Veterans/Military

• Veterans Crisis Line Website:
  The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

NAMI Homefront

NAMI Homefront is a free, 6-session program for family, friends and significant others of military Service Members and Veterans. The class helps families understand what the Service Member/ Veteran is experiencing related to trauma, combat stress,civilian life transition, PTSD and other mental health conditions.

The program is designed to help family members understand and support their Service Member/Veteran while maintaining their own well-being. NAMI Homefront leaders have personal experience with mental health conditions impacting their Service Member/Veteran. The class is free but you are expected to attend all six sessions. You must have access to a laptop, PC or tablet with a stable internet connection to participate. To hear audio, you will need to call in via telephone. We recommend you use a headset or headphones.

An application process is required to ensure this program is a good fit. Space is limited.

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We're pleased to announce that REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the following sessions*:

Eastern, Mondays, 6:30 - 8:30 PM EST, Starting Jan. 7
Pacific, Mondays, 6:30 - 8:30 PM PST, Starting Jan. 7
Eastern Day, Tuesdays, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST, Starting Jan. 8
Central, Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:30 PM CST, Starting Jan. 10

*Please note the TIME ZONE listed for each class time

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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•  vet2vet program is a  Peer Networking group led by veterans, for veterans and members of the Armed Services offered through Orange County's Mental Health Association. 
  Vet2Vet participation is free, anonymous and confidential. The networking meetings provide an opportunity to discuss challenges facing today's Veterans including post- traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, addiction, employment or academic issues. If you want more information about VET2VET, contact Larry Neumann, Veteran Program Coordinator at (845)342-2400 Ext 1237or email lneumann@mhaorangeny.com
  Support group meeting schedule:
  Mondays, 6 p.m. at Thrall Library in Middletown
  Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. at Hudson House in Newburgh
  Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. at Port Jervis Public Library
  Thursdays, 5 p.m. at Cornerstone Residence in Newburgh

• Orange County Veterans Service Agency
  Informs and assists veterans and their families, and members of the military, in matters pertaining to the numerous VA benefits, rights, and privileges available to them. 111 Craigville, Road, Goshen, NY 10924
  (845) 291-2470
  
  

• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley:
  Veterans and Military Families Advocacy Project
  Providing free civil legal services to those who have served:
  Home page is lshv.org;    LSHV Veterans and Military Brochure
  
  
  • VA Benefits
  • Housing
  • Consumer Affairs
  • Social Security and SSI Disability Claims
  • Elder Law
  • Domestic Violence
  • Public Benefits
    
    

• Vet Connect 
  Hospitals in the mid-Hudson region launched a website aimed at providing returning veterans with job, educational and health care information.
  
  

• NAMI Find Support for Veterans and Active Duty
  
  On this page we focus on questions that military personnel often ask, concerning treatment resources, disclosure and staying healthy during the transition to civilian life. - See more at: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Veterans-and-Active-Duty#sthash.s1Ch5Wym.dpuf
  On this website, NAMI focuses on questions that military personnel often ask, concerning treatment resources, disclosure and staying healthy during the transition to civilian life.
  On this page we focus on questions that military personnel often ask, concerning treatment resources, disclosure and staying healthy during the transition to civilian life. - See more at: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Veterans-and-Active-Duty#sthash.s1Ch5Wym.dpuf
  On this page we focus on questions that military personnel often ask, concerning treatment resources, disclosure and staying healthy during the transition to civilian life. - See more at: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Veterans-and-Active-Duty#sthash.s1Ch5Wym.dpuf

• NYS Office of Mental Health: Military Personnel and their Families
  

  In recognition of the contribitions made by the Armed Forces of the United States: The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves – the New York State Office of Mental Health thanks military personnel and their families for their dedicated service.

  We are proud to offer outreach, information and referral services, and counseling to support service members, their families, and veterans during deployment, reintegration, and post–deployment periods.

• Connecting with VA: Resources for Veterans, their Families and their Providers

• VA Caregiver Support Program Resources

• NYS Department of Health: Veterans Health Information Clearinghouse
  Includes numerous links pertaining to general health as well as mental health
  
  • Health Benefits
  • Information for Afghanistan Veterans
  • Information for Gulf War Veterans
  • Information for Vietnam Veterans
  • Information for Women Veterans
  • Information on AIDS/Hepatitis C
  • Information on Brain Injury
  • Information on Diabetes
  • Information for Veterans Exposed to Radiation
  • Mental Health Services  (a huge number of resource links)
  • Miscellaneous Information
  • Mobile or SmartPhone Applications

   

• 1-800-273-8255, ext. 1 - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - specifically for Veterans
  
  
• US Department of Veterans Affairs
  
  
• National Center for PTSD

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
  TAPS provides immediate and long-term emotional help, hope, and healing to all who are grieving the death of a loved one in military service to America
  
  
• Military OneSource: Provides information on a wide variety of subjects including parenting issues, children’s education, help with child care, and other topics such as personal finances and legal matters. Counseling as well as resources are provided.
  
• Scholarships for Military Wives & Children
  bestcolleges.com link to finding financial aid and scholarships

VA Mission Act passes the U.S. Senate: On May 23 the VA Mission Act passed the U.S. Senate following recent passage by the U.S. House of Representatives. The VA Mission Act will help Veterans with mental health conditions by:

* Making it easier to access private sector health care
* Connecting caregivers of Veterans with service-connected conditions from all
service-eras to the VA Family Caregiver Program
* Creating safe opioid prescribing practices for non-VA health providers
* Allowing VA health providers to treat Veterans via telemedicine across state
lines

The bill was signed into law by President Trump on June 6, 2018