15 th in the Series of Webinars Produced by the National Catholic Partnership on Disability

Knights of Columbus Order of Malta, Federal Association USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development Catholic Charities, USA

Moderator: Peg Kolm, Coordinator, Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Archdiocese of Washington Presenters: Dr. James Boehnlein, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University; Director for Education, Veterans Affairs, North West MIRECC, Portland, OR Fr. Rick Curry, SJ., Faculty, Catholic Studies-Theater, Founder, Academy for Veterans, Georgetown University

To ask questions of panel members by computer:  Write your questions in the space provided at the bottom of your screen  Click ‘submit’

Help us, dear God, to see your face in every veteran and family member we encounter. Guide us as we imagine new ways to support veterans and their families in our parishes. Bring healing and peace to all who have been wounded physically, mentally and spiritually during wartime. Awaken the desire in priests to serve in active duty or Veterans Administration chaplaincy, through the consent of their bishops or religious superiors, to share their vocations with active duty men and women, and bring the good news of our faith in Jesus Christ to those who serve our country. We ask this in Jesus’ holy name. Amen

 3.2 million deployed  People living who would have died in the past  Suicide rates exceed combat deaths ◦ Highest rates among National Guard  Blindness and burns  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 15-30% 300,000 – 400,000 experiencing brain injury (75, ,000 are Catholic—Are they finding a home in your parish?)

Everyone who returns from war has PTSD.  True  False

 Catholic school education  Theology class  Search for meaning

 Do well ◦ if connected to loving family and welcoming community, including a parish  May experience a few months of mild PTS symptoms  Have… ◦ core values tied to a life of service ◦ deep connection to their units

 Nightmares and poor sleep  Panic attacks, irritability and startle reactions  Traumatic brain injury ranging from mild to a full-blown head trauma  Emotional detachment  Violent reactions and domestic abuse  Possible increase of these affects with incidence of physical trauma

 Concerned family members may seek advice  Provide a safe place to talk and listen non- judgmentally  Be prepared to refer to outside resources and to respond to threats of suicide ◦ Local VA hospital (including chaplain) ◦ Catholic Charities local office ◦ Need help? In the U.S., call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

(5). f. Facilities need to develop processes and procedures for promoting collaborations between mental health providers and VA Chaplains. Mental health services are encouraged to work with Chaplaincy to develop interactions with community clergy, including training to facilitate collaboration, appropriate referral, and coordination of services. VHA HANDBOOK SEPTEMBER 11, 2008, p. 10

Symptoms:  Avoiding crowds and public places  Social isolation ◦ Difficulty trusting others and having warm feelings, even for family ◦ Involuntary defensive reactions Needs:  Adjust to veteran being home ◦ Renegotiation of family roles  Connect with parish community, Mass and Sacraments

 The inner conflict caused by inflicting harm on the enemy and having to kill.  Reconciling personal actions in opposition to one’s moral code.  Includes doubt and guilt over acts of omission—actions not taken that they judge may have saved a life

 Avoidance  Pride in self-reliance  Preconditioned ideas that treatment is for those who are weak, “crazy”  Belief that people will not understand or believe their trauma  Fear of societal rejection

 Informal support ◦ Offer sense of belonging  Formal ministries ◦ Parish nurse ◦ Hands on craft projects ◦ Utilize NCPD “Welcomed and Valued” resources

The person who has hope lives differently. Benedict XVI

What percentage of the U.S. population is directly involved in the Iraq war and the Afghan war? ◦ 5 percent ◦ 10 percent ◦ 1 percent ◦ 20 percent

20% unemployment Inordinate cost imposed on 1% Where are the 99%?

SPIRIT OF SERVICE Ask vets to serve Don’t forget spouses and children Ministries Fair— What can I do????? Ease the pressure Show how the parish cares—the natural place for support and services Need to be ENGAGED

The first step to healing is to help them become more independent—and that means employment. We have to get them to work.

 Born with missing forearm.  Jesuit brother for 47 years, BUT vets wanted confession.  Reconsidered vocation.  Completed necessary coursework.  Ordained a Jesuit priest in 2009.

 Need to rid selves of residual guilt. ◦ What they’ve done ◦ What they’ve seen  Trust the confidentiality of the priest and confessional.

The Ignatian Examen reported by vets to reduce the effects of PTSD. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow. Also known as…

 See your parish as a resource  Reach out to and “fold in” veterans and their families  Foster an atmosphere of welcome and hospitality  Approaches: ◦ Discussion groups ◦ Listening sessions ◦ Open house for vets to show what the parish has available to offer them and their families

 Target the need carefully ◦ Get to know the family ◦ Meet actual needs  Especially helpful for Reservists who are commonly isolated What can I do? What do you do?

 Approaches will vary among dioceses  Identify potential leaders who can help other vets and their families  Collaborate among offices and departments  Utilize secular resources  Host a town hall-like meeting  Create a diocesan advisory group with veterans and family members  Provide resources and training to parishes and other diocesan staff

 Supporting veterans through ◦ Counseling ◦ Family support ◦ Housing ◦ Employment training  St. Leo’s Campus for Veterans in Chicago ◦ Apartments for vets ◦ Residence for vets with disabilities ◦ Onsite VA clinic

To ask questions of panel members by computer:  Write your questions in the space provided at the bottom of your screen  Click ‘submit’

Click on the toolkit image & scroll down to find the title of the webinar you want. Click there for the full list of resources, including replay links, PowerPoints, DVDs and transcripts.

 Set a date and begin to plan for a retreat for vets and their families  Hold a parish “town hall meeting” and/or “listening sessions”  Create a “What can we do?/What do we do?” list so you can match resources with needs of vets and their families  Form a diocesan advisory council of and for veterans  Begin hands-on craft ministry (see in the toolkit for directions)  Include Veterans Day and Memorial Day Masses in the parish schedule  Study resources and explore links from the NCPD ministry toolkit  Contact local VA Catholic Chaplain  Develop a referral list of outside professionals and other resources  Other

Knights of Columbus Order of Malta, Federal Association USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development Catholic Charities, USA …without whom this webinar would not have been possible. Please…

1. How well did the content of the webinar address your needs? Select one answer. a. Well addressed a. Addressed b. Neutral c. Not addressed 2. What do you find most helpful about the webinar? a. Presentation by Dr. Boehnlein b. Presentation by Fr. Curry c. Presentation/moderation by Peg Kolm d. PowerPoint e. Toolkit resources for my ministry f. Question and Answer period 3. What do you need that we did not provide? 4. How do you intend to use today’s webinar information? List your top 3 priorities. 5. How many people are viewing from your site? 6. List three topics in order of priority that you would like us to cover in future webinars. 7. Other comments.