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Programs Focus on Returning Combat Veterans
By Michael Dukes

Tim Smith, a physician assistant in Mental Health (right), talks to a member of the Maryland National Guard during a Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) held at the Baltimore VA Medical Center.

The VAMHCS is committed to supporting veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and to making sure they have the health care services and benefits they need and deserve. Since the war on terror began, over 3,000 veterans have successfully transitioned from the military to the VAMHCS. None of these veterans have experienced a backlog in waiting for their care thanks to a coordinated effort by various services and staff members throughout the VAMHCS.

Several programs have been developed to address the needs of this current era of combat veterans, including the Seamless Transition Program and the Returning Veterans Outreach, Education and Care Program (RVOEC). The VAMHCS has also identified key staff to bring these programs together and to act as champions for returning veterans.

Seamless Transition
The Seamless Transition Program was createdto meet the specific needs of those service members returning from OIF and OEF. The goal of the program is to ensure that returning veterans receive the highest quality of care in a timely manner and that no veteran is left behind during the transition from the military health care system to the VA. Coupled with the Defense Department’s Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) program, the VAMHCS Seamless Transition Program has successfully enrolled many Maryland National Guard and Reserve members into the health care system.

Returning Veterans Outreach, Education and Care Program (RVOEC)
The RVOEC Program places a special emphasis on the mental health needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The goal is preventive maintenance–dealing with problems early on before they get worse. A variety of outpatient and inpatient therapies and services are available to assist returning veterans as they readjust. A life enrichment center was created earlier this year at the Perry Point VA Medical Center to help bring veterans and their families together with social workers, nurses, chaplains and other staff members.

Key Staff
The VAMHCS has created specific positions to help provide consistent quality of care for returning veterans. Chris Buser, the VAMHCS OEF/OIF program manager, oversees all of the services for returning combat veterans, including any physical and mental concerns they may have.

Dr. Sonja Batten, trauma recovery program and RVOEC coordinator, provides mental health treatment to returning veterans and oversees the treatment and outreach efforts of the RVOEC team. Other key members of the RVOEC team include Dr. Christina Watlington; Linda Zetter, NP; Peter Allman; Matthew Camardese; and Sara Meyd.

In May, James Wilkes became the VAMHCS patient advocate for OEF/OIF veterans. Wilkes will help veterans navigate the VA health care system, in addition to serving as a liaison between the returning veteran and the VA system to help expedite their access to care.

These programs and employees have helped to make the VAMHCS a model for serving the needs of our returning veterans with pride and compassion, but every VAMHCS employee can help to make a difference. If you encounter a returning veteran who needs assistance, please help them to the best of your ability or put them in contact with one of our designated returning veterans support staff members.