Veterans, Troops, & Families Resources

Veterans' Administration
The Veterans' Administration offers a Special Pension with Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefit that is largely unknown. This Special Pension (part of the VA Improved Pension program) allows for Veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing, undressing or taking care of the needs of nature to receive additional monetary benefits. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care in an assisted living facility also qualifies.

National Center for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/index.jsp

Veterans Dial-A-Lawyer

The Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) provides a monthly Veterans Dial-A-Lawyer program at no charge as a public service of the MBA.

Veterans Resources at the NAMI website 

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Veterans_Resources&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=53587&lstid=879

Massachusetts Dept. of Veterans Services

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=veteranshomepage&L=1&sid=Eveterans&L0=Home

Veterans Outreach and Counseling in Massachusetts 

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisvet/vetoutr.htm

Dept. of Veterans Affairs Hotline

• Staffed 24/7 with Mental Health professionals who can refer callers to one of more than 120 VA crisis centers closest to them. 
• Their goal is to get the veteran the best immediate help needed
• 800-273-8255
• Spanish speaking line is 888-628-9454

VA New England Healthcare System

http://www.newengland.va.gov/

Giveanhour.org

http://www.giveanhour.org/skins/gah/home.aspx

• nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free mental health services to U.S. military personnel and their families affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan :

Vet-to-Vet (Women's Veteran's self-help support group)

• meets Thursdays from 1-2pm at the Jamaica Plain Veterans Hospital , Fourth Flr Rm C-12, 
• Contact Darlene Saunders 857-364-6396

Veterans as Employees

http://www.americasheroesatwork.gov/ 

 Designed by U.S. Department of Labor for employers and the workforce development system , the America' s Heroes at Work website is a link to information and tools to help returning service members succeed in the workplace.

2-page Flyer on Resources for Veterans

http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/Veterans_Resource_Guide_Flyer.pdf 

 A variety of resources to treatment providers, veterans, and their family members by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Web Portal Focus on Post Deployment

https://www.afterdeployment.org/index2.php?cid=s000_5005 

The Department of Defense launched a web portal that allows service members to seek mental health treatments focused on post-deployment problems
 
Suicide Prevention Tools from US Army 
http://www.armyg1.army.mil/HR/suicide/default.asp 
To support and empower soldiers, civilians, families and veterans in minimizing suicide behavior by providing tools for human resource personnel and commanders

Reports on Suicide Prevention , Depression and Treatment among Veterans

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/veteransDepressed/veteransDepressed.pdf   

This issue of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Report examines data from veterans aged 21 to 39 who have experienced Major Depressive Disorder . 

This second report, prepared by the Congressional Research Service , discusses data and risk and protective factors for suicide in the general population and among veterans.
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34471_20080505.pdf

Online Directory of Resources for Wounded Veterans and their Families 
www.nationalresourcedirectory.org

This web site, developed jointly by the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, provides over ten thousand services and resources available through governmental and non-governmental organizations to support recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.

Operation Healthy Reunions, Information for troops and their families 
http://www.nmha.org/reunions/

Warmlines 

The Warmline is a call in service that provides the community with a place to turn if they need someone to talk to. 

• The Warmline Staff are Mental Health Consumers. 
• All staff have received the training and education needed to provide Warmline services to the community. 
• All calls are kept confidential. What you say is kept between you and the Warmline staff. 
• The only exception is when the call is considered a crisis. In this case the call will be referred to the crisis service. 

List of known Warmline URLs
http://buzz.freeshell.org/wlines 

MetroBoston

MetroBoston Recovery Learning Community
Phone: 877-733-7563 (877-PEER LNE)

Hours: Mon. Thurs. & Sat. 4-8 pm

Center Club Warmline
Phone: (617) 675-3873
Hours: Mon-Sun 2-5 pm

Casa Primavera Warmline
Phone: (617) 445-8017
Hours: M-F 8-9 AM & 5-11 PM, Sat & Sun 9AM - 5 PM

Metro Surburban Area

C.A.S.T.L.E.
Phone: (617) 610-7907
Hours: Su-F 7-11 pm

The Peer Line
Phone: (508) 312-5139
Hours: M-F 5:30-10 pm

Consumer Warmline
Phone: (800) 243-5836
Hours: Mon-Fri 5-10 pm, Sat & Sun 1-10pm

Edinburg Center

Phone: 781-862-3600 or 781-860-0570

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 5pm-10pm, Sat & Sun. 1pm – 10pm

Central MA Area

Cross Connections
Phone: (978) 629-8485
Hours: M-F 4-7 pm & 10-12 pm

Tradewind Warmline
Phone: (508) 864-0270
Hours: Fri 4-10 pm, Sat & Sun 10am-10 pm

The Central Mass Recovery Learning Community
Phone: 508-468-9740

Hours: Mon-Sun 6-8 pm

Westwinds Warmline
Phone: (508) 426-1660
Hours: Mon-Sun 6-9 pm

Northeast Area

Project Rap
Phone: (978) 922-0000
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-5:00 pm

Western MA

Pioneer Valley Warmline
Phone: (413) 747-8658
Hours: Thurs-Sun 5pm-1am