Supporting Student Veterans

Transcription

1 Supprting Student Veterans Backgrund Mre military veterans reside in Califrnia than anywhere in the natin, and in , mre than 44,000 enrlled in a Califrnia Cmmunity Cllege including 8,000 t 10,000 active duty persnnel. 1,2 The number ne reasn veterans cite fr jining ur all vlunteer military is the prmise f supprt fr pst secndary educatin. 3,4 Many endured lng turs in Iraq r Afghanistan, and while mst (70%) wh fught in these wars have n mental health diagnses, rughly 1 in 5 (18.5%) have Pst Traumatic Stress Disrder (PTSD) r depressin; anther 1 in 5 (19.5%) experienced a traumatic brain injury during deplyment; and many mre experience significant stress readjusting t civilian life. 5 Veterans f recent wars are already an integral part f cllege campuses, and their numbers are expected t increase dramatically. The mre campus stakehlders knw abut student veterans and their experiences, daily stresses, mental health issues, and the resurces available t supprt them, the mre likely it is ur veterans will receive the benefits ur natin prmised in exchange fr their service. Resurces and Supprt The Chancellr s Office is engaged in several statewide prjects t expand supprt services fr veterans entering system clleges: Welcme Hme Trainings. Prvided at n cst thrugh the CCC Student Mental Health Prgram, Welcme Hme: Veterans n Campus is a 4 hur training develped t prvide faculty and staff with the knwledge needed t respnd better t issues that emerge in the classrm and n campus, and infrmatin n where t make referrals fr services n campus and in the cmmunity. Tpics cvered include military cultural cmpetence, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and ther transitin challenges specific t student vets, and includes a panel f lcal student veterans. Participants reprt that the training: 6 Increased their ability t identify and respnd t ptential behaviral issues that may emerge with student veterans Imprved their ability t wrk with student veterans Increased their awareness f the mental health issues and daily stresses that student veterans may face Increased their awareness f resurces available fr student veterans 1

2 The frm t apply t hst a Welcme Hme Training n yur campus can be fund at and lists the infrastructure required t supprt the event and the panel f student veterans invlved. Additinal dwnladable resurce materials are als available at the site t assist faculty and staff in supprting student veterans n campus. Veterans n Campus Online Training. Als prvided at n cst thrugh the CCC Student Mental Health Prgram, nline suicide preventin training frm Kgnit Interactive is available upn request t all Califrnia cmmunity clleges. The training uses avatars and rle playing simulatins t present faculty and staff with typical challenges faced by student veterans s they are better able t assist and refer students t apprpriate supprt services. Veterans n Campus was develped with input frm leading educatin experts and veteran rganizatins. In this training yu can engage with virtual student veterans in three situatins they might encunter: redeplyment, a class discussin abut cnflicts verseas, and signs f pst deplyment stress. In rder t ffer Kgnit training, clleges need t participate in a ne hur cnsultatin call t review verall readiness. If yur Califrnia Cmmunity Cllege has nt yet participated in a cnsultatin call, please apply nline at r call (855) If yu already have ne r mre Kgnit trainings implemented, please cntact the Vice President f Client Services, Lri Janjigian at [email protected]. Learn mre abut Kgnit trainings available thrugh the CCC Student Mental Health Prgram at Veterans Resurce Center Prject. Fifty ne cmmunity clleges have established a Veterans Resurce Center (VRC) n campus where student veterans can interact with ne anther and btain infrmatin and services t supprt them in their transitin frm a military culture t a cllege culture. Twenty fur f thse clleges received assistance frm the Chancellr s Office in the frm f free hardware, sftware, and n site training in assistive technlgy t help develp ne. VRCs address three cmpnents f veterans lives: Academics Prviding students with tls, strategies, and insights that ptimize academic success Camaraderie Prviding services and cunseling directly thrugh fellw veterans, building upn the military traditins f shared values and experiences, and prviding a bridge t a wide range f campus services Wellness Prviding referrals t n and ff campus resurces, such as the student health clinic, and prviding cnsultatin t cllege faculty and staff regarding issues specific t returning veterans and their family members 2

3 VRCs prvide the fllwing services: Access t cmputers and assistance in the use f assistive technlgies, including specialized sftware fr thse suffering the effects f traumatic brain injury Academic cunseling and tutring Peer supprt and mentring Infrmatin abut financial aid and veterans benefits, and assistance with applying Referral t n and ff campus resurces (e.g., Disabled Students Prgrams and Services, lcal VA center, etc.) Fr additinal infrmatin n Veterans Resurce Centers, cntact yur lcal cmmunity cllege, r g t fr a listing f VRC lcatins. Hnr a Her, Hire a Vet Jb and Resurce Fairs. Multiple Califrnia cmmunity clleges thrughut the state participate in reginal jb fairs fr veterans. These events infrm veterans f emplyment pprtunities as well as technical educatin and wrkfrce training resurces. Participants can: Find ut abut jb pprtunities Meet and interview with emplyers Learn abut educatinal pprtunities Obtain infrmatin abut benefits, training, and career ptins Get assistance with CalVet hme lan financing T access an up t date listing f jb fairs and wrkshps fr veterans thrughut Califrnia, lk fr the American flag at Veterans Clubs. Many cmmunity clleges have veterans clubs that are cnnected with the Student Veterans f America (SVA). Funded in 2008, SVA is a calitin f student veterans grups n cllege campuses acrss the United States. These grups crdinate campus activities, prvide preprfessinal netwrking, and prvide general supprt fr student veterans in higher educatin. Fr mre infrmatin, visit 3

4 Additinal Supprt and Technical Assistance The Chancellr s Office has established a supprt and cmmunicatin infrastructure fr campus veterans prgrams crdinatrs: Veterans Web Page. This resurce prvides up t date infrmatin abut educatinal benefits fr veterans and their families, training and apprentice prgrams, and husing assistance prvided by the US and Califrnia Departments f Veterans Affairs and the Califrnia Department f Veterans Affairs. Veterans Summit Web Page. The Califrnia Cmmunity Clleges hsted the secnd Veterans Summit in December 2012 in Redwd City t examine best practices fr clleges serving thse wh served ur cuntry, including VA benefits and educatin plans, creating Veterans Resurce Centers, wmen veterans, mental health issues cnfrnting veterans, and accessing federal, state, and lcal resurces. On this web page yu can view a shrt film n innvative prgrams statewide, and multiple vide vignettes submitted by individual clleges that feature student veterans sharing their persnal stries and discussing the imprtance f understanding their circumstances and needs. The third Veterans Summit will be held in Orange Cunty at the Newprt Beach Marritt n December 5 6, Reginal Advisry Cmmittee. The Chancellr s Office has rganized a Veteran Services Reginal Representatives Advisry Cmmittee and hsts regular meetings f this grup t better identify student veteran needs acrss the system, and t encurage the exchange f innvative ideas and effective practices fr serving them. Cntact David Lawrence, Veterans Prgram Specialist at [email protected] if yu wuld like t cnnect with yur campus representative. Systemwide List. The Chancellr s Office has established an internal system wide list, thrugh which it cmmunicates infrmatin and strategies related t serving student veterans. This list prvides an efficient way t rapidly disseminate imprtant r urgent infrmatin t all veteran prgrams and service prviders at each cllege, and is a frum fr the exchange f ideas between clleges abut issues related t student veterans. T add yurself t this listserv, cntact David Lawrence, Veterans Prgram Specialist, at [email protected]. 4

5 1 The 44,000 figure includes veterans, active duty military, reservists and dependents. 2 Califrnia Cmmunity Clleges Chancellr s Office. (2011). Cnnecting military service and civilian life. Special reprt: Bard f Gvernrs. Retrieved frm 3 Asch, B.J., Fair, C.C., & Kilburn, M.R. (2000). An assessment f recent prpsals t imprve the Mntgmery GI Bill. Santa Mnica, CA: Rand Crpratin. 4 Cngressinal Budget Office. (2007). The all vlunteer military: Issues and perfrmance (Pub. N. 2960). Retrieved frm 19 militaryvl.pdf. 5 Tanielian, T.L., & Jaycx, L.H. (2008). Invisible wunds f war: Psychlgical and cgnitive injuries, their cnsequences, and services t assist recvery. Santa Mnica, Califrnia: RAND Crpratin. 6 Weaver, C.M., & Garber, A. (2011). Curse evaluatin and utcmes: Creating a climate f wellness fr returning veterans. Independent evaluatr reprt t the Califrnia Cmmunity Clleges Chancellr s Office. Pal Alt, CA: Pal Alt University. If yu wuld like t receive additinal technical assistance r infrmatin abut this subject r any ther student mental health issues, please cntact us. Califrnia Cmmunity Clleges Student Mental Health Prgram (CCC SMHP) Tll free: (855) SMHP inf@cars rp.rg The Califrnia Mental Health Services Authrity (CalMHSA) is an rganizatin f cunty gvernments wrking t imprve mental health utcmes fr individuals, families and cmmunities. Preventin and Early Interventin prgrams implemented by CalMHSA are funded thrugh the vter apprved Mental Health Services Act (Prp 63). Prp 63 prvides the funding and framewrk needed t expand mental health services t previusly underserved ppulatins and all f Califrnia s diverse cmmunities. 5