NewsNation on WGN America is set to spotlight Endeavors’ one-of-a-kind Veteran Wellness Center Wednesday, November 10th, at 8:30 PM CST ahead of Veterans Day. The new Wellness Center began offering services in July with virtual mental health services and counseling to support Veterans and their families with chronic long-term mental health needs or severe mental illness.
Amid an enduring global pandemic, Endeavors is finding new ways to serve Veterans. “As we prepare to thank Veterans across the nation for their service, we must acknowledge there is much to be done to ensure our nation’s heroes are taken care of even after returning home,” said Jon Allman, Air Force Veteran, and Endeavors President and CEO. “I am incredibly proud of how Endeavors continues to help so many communities across the nation virtually.” The Cohen Clinics in San Antonio, Killeen, and El Paso experienced up to a seven-fold increase in Telehealth services during COVID-19.
Across the nation, 19.5 million Veterans are living among us, many have difficulty securing health care, housing, employment, and educational assistance. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the problem. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, there were over 37,000 homeless Veterans across the country, even before the pandemic hit. Endeavors has worked relentlessly during the COVID-19 pandemic to expand support for our Veterans and their families. “For our Vietnam era Veterans, they have spent years without adequate resources to support their overall wellness,” said Dr. Jill Palmer, Endeavors Senior Director of Clinic Operations.
Centrally located on the Northwest side of Bexar County in the Medical District area and co-located with the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center will open its doors in early Summer 2021. The Center will provide accessible, integrated health and wellness services that improve veterans’ quality of life, their families, military dependents, survivors regardless of discharge status, and the care community.
The Texas Veterans Commission awarded $500,000 to Endeavors to establish virtual services for the new Veteran Wellness Center. Since 2009, the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance has awarded over $137 million to organizations across Texas and has helped over 300,000 Veterans and their families. The Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) grant program awards reimbursement grants to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas Veterans and their families. Endeavors expects to serve over 500 clients virtually with the funding awarded.
Endeavors’ Veteran Wellness Center delivers positive, supportive, and integrated care in one location to focus on self-care and overall health to enhance daily choices for wellness. Driven by the vision to restore and improve quality of life, Endeavors’ Wellness Model represents six wellness principles.
Endeavors’ Veteran Wellness Center will complement services already provided at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, San Antonio. These services include mental health care provided by credentialed staff for Veterans and military families regardless of role or discharge status. Veterans and military family members receive services individually and together in the same place, simultaneously with the same treatment team via online therapy known as Telehealth.
Chip Fulghum, Air Force Veteran and Endeavors Chief Operating Officer, noted, “Endeavors hasn’t slowed down during COVID-19, and we have stepped up to make sure our Veterans in communities across the nation continued to be taken care of. With our Veteran Wellness Center, we are providing lasting support to Veterans and their families across Texas. Veterans and their families have given tremendous sacrifices for our communities to keep our country safe, secure, and free, and we are determined to make sure they are taken care of.”
If you or someone you know needs virtual mental health services, counseling, and peer support assistance, please contact Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center by emailing VWC-SA@endeavors.org or call 210-431-6466. Learn more at www.endeavors.org/programs/veteran-wellness-center/.
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ENDEAVORS
Endeavors, a San Antonio based nonprofit, is a longstanding national nonprofit agency that provides various programs and services supporting children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters, or emergencies. Endeavors has served vulnerable people in need since 1969 through personalized services. For more information, please visit www.endeavors.org.
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