Disability Awareness Understanding and Caring For America’s Veteran’s

Competencies Participants will have an understanding of job development and placement issues for persons with a disability Participants will have an understanding of how to identify and refer individuals needing professional help Participants will have an understanding of job development and placement issues for persons with a disability Participants will have an understanding of how to identify and refer individuals needing professional help

Statistics 54 million have a disability (18% of population) 50% of the 1.5 million troops leaving active duty filed claims with the VA from OEF/OIF since 2001 Cost of War..Harvard University 54 million have a disability (18% of population) 50% of the 1.5 million troops leaving active duty filed claims with the VA from OEF/OIF since 2001 Cost of War..Harvard University

Statistics (cont.)  22.3 million living veterans  3.6 million veterans receive disability compensation from VA

Statistics (cont.) In past wars for every person killed 3 were injured In OEF/OIF for every person killed 16 are injured Traumatic brain injury is considered to be the silent injury In past wars for every person killed 3 were injured In OEF/OIF for every person killed 16 are injured Traumatic brain injury is considered to be the silent injury

Veterans with Disabilities  131,300 OEF/OIF compensated for PTSD -400,000 treated for mental health problems  287,861 diagnosed with TBI  1,715 major amputations, not including fingers and toes (DOD)  CRS Report for Congress 2/5/13 & dvbic.org

Attitude of General Public  92% felt admiration  75% felt pity  60% felt awkward or embarrassed  50% felt afraid or guilty

Your Attitude  Education  Exposure  Experience

Coping with a Disability ~ Denial and Isolation ~ Anger ~ Anger ~ Depression ~ Depression ~ Acceptance ~ Acceptance ~ Hope ~ Hope This cycle can be repeated several times ~ Denial and Isolation ~ Anger ~ Anger ~ Depression ~ Depression ~ Acceptance ~ Acceptance ~ Hope ~ Hope This cycle can be repeated several times

Artificial limbs ~ 1621 major limb amputations ~ Factors to Consider ~ Factors to Consider ~ What to Do ~ What to Do ~ Things to Avoid ~ Things to Avoid *Congressional Report Services 2010 (CRS) *Congressional Report Services 2010 (CRS)

Center for the Intrepid

Blind or Visually Impaired ~ Individuals who are blind are much more capable than most people think ~ Things to do ~ Things to do ~ Things to avoid ~ Things to avoid

Deaf or Hearing Impaired Persons who are born deaf are said to have the most difficult disability because of the barriers of communication ~414,000 hearing loss and of those 350,000 with tinnitus ~ Things to consider ~ Things to consider ~ Things to avoid ~ Things to avoid

Mental or Emotional Disorders Anxiety Disorders ~ Panic Disorder ~ Obsessive-compulsive Disorder ~ Obsessive-compulsive Disorder ~ Other Mental Disorders ~ Other Mental Disorders ~ Things to Consider ~ Things to Consider ~ Things to Avoid ~ Things to Avoid

Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders  Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) –Hyper vigilance –Sleep disturbance –Exaggerated Startle Response –Loss of interest in activities –Anger outbursts –Difficulty maintaining close relationships

Mental Health Facts  Number of active duty troops seeking Mental Health Services seeking Mental Health Services returned to their Unit = 98% returned to their Unit = 98% Winning the War Within

PTSD Statistics  Those claiming PTSD after returning from combat : –At 1 month =4% –At 4 months =9% –At 7 months = 12% Those claiming PTSD at 7 months showed no signs at 1 month = 78% 88,719 diagnosed since 2001 * National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics 2010

Conditions Requiring a Wheelchair ~ There are many reasons and a wide range of abilities among people who use wheelchairs ~ Things to Consider ~ Things to Consider ~ Things to Avoid ~ Things to Avoid

Traumatic Brain Injury ~ 262,000 diagnosed since 2000 ~ Estimates of 10-20% unidentified TBI ~ Estimates of 10-20% unidentified TBI ~ Factors to consider ~ Factors to consider ~Things to do ~Things to do ~ Things to Avoid ~ Things to Avoid *NCVAS 2010

TBI/PTSD Share many symptoms Sleep problems Depression Anger/irritability Concentration Memory Planning Attention Poor frustration tolerance

Other Issues Burns/disfigurement –Painful –Long recovery –Stigma for employment –Many have some disfigurement, 200 may need face transplant Suicides -Estimated over 8,000 veterans per year -If you include death by high risk behavior, the numbers would be significantly higher

GENERAL GUIDELINES ~ Don’t be patronizing or condescending ~ Don’t feel pressure to do the right thing ~ When in doubt – Ask ~ Communicate directly with the person

~ Don’t pity, fear or ignore or that they are courageous or “special” ~ Do not describe a person by their disability ~ Do not bring up a “story” of someone with the same disability Continued

Case Management Network

A community-wide, client centered network of service providers who coordinate the provision of services to clients within the community under either formal or informal interagency policy agreements. Case Management Network

Continued The network’s cumulative goal is to help clients who are receiving case management services to meet their special needs and overcome employment barriers in order to secure long-term, stable, and gainful employment. Case Management Network

Establishing and Maintaining a Network Identify possible organizations Contact the organizations Plan personal visits Extend invitations for visits Identify possible organizations Contact the organizations Plan personal visits Extend invitations for visits

Making a Referral Requires Coordination Between Case Manager Service Provider Client Case Manager Service Provider Client

2. Involve Service Providers Early Involving the Network 1. Be a communicator

Levels of Referral Support MODERATE LOW HIGH