More Services Should Be Available for Veterans, Study Says

What’s it been like for American veterans who’ve served their country over the past quarter century? A USC study presented findings from interviews with about 3,000 veterans to find out.

“The State of the American Veteran: The Southern California Veterans Study,” from USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Pack’s School of Social Work, focused mostly on non-commissioned and junior-level veterans from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego counties who had served in the Army, Navy, and Marines. Most had served between 2001 and 2016.

Many of them have struggled and have needed additional support and services, according to the study, which was led by Sara Kintzle, an associate research professor.

It followed up on similar studies done more than a decade ago to see what has improved in community groups serving the veterans community.

For veterans who’ve returned to Long Beach and the surrounding area, the news is good. In recent years, there have been more community-based programs available. The first was in Los Angeles, and it’s connected with other similar programs throughout Southern California. Private, public and government agencies have been working together to improve access to services, reduce barriers to care, and influence policy affecting veterans.

Veterans have been facing some of the same issues over the years – mental health issues and stigmas, finding housing, food insecurities, and loneliness re-merged in the new study. About 69% of those interviewed said that when they left the military, they felt like they had to start over; 54% said it was difficult to adjust back into civilian life.

More than 30% of them left the military without a job lined up; nearly 40% met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and depression. Sadly to say, the suicide risk rate among these veterans came to 23%.

Peer Access Network Is Helping

One of those services that has expanded has been the Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN). Los Angeles County has the largest population of veterans of all counties in the U.S. – with more than 280,000. VPAN has a full set of services and support for these veterans including housing, health care, education, and employment. That’s being carried out through a network of numerous government and non-government agencies that mostly operate independently of each other. VPAN is tied to LA County’s Department of Mental Health – Veteran Services office.

The county’s veteran popular faces a full set of challenges – homelessness, housing instability, substance abuse, poverty, and barriers to care, according to VPAN. While VPAN doesn’t directly provide mental health and related services, it serves as the coordinating authority to pull together resources and better serve veterans.

Long Beach and surrounding cities are in the 4th supervisorial district of Los Angeles County that stretches from Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula through Long Beach and the Gateway Cities. Battleship Iowa and its office in San Pedro serves as the VPAN program provider for this area. The second supervisorial county district is also served by this location. Led by veterans for veterans, the VPAN services help participants navigate through complicated systems to get the services they deserve. For more information on the program, visit https://dmh.lacounty.gov/veterans/.

Orange County Military Families Collaborative and Wounded Warrior Battalion-West are also participating in the VPAN. Orange County Military Families Collaborative serves as a bridge connecting veterans, active duty and reserve service members, and military family members to quality resources, benefits, services, and opportunities within the community of Orange County, California, the organization says.

Wounded Warrior Battalion-West is located at Camp Pendleton, where it operates a Warrior Hope and Care Center. The center offers campus-style access to a full complement of services, such as rehabilitation, counseling, recovery care coordinators (RCC), medical case managers, and athletic reconditioning, according to the organization.

Community access points participating in the VPAN program include the Century Villages at Cabrillo, located at 2001 River Ave. in Long Beach; Downey CMVR, located at 11121 Brookshire Ave. in Downey; VA Long Beach on 7th Street in Long Beach, and East LA Vet Center at 5430 East Olympic Blvd. in Commerce.

The U.S. VETS organization continues to play an active role at the Villages at Cabrillo on the west side of Long Beach. The City of Long Beach Health & Human Services Department operates the Office of Veterans Support and a list of services. Long Beach’s VA Hospital, with the official name of Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, continues to expand its buildings and medical services available to veterans.

For those interested in getting a veteran or current military family member connected to resources, the previously mentioned website link is an excellent starting point. There’s also the VPAN Support Line at (800) 854-7771, where you would select option 3. This support line is open seven days a week, including holidays, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. These LA County VPAN agents can help complete a referral.

For those interested in going to the Battleship Iowa and the National Museum of the Surface Navy, you can find it at 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro, CA, 90731. In person tours and experiences are available. You can find out more at this website: https://pacificbattleship.com/

Jon LeSage is a resident of Long Beach and a veteran business media reporter and editor. You can reach him at jtlesage1@yahoo.com.