COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
The Carroll County Veterans Coalition 1st Annual Conference hosted breakout rooms to hear feedback from the community about the needs, challenges, and barriers facing veterans or active military and their families in Carroll County and the proposed solutions. Learn about the feedback below and feel free to contact us with your own ideas via the Contact page or by emailing jennifer.thomas@graniteuw.org
Needs, Challenges, and Barriers Facing Veterans or Active Duty Military and Their Families in Carroll County
1. Organizations have struggles with raising money for activities for veterans
2. Communication between veteran servicing organizations is not consistent
3. Transition out of the military is difficult to navigate
4. Peer support organizations (i.e.: VFW and Legions) are having trouble finding and engaging younger veterans
A. Possible reasons include:
i. Stereotypes of what happens at meetings or who is allowed to join
ii. Stigmas
iii. Social media and other technology with online peer groups are replacing them
5. Families members (including children) of veterans and active-duty personnel don't have a lot of knowledge of resources/supports
6. The type of and amount of connections of veterans to other organizations have dropped. For example:
A. Activities at schools beyond the 1 or 2 times per year
7. Current practices and policies surrounding separation from service
8. Sometimes newly separated veterans are not ready to receive or be a part of the support offered
9. VA benefit eligibility determination challenges with logistics and subsequent poor mental health when they don't qualify for services
10. Income eligibility for benefits poses challenges
11. Civilian providers are not well equipped to work with veterans and their specific physical and behavioral health needs
Brainstorming Solutions to Challenges Facing Veterans or Active Military and Their Families in Carroll County
1. Provider solutions
a. Military culture trainings
b. Need to take a positive approach when asking the question
c. Inform providers on the type of work injuries that are common and the impact they have (build empathy)
2. Use of "Battle Mind" from the Army
a. Assists in skill matching in the civilian world
3. Veteran employee/employer recognition and tap into/use these connections (i.e. the DMAVS initiative of Veteran Friendly Businesses)
4. More use of state run stakeholder meetings (i.e.: the SPC Veterans Military meeting)
5. Make sure stakeholder group meetings are workgroups with action items
6. Consideration of younger veterans and military members use of technology
7. Maybe more use of other media, radio, TV, etc.…
8. Use the State Veterans Advisory Committee
9. Develop podcasts
10. Make sure to share what other veteran servicing organizations are doing
11. Make sure meetings are accessible in as many ways as possible (i.e.: in-person and virtual or in ADA space)
12. Offer to meet at different days/times to allow more participation
13. Make social activities informal and not tied to the word suicide
14. Offer and make veterans aware of community service events and volunteering
15. Include families on all activities and discussions