The program is called “Veteran HOPE,” and it is a peer-led mental health and substance abuse recovery model program for veterans.
In the program, women veterans serve as the treatment team for a fictitious veteran “HOPE.” Veteran “HOPE” has a number of challenges similar to those faced by the group’s participants. While helping Veteran “HOPE” to solve her issues, participants gain valuable skills and information to resolve their own issues.
“A challenge of mental health recovery is moving from a passive recipient to an active collaborator in the treatment process. Many veterans are unfamiliar with developing a treatment plan, and therefore, have difficulty playing an active part in establishing the goals and objectives of treatment,” said Nicole Thompson, VA Butler’s women veterans program manager and one of the coordinators for this new group at VA Butler.
“Veteran “HOPE” focuses on providing women veterans the opportunity to take an active role in choosing treatment goals and finding solutions to mental, physical and social problems they may be facing,” Thompson said.
Any women veteran enrolled at VA Butler Healthcare is invited to attend this new group which meets every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 217WS at the main VA Butler campus, Building 1.
Women veterans interested in learning more about this new recovery group may talk to their VA Butler health care team or call Cary Adkins at (724) 996-8892, or Nicole Thompson at (724) 285-2756.
