and fishing guide Bob Thein became acquainted at a local boat ramp. They agreed to let me snap a few photos before their fishing adventure began, and assured me they would take pictures of their catch.
I watched them leave the dock and the boat skimmed along the silvery shimmer of Clearlake as the sunrise peaked through clouds. For a soldier returning from 125 degree temperatures in Iraq, the cool early morning air breezing past him on the lake likely brought quite a chill.
I received a late morning phone call from Bob Thein, telling me the guys had made some good catches and were heading in to enjoy breakfast together.
Chuck later shared his story about the temperature difference and how it didn’t matter to him that he was cold. What mattered was that he was home, he was fishing and he was being treated to a great day by a kind and generous man.
Although Bob Thein asked for nothing in return, he gave a soldier a special day. I suspect Bob felt something special in knowing he did that.
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Prior to this joint solution, the implementation of this measure prevented California veterans planning to attend private colleges and universities from receiving their full education benefits.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration worked collaboratively with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of California to resolve the situation.
The joint agreement reached ensures eligible California veterans have access to the education benefits earned through their service to our county.
“Through the combined efforts of my Administration and the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, California’s veterans can now access the full education benefits they have so rightfully earned through their great service to our nation,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “I want to personally thank U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki for his commitment to resolving this matter and working with us to ensure California’s veterans can get the education benefits they deserve.”
In April, the Schwarzenegger administration raised the Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition/fee issue with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The practice of charging “fees” for attending California’s public colleges and universities rather than charging “tuition” created a situation where veterans attending private institutions of higher learning could not receive the full education benefits provided by the new Post-9/11 GI Bill.
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The gathering will be held at Saint Mary Immaculate Parish Hall, 801 N. Main St., Lakeport.
The potluck begins at 6 p.m., with the meeting to follow at 7 p.m.
Veterans of all eras, their families and friends, and the general public are cordially welcome to attend.
For more information about the group visit its Web site, www.vva951.org.
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Amanda C. Bouillerce graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
She is the daughter of Hank and Brenda Bouillerce of Upper Lake.
Bouillerce graduated in 2002 from Upper Lake High School, and received a bachelor's degree in 2006 from the University of California, Berkeley.
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The breakfast will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m at 4335 Sylar Lane in Kelseyville, Sunday, Aug. 2.
Donations are $6.
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FINLEY – A rummage sale to benefit Operation Tango Mike will be held Sunday, Aug. 2.
The sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Big Valley Grange, 1510 Big Valley Road.
From 8 a.m. to noon there will be a grange breakfast, which costs $6 for adults and $3 for children.
A hot dog lunch also will be offered later in the day.
Operation Tango Mike, a Stars of Lake County Award-winning group,sends dozens of care packages to troops serving overseas each month.
For more information about the group visit http://home.mchsi.com/~operationtangomike/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html .
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