Give an Hour

Give an Hour connects veterans and their families with therapists (just exactly like  you) for free services. From the site:

Give an Hour is a nonpolitical organization whose current project focuses on the mental health needs of military personnel and their families. We are offering a range of mental health services in order to address a variety of needs for the individuals seeking services. Our definition of “family” is quite broad and includes but is not limited to the following: spouses, children, parents, siblings, extended family members, and unmarried partners. We are offering our services to anyone who is or has been affected directly or indirectly (through a relationship with someone in the military) by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The individuals who seek services from Give an Hour may benefit from different types of support or treatment. We believe that most of those affected by these conflicts would not need mental health services if not for the unusual and extreme circumstances within which they find themselves. Furthermore, many of those seeking services may not be familiar with counseling or psychotherapy. Therefore, you will see terms such as “services” instead of “therapy” to reflect this philosophy.  We believe that being sensitive to the specific circumstances that bring these individuals to our organization is critical for success.

While the standard within the mental health community is to meet with the client in the practitioner’s office, we recognize that this may not be feasible for some individuals seeking services from Give an Hour (called “visitors” on our Web site). We encourage the use of telephone support in those situations where the individual is unable to meet in person with the provider. We understand that  providers will need to rely on their professional judgment to determine when such contact may be insufficient to meet the individual’s mental health needs.

We will provide a variety of materials on our Web site to help clinicians familiarize themselves with the military culture and experience. We will also have links to a variety of military Web sites and Web sites sponsored by military support organizations such as the National Military Family Association. We plan to partner with the Veterans Administration and other military service providers to establish specific procedures for critical situations such as the hospitalization of active duty personnel and decisions regarding a soldier’s fitness to serve. In addition, we will have information available on our Web site regarding the assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Only mental health professionals who have training and experience with the treatment of PTSD should list themselves as available to provide this service. Clinicians not trained in the treatment of trauma will find guidelines to assist them in locating an appropriate provider.

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