CADCA and National Guard Bureau Partner to Help Returning Veterans

Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars face a wide range of substance abuse and mental health issues when returning home. But unlike other active duty military, National Guard members often lack access to employment, adequate housing, social supports and health care for themselves and their families. Now, through a new planning grant awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), CADCA and the National Guard Bureau (NGB) will work to create a AmeriCorps National program to assist wounded National Guard and Reserve veterans returning to civilian life and their families.

Recent military studies show that 19 percent of returning soldiers had a diagnosable mental illness like post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), at least 7 percent of veterans met the criteria for a substance abuse disorder.

Through the new planning grant, CADCA will conduct a community needs assessment and work with CADCA member coalitions throughout the country to build a structure to support veteran AmeriCorps members.

“CADCA is incredibly thankful for this planning grant because it will allow us to begin the process of helping the thousands of Guard members who return from combat with mental and substance use disorders, and who so often lack access to the necessary services and supports,” said CADCA Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean. “CADCA coalitions are already helping to improve the lives of people in their community by reducing drug-related problems and connecting addicted individuals and their families to the right care. Helping our returning veterans get the services they need is a natural extension of our members’ work and I’m confident that they are up to the challenge.”

Over the next few months, CADCA and the NGB will develop methods and measures for implementing a program that will:

• Build the capacity of 27 CADCA coalitions by identifying a post-deployed Guard member who will provide substance abuse prevention education and other related services to military personnel, their families.
• Provide orientation, training (and cross training), and technical assistance to the Guard member and host coalition to enhance his/her ability to perform in the service-support role.
• Build an infrastructure that will increase the likelihood that the program will be sustainable over many years.

CADCA anticipates that the outcome of these efforts will lead to an award of a CNCS implementation grant in 2011 to replicate the program in more states throughout the country.