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The Road Home: The National Behavioral Health Conference for Returning Veterans and Their Families

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 March 2006, 12:00 CST

WASHINGTON, March 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Therapeutic Communities of America in conjunction with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) is holding The Road Home: The National Behavioral Health Conference for Returning Veterans and Their Families at the Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C., March 16-18.

As the servicemen and servicewomen who have been engaged in combat return home to their families and communities, we recognize the many challenges they may face. This successful transition will be aided by the collaboration of many partners to identify, prevent, and treat substance use and mental health disorders. Returning discharged military who may be at risk for behavioral health issues will need a continuum of care and will need to be welcomed to a nurturing and safe environment.

The buddy camaraderie of a military unit needs to be translated into services located in their home communities. Communities want to help veterans and their families and be prepared partners. Communities want to work with the US Department of Veteran Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense and their own resources to outreach early to veterans and their families.

Returning veterans may by-pass discharge assessment wanting quickly to return to their families; may not show symptoms of PTSD or other behavioral health issues for years after discharge; return to communities that are geographically isolated, and/or may hide their issues due to stigma and/or denial. All are barriers to care that can be helped by community involvement.

For more information, visit: http:// www.therapeuticcommunitiesofamerica.org

Therapeutic Communities of America is a national non-profit membership organization that represents over 500 community based non- profit substance abuse and mental health programs across the U.S. whose members are dedicated to serving clients with multiple issues such as offenders, adolescents, veterans, HIV/AIDS, women and children, and co-occurring disorders. Viewpoints and policy positions of TCA are strictly there own and do not represent those of SAMHSA or those participating in the Conference.

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See below News Advisory on the SAMHSA Conference

Contact: Shelly Burgess of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 240-276-2130; Web: http:// www.samhsa.gov

News Advisory:

National Conference Focuses On The Behavioral Health Needs of Returning Veterans And Their Families

"Restoring Hope and Building Resiliency"

DETAILS:

As veterans return from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of the men and women, and their families, may need help re- establishing their lives and re-connecting with their communities. To help local community substance abuse and mental health service providers best address the complex needs of this diverse population, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with Therapeutic Communities of America (TCA) will convene "The Road Home: The National Behavioral Health Conference on Returning Veterans and Their Families-Restoring Hope and Building Resiliency, March 16-18 in Washington, D.C.

This conference will provide information and models on helping veterans and their families build resiliency and prevent and/or treat complex problems such as mental health problems (including PTSD), substance use disorders, suicide, homelessness, sexual abuse, and/or co-occurring disorders that can occur after serving in active combat or under other dangerous conditions.

The full conference agenda and free registration can be accessed through the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov .

WHO: Speakers for the event will include:

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Thursday, March 16

-- Charles G. Curie, SAMHSA Administrator

-- H. Westley Clark, M.D., director, SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

-- Richard Steinberg, M.S., president and CEO, West Care

-- BG. Michael J. Kussman, M.D., deputy under secretary for Health, U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs

-- Steven Jones, Ph.D., principal deputy assistant secretary for Health Affairs, U.S. Dept of Defense -- INVITED

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Friday, March 17

-- General Barry McCaffrey, NBC News Military Analyst

-- Major General Arthur T. Dean (Ret.) CEO, Community Anti- Drug Coalitions of America

-- Sushma Taylor, Ph.D., vice-president Therapeutic Communities of America, and CEO/President, Center Point, Inc.

-- Major Kevin Stevenson, chief, Social Work Services, Moncrief Army Community Hospital

-- Beverly Watts Davis, senior advisor, SAMHSA

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Saturday, March 18

-- Kathryn Power, SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services

-- COL. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, M.D., M.P.H., USA, Psychiatrist Consultant to the U.S. Army Surgeon General

-- Salvador Wilson, program manager, Walden House/PROSPER Program

WHEN:

March 16-18

WHERE:

Washington Hilton Hotel

1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C.

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SAMHSA, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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