Marcie Kryka, Amanda Pfaff, and Katie Schultz

Introduction Military Families in Washtenaw CountyDemographics/statsInterviewsVA Observation

Purpose Personal connections Social Work perspective Health care access Undiagnosed PTSD Impact on families Family unit (how do children make adjustments?) Marriage (marital satisfaction, coping strategies) Services/resources available Therapy Health benefits Marriage/family counseling FRG Gender differences Variation between branches

Washtenaw County

Overview of PopulationPopulation CountsMale 173,779Female: 173,398Median Age: 33.2 years oldEducation51.3% have BA or higherIncomeMedian is $29,342

Veteran PopulationApproximately 18,000 veterans in Washtenaw County92.1% are male, 7.9% femaleOnly 10.3% are ages 18-3485.4% are white, 11.2% are Black or African American, 1.7% Asian, 1.1% Hispanic73% served prior to or during Vietnam, 11% served from 2001 or later

Lets CompareUnemployment 6.1% vs. veteran unemployment 8.5%Poverty (2007 data)14.4% of the population below poverty vs. 5.1% of veteransDisability13% of population vs. 22.7% of Veterans

Median Income$29,342 vs. veteran $41,809$41,089 for male veterans vs. $28,355 for female veterans

Lets Compare (cont.)

Education

Population by Race

Veteran Population by Sex

Veteran Population by Age

Key IdeasCommunity StrengthsEducationIncomePoverty rateLocal organizations

Key Ideas (cont.)Community ResourcesAnn Arbor VA Healthcare SystemRed Cross Washtenaw County ChapterWashtenaw County Council of VeteransVeterans Service Organization (VSO)FRG/FACMichigan Veterans Trust Fund

Key Ideas (cont.)Community NeedsAccess to more healthcare centersEmployment assistanceLocal support for families/caregivers

RecommendationsExtend military medical coverageExpand FRG meetings to locations outside of unitProvide childcare at FRG meetingsCreate FRG/FAC website for families unable to attend support sessions Implement local family/caregiver support networkTraining to translate military skills to civilian job requirements

Q & A

Education: Veteran populations in Washtenaw County achieve very similar educational levels as the total populationIncome: Veteran populations have a higher median income in Washtenaw County, as well as in the state of MichiganPoverty level: Veteran populations are less likely to be living below the poverty level than non-veterans in Washtenaw CountyLocal organizations: Veterans have a wide variety of resources available including services for active-duty military personnel families

*Ann Arbor VA: -Serves over 153,000 veterans living in 15 counties-Located on a bus line making services accessible to those without transportation-Offers extended care and rehabilitation, mental health, primary care, specialty care, and womens health services-Also has a wing dedicated to social workRed Cross:-Military Program-Provides service members & their families with emergency communications (birth, death, serious illness), financial assistance, outreach to additional social services (e.g., Counseling, guidance, information, referrals)-Also provides services for veterans such as transporting patients to treatment sessions & preparing, developing, and obtaining sufficient evidence to support applicants claims for veterans benefitsVSO:-Non-profit organizations dedicated to advocating on the behalf of veterans (e.g., veterans with disabilities) -Includes the Washtenaw County Council of Vets, a one-stop center where veterans and dependents or survivors might be assisted with all problems-Monthly meetings @ 7 different locations throughout the countyFRG/FAC:-Provide service members and their families with various resources and support during deployment; information ranges from questions about insurance, to issues of financial debt (daily living/adjustment questions) to more social support services, including families activities (making holiday cards for the deployed family member) Michigan Veterans Trust Fund:-Designed to assist honorably discharged wartime veterans and/or their dependents who experience temporary financial difficulties that are determined to be emergent in nature

*Access to more healthcare centers:-Even though the VA provides extensive services, the hospital only has 101 patient care beds and serves over 153,000 vets per year -Observed crowded lobbies and waiting rooms, overflow into main hallway-For veterans with mental health issues in particular, the VA does not maintain enough staff to adequately treat all patients; many are given a spot on a waiting list or referred to a hotlineEmployment Assistance:-Veteran unemployment is higher in Washtenaw County than non-veteran unemployment -Poses obvious consequences, including drain on local and state resources, family conflict, and in some cases, homelessnessLocal support for families/caregivers:-Currently no family/caregiver support network in Washtenaw County-FRG meetings are often too far for families to travel to on a consistent basis, especially National Guard/Reserve families this leaves them to fend for themselves in terms of securing resources and support, which can be particularly devastating when a family member is deployed

*Extend military medical coverage:-VA Health benefits are open to all veterans, but services for family members are extremely limited-This is where TRICARE comes in BUT it is expensive and coverage is limited if more physicians accepted this form of insurance, Veterans and their families would have an alternative option for care, which would reduce the strain currently put on resources at the VA Expand FRG meetings to locations outside of unit/provide childcare at FRG meetings:-Doing so would allow more family members to attend meetings and receive supportCreate FRG/FAC website for families unable to attend support sessions:-Some units maintain a secure website that allows the FRG facilitator to post information discussed at meetings for families who are unable to attend the meetings (especially important for Nat. Guard/ Reserve families) who often live various distances from their loved ones unitImplement local family/caregiver support network:-Currently, the National Resource Directory, an online partnership for wounded, ill and injured service members and their families that provides a compilation of resources for various support services throughout the country maintains no family/caregiver support resources in Washtenaw County-Need to organize a network of service providers/recruit businesses in the area to offer a military discount on these services for already emotionally and financially drained families Training to translate military skills to civilian job requirements:-The number one reason for veterans unemployment is that they are unable to transfer the skills they obtained while serving in the military over to civilian job requirements-The county needs to offer job training resources for veterans, including resume-workshops and seminars specifically focused on highlighting and translating military skills to the civilian job market

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