SAMHSA, along with the U.S. Department
of Defense and the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs, is sponsoring
a national conference—“Paving
the Road Home: The National Behavioral
Health Conference and Policy Academy
on Returning Veterans and Their Families.”
The conference, open to the public
on August 11, is intended
for representatives of veterans and
service organizations, service providers,
family members, and veterans themselves.
A major goal is to strengthen the
behavioral health systems on a state
level by ensuring that community efforts
are coordinated and collaborative,
urging peer-to-peer veteran support
networks.
The conference will focus
on issues facing veterans of both genders
and all ranks and services and their
family members.
Possible topics include:
Improving state models and
best practices for meeting mental health
and substance abuse needs
Developing appropriate competence
in military culture among those working
with returning veterans and their families
Understanding traumatic brain
injury and post-traumatic stress disorder
Increasing awareness about
suicide prevention and mental health
promotion
Addressing substance use,
mental and co-occurring conditions,
and traumatic stress.
