Campus-Oriented Resources
Promising Practices focuses on Veteran-friendly practices found at postsecondary institutions within King County.
Veterans Support Training Center – This program of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs provides continuing education and professional development to those who provide direct service to Veterans and their families. This website offers trainings, videos, and a depth of resources, including employment-oriented materials for Veterans.
Crisis Lines
- The Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, press 1 – https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
- Promotional materials for the Veterans Crisis Line – https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/support/shareable-materials
- Coaching into Care: 1-888-823-7458 – https://www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching/
Veterans Resource Websites
SVA’s mission is to provide military Veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and after graduation. SVA chapters are active in several postsecondary institutions in Washington.
Rebook Recovery
Reboot Recovery offers trainings nationwide to help Veterans and their families heal from trauma and crisis. Washington has several locations for Reboot courses. Nationally, Reboot works to help Veterans heal from the moral and spiritual wounds associated with service-related trauma.
Veteran Rites
Veteran Rites offers Circles of Return, communities of healing in neighborhoods, and their signature program, the Veterans Rite of Return, a 12-day, wilderness, healing experience in Eastern Washington. Their mission is to initiate Veterans into identity, purpose and belonging after military service.
The Art of War
Located in Woodinville, The Art of War offers Veterans opportunities to create art through metal fabrication while in the company of their peers.
Growing Veterans
This group focuses on growing food, community and Veterans. Growing Veterans is based in Lynden, WA.
Wounded Warrior Project – Seattle
WWP offers several support programs for Veterans and their families through outreach, peer support, annual events, and more.
Student Veterans Stories
University of Washington-Bothell Veteran graduates share stories of searching and growing.
Washington Association of Veteran Education Professionals
WAVEP fully organized in 2020 and exists to ensure student Veterans have everything they need to graduate. The organization plans to offer an annual conference each spring.
Post Traumatic Stress Injury
This website discusses the grassroots movement for changing the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM-5) term ‘Post Traumatic Stress Disorder’ to ‘Post Traumatic Stress Injury.’
Headspace & Timing
Combat Veteran and mental health counselor Duane France of Colorado Springs writes about Veteran mental health.
Other National Websites
- Real Warriors Campaign – seeking help
- Wounded Warrior Opportunities for OIF/OEF Veterans
- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
- The Mission Continues – focus on community and volunteer opportunities
- We Serve Too – focus on honoring military families
Introducing Student Veterans to Mental Health Resources on your Campus
The following websites offer material to help with introducing student veterans to the mental health resources on campus:
- University of Washington https://depts.washington.edu/vetlife/mentalhealth/
- Pierce College District https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/counseling
- University of Michigan https://caps.umich.edu/content/student-veterans-and-mental-health
Other Materials
The Military Culture: Enhancing Clinical Cultural Competence Course
Developed by the Uniformed Services University’s Center for Deployment Psychology. The CDP offers this as a free online training or CE-based training, and also offers several other veterans-related online trainings for clinicians.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – Concussion: Pocket Guide for Clinicians
This 2010 guide was developed by the VA’s Office of Public Health & Environmental Hazards
TBI: InfoComics
These educational materials, developed by the University of Washington’s Traumatic Brain Injury Model System. They are intended for use by survivors of TBI, their families and caregivers, and healthcare providers. A Spanish-language version is available.
Mobile Apps for Active Duty and Veterans
These apps, which have been created and evaluated by the VA, are downloadable and free.
VA Apps for PTSD and related problems
This paper describes the history, rationale and evidence for and application of mobile apps to address the needs of veterans and others experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress and PTSD.
National Alliance To End Veteran Suicide
NA2EVS believes in community, resources and education to bring an end to Veterans suicide.
Research & Resources
- Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual
Ellison, M.L. et al., 2012 | ENRM Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA; Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research
Note: This manual describes a peer support program that combines mental health support with academic support.
- Understanding Academic Accommodations for Post-9/11 Veterans with Psychiatric Diagnoses, Part 1: The Foundation
Understanding Academic Accommodations for Post-9/11 Veterans with Psychiatric Diagnoses, Part 2: Theoretical Framework and Practical Intervention
Katherine Mitchell, 2016 | Federal Practitioner, April 2016 (Part 1); May 2016 (Part 2)
Note: This two-part series offers a detailed approach to helping student veterans consider, apply for, and accept learning-disability related academic accommodations. The approach is based on the concept that mental health concerns will often impede learning skills.
- Student Veterans: A National Survey Exploring Psychological Symptoms and Suicide Risk
David Rudd, Jeff Goulding, Craig Bryan, 2011 |Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vo. 42, No. 5
Note: See p. 358 for researchers’ concerns, conclusions and recommendations regarding student veterans’ levels of mental illness symptoms, and suicidal thinking and behavior.
- Veterans’ Mental Health in Higher Education Settings: Services and Clinician Education Needs
Noosha Niv & Lauren Bennett, 2017, Psychiatric Services, Psychiatry Online
Note: Authors emphasize the need for mental health professionals to collect data on the demographics, mental health needs, and service utilization of their student veterans.
- Transitions: Combat Veterans as College Students
Robert Ackerman, David DiRamio, Regina Garza Mitchell, 2009 | New Directions for Student Services
Note: Authors encourage the development and use of proactive, student-centered support for active military students who receive notice of possible deployment and end-of-deployment processes.
- Life Beyond War: Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Student Veterans
Kaye Whitley, Paul Tschudi, Courtney Gieber, 2013 | HSC Foundation White Paper
Note: Authors suggest ways to develop support for incoming student veterans, including a checklist of veterans’ resources, a veterans’ orientation, and ongoing support for incoming veterans framed as a first-quarter course.
- VA Mobile Apps for PTSD and Related Problems: Public Health Resources for Veterans and Those Who Care About Them
Jason Owen, Eric Kuhn, Beth Jaworski and Katherine Junasz, 2018 | MHealth.org
Note: See discussion of VA-created apps for veterans with PTSD and related problems. See also VA’s National Center for PTSD website, https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/index.asp, for further information on free, downloadable VA apps
- Are Campuses Ready to Support Students in Distress?
Glenn Albright, Craig Bryan, 2018 | Inside Higher Education, Report by Kognito and the University of Utah’s National Center for Veterans Studies
Note: A survey of more than 14,000 faculty and staff demonstrates their perception of a lack of preparedness for supporting student veterans.
Videos
Shoulder-to-Shoulder: I’ll Never Quit on Life – You Tube video. One veteran helps another.
The Path to Recovery from PTSD: created by Make the Connection