Winter Issue

Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 01/25/2023 11:00 AM EST

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cic header winter

Winter 2023                                                                                                 Happy New Year! 

 

Starting Jan. 17, Veterans in crisis can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for free emergency care for suicidality

This expansion of care will help prevent Veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to Veterans in times of crisis. It will also increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million Veterans who are not currently enrolled in VA. Read MORE.

Don't Battle Addiction Alone

Mom and Son

Do you feel stuck in how to help a loved one battling addiction? 

General tips and guidelines to give you hope and direction:

  1. Practice Self-Care. This is really stressful, and you will have a lot of negative emotions to manage. Find support that works for you. It’s important to remember you are not alone.
  2. Positive communication works best. Listen, validate, and empathize. Avoid conversational traps like lecturing, labeling, blaming.
  3. Natural consequences: Allow them to happen. That’s what will motivate your loved one to change. Also know that their ambivalence is normal.

For help navigating such concerns, call Coaching Into Care at (888) 823-7458. We help you have a conversation about mental health treatment. 

Crisis Hotlines

VCL

Coaching Into Care is not a crisis line, but we do partner with the Veterans Crisis Line or 988 and press 1. If you are a Veteran or calling about a Veteran, the Veterans Crisis Line puts you in touch with VA-trained responders. Part of their capability is to engage with police and active rescue if necessary. They can put you in touch with Suicide Prevention Coordinators at your local VA if you wish.

 

Trans Lifeline is a non-VA service providing trans peer support for "our community that’s been divested from police since day one. We’re run by and for trans people."

Call (877) 565-8860

 trans
black

Call BlackLine is a non-VA crisis hotline and peer support line prioritizing Black, Indigenous, People of Color. They do not engage with police or nonconsensual active rescue. 

Call 1 (800) 604-5841

Special Kudos

MIRECC

Coaching Into Care would like to make a special kudos for Dr. John Fairbank. He recently retired from federal service on December 31, 2022, after more than 21 years in VA. During that time, he was an avid supporter of CIC and of Veteran families through his leadership and research with the VISN 6 MIRECC. We wish him well as he transitions into the next stage of his life, which will be to spend more time with his own family. Best wishes to you, John, and thank you for your years of support.