CVN ‘Joining Forces’ with White House to Support Military Families as Network Fills Mental Health Service Gaps
STAMFORD, Conn., February 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), a nonprofit, philanthropic organization that serves post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their families through a nationwide mental health clinics, hosted the First Lady Jill Biden at his Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD (Veterans Village of San Diego), ocean side In Oceanside, California as part of the White House Joining forces initiative to support families, caregivers and survivors of military and veterans. The initiative, which revolves around raising awareness of the experiences of military-related families, highlighting the resources available to them, and driving policy improvements, includes a priority area of health and welfare. Since its inception in 2016, CVN has provided accessible, high-quality mental health services to 50,000 clients through its growing network of clinics.
U.S. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visits the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD, Oceanside in Oceanside, California on February 4, 2023.
U.S. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visits the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD, Oceanside in Oceanside, California on February 4, 2023.
U.S. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visits the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD, Oceanside in Oceanside, California on February 4, 2023.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Biden as she remains steadfast in her mission to support our nation’s military families,” said Cohen Veterans Network President and CEO Dr. Anthony Hassan. “We are grateful that she is raising awareness of military family experiences to generate additional public support and working to connect military families with the resources they sorely need and deserve.”
There are currently more than 2 million U.S. service members in uniform and 2.6 million of their family members around the world. Due to the special circumstances associated with military life, such as deployments and reintegration, long separations and frequent moves, many military family members experience unique mental health issues. In fact, while military families have proven to be incredibly resilient overall, children from military families have been found to be at higher risk for social, emotional and behavioral problems including anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, compared to children who are not military families.
Mental health was the topic of a panel discussion held today as part of Dr Biden’s visit. She heard from military family members and veterans about their challenges, their sacrifices, their strength and resilience, and their experiences of seeking help. Dr. Biden also enjoyed a tour of the Cohen Clinic, which was designed specifically for military families.
The Cohen Clinic at the VVSD (Veterans San Diego Village), ocean side is located a short distance from Camp Pendleton, which is one of the Department of Defense’s busiest facilities. The region is home to nearly 40,000 active duty military personnel, 33,000 post-9/11 veterans and more than 31,000 military family members. All are eligible for the care that Clinique Cohen de ocean side provides.
“Due to the shortage of mental health care providers on site, the Cohen Clinic at VVSD, ocean side provides a viable alternative to timely, quality mental health care for our service members, veterans and their families, which is critical to personnel and unit readiness,” said Col. Daniel M. WhitleyDeputy Chief of Staff G-7, Government and External Affairs, MCIWest-MCB Camp Pendleton.
“In a place like San DiegoCA, home to one of the largest populations of military, veterans and their families, VVSD recognizes the importance of initiatives such as Joining Forces,” said the President and CEO of Veterans Village of San Diego. Akilah Templeton. “Dr. Biden’s efforts to raise awareness and encourage collaboration on behalf of military families are inspiring.”
The Cohen Clinic at VVSD, ocean side is one of 23 Cohen Clinics in communities in need across the country. The network combines culturally competent military care with staff members trained to work with veterans and military families. Many of the clinic’s team members are military-related, with nearly 25 percent of the Cohen Clinic staff being veterans and 21 percent being military spouses.
The network treats the entire military family, including spouses, partners, children, parents, caregivers, survivors and others. Approximately 47% of CVN customers are family members of military or veterans, while nearly 53% of all customers are veterans or active duty members. Treatment is available for a wide variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, anger, PTSD, grief and loss, family issues, transition issues, relationship problems and child behavior problems. Care is available in person or through CVN Telehealth, face-to-face video therapy.
“We know treatment works, and it is imperative that military families have access to culturally appropriate mental health services that take into account their unique circumstances. We heard it first hand from our customers in the room today. To help, we must be there to support them. In an effort to save lives, save families and save the future, CVN remains committed to breaking down barriers to treatment and filling gaps in care,” says Dr Hassan.
Fact sheets, photos, a B-roll and a map from the Cohen Veterans Network are available here.
ABOUT THE COHEN VETERAN NETWORK
Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active duty members and their families. CVN is focused on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in communities in need, in which trained clinicians provide holistic, evidence-based care to address mental health issues. Mental Health. It was created in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. Learn more about CVN here.
ABOUT VETERANS SAN DIEGO VILLAGE
Veterans San Diego Village (VVSD) has served veterans since 1981 and provides services to more than 3,000 military veterans each year throughout the county of San Diego, CALIFORNIA. VVSD services include: mental health services, housing – temporary and permanent, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, employment and training, temporary financial assistance, support for elderly veterans and support for veteran families – wives and children, homeless court and more.
SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network
