Helping Veterans with Peer Support and Integrated Healthcare Services
Helping Veterans access substance use disorder and mental health services is a priority for Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC). Upon returning home, Veterans often find it difficult to prioritize their needs. As service members, they learn to put the mission first. Even out of uniform, Veterans find it challenging to prioritize their behavioral health needs.
If they experience substance use disorders (SUD) or a mental health issue, reaching out and asking for help is not the first instinct. Therefore, one of the goals of TTC is to help Veterans access the behavioral health services they require. Indeed, helping Veterans is a priority.
Helping Veterans = A Life and Death Issue for Many
Moreover, the latest data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that behavioral health needs are a definite priority for Veterans. Thus, helping Veterans is not just a slogan but a life and death issue. In 2021, 2.8 million Veterans experienced an illicit drug or alcohol use disorder. More problematic. 92.4 percent of these American Heroes did not receive treatment. As a direct result of such statistics, Tarzana Treatment Centers specializes in providing Veterans SUD Treatment Services. Building a positive relationship with Veterans groups and organizations, TTC focuses on fostering a safe space for Veterans to access help.
Beyond substance use disorders, 3.1 million Veterans had a mental illness, with 43.6 percent did not receive treatment. Although many Veterans receive quality support from the Veterans Administration, many others cannot access the support services they need. Given the extent of the problem, helping Veterans is a challenge for our country. Still, my Veterans identify as being in recovery, and they are a significant resource. Indeed, peer support can break down the walls for a Veteran, opening doors to behavioral healthcare services.
Peer Support = A Key to Helping Veterans
From basic training to battles, peer support is a big part of military culture. When you are in the trenches, nobody is as important in the world as the service member on your left and right. Ultimately, these fellows become the people you rely on most. Thus, after leaving the service, Veterans trust each other.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) underlines the critical importance of peer support. As Stacey Owens, M.S.W., LCSW-C, Military and Veterans Affairs Liaison, Center for Mental Health Services, writes in a powerful article on the SAMHSA website about helping Veterans, “Peer support is increasingly recognized as a crucial part of the overall ecosystem for recovery, and the Biden-Harris Administration has identified expanding access to peer support as an important component of tackling the nation’s mental health crisis.”
Peer Support Training at TTC
In addition, Tarzana Treatment Centers also believes in the crucial role of Peer Support. Thus, at Tarzana Treatment Centers College (TTCC), Peer Support Training online is part of the curriculum. Indeed, TTC is proud to offer the CalMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists Certification (PSS). Moreover, Veterans can receive targeted discounts when they take this training. Such Veterans become essential resources in the greater treatment community.
To learn more about treatment services for Veterans and PSS Training, please contact us today. As an ally to the Veteran community, TTC and TTCC prioritize helping Veterans.