With conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan coming to an end, our country is experiencing an influx of veterans. Sadly, suicide among veterans is an epidemic, and many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. At the same time, unemployment among veterans is also a pressing issue.
In a new Focus newsletter, “Expanding the Role of Veterans in the Mental Health Workforce: Peer Specialists and Beyond,” The CAFE TA Center examines the essential role that veterans with lived experience can play in serving their fellow vets as part of the mental health system of care. Given the prevalence of stigma surrounding mental health needs in the military, veterans that have experienced trauma and engaged in recovery are uniquely positioned to break through the stigma, reach out to their peers, and find a meaningful role in civilian society as part of the system of care that meets the needs of our returning veterans.