Helpouts by Google is a way for individuals anywhere in the world to connect with experts via live video in a wide range of categories, from computers to cooking to counseling. Within Helpouts, individuals can book on-demand video sessions or schedule sessions in advance. Give an Hour will bring a network of licensed mental health professionals to the platform.  

 

"Helpouts' mission is to connect experienced, skilled, passionate people who want to give help to people around the world who need it, which aligns perfectly with Give an Hour's mission of providing free mental health services from a network of licensed mental health professionals donating their time," says Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour.  

 

Veterans who live where there are no mental health providers or who are physically unable to travel from their homes will now have easy access to mental health care. Helpouts, which supports HIPAA-compliant providers, is confidential and secure and will remove barriers such as geography and mobility, allowing individuals to receive help wherever they live.  Helpouts can be accessed 24/7 from a computer or mobile device.  "This platform, I believe, will revolutionize the way mental health professionals are able to offer their services," adds Dr. Van Dahlen. "We are proud to be working with Google to refine this innovation," she says.

 

"Helpouts is a natural extension of Google's mission. There is a lot of information that is not documented on the web--it's in people's heads, it's informed by personal experiences. We believe Helpouts is an easy and efficient way to bring this kind of information to the world," says Udi Manber, who leads Helpouts for Google. "Our goal is simple: help people help each other. We want to use the convenience and efficiency of the web to enable everyone, no matter where they are or what time it is, to easily connect with someone who can help."

 

As this platform is launched, Give an Hour providers will be available via Helpouts in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, D.C., to give services within their state. "Give an Hour is excited to begin this new era in mental health care. Over the coming weeks and months we will be adding more states as we move toward national coverage," notes Dr. Van Dahlen.

 

Google is a proud supporter of the U.S. military veteran community and deeply committed to helping all service members and military spouses make a successful transition to civilian life. GoogleForVeterans.com, youtube.com/veterans, and VetNetHQ.com are some of the many ways its products are helping veterans and military families pursue their goals.   

 

Give an Hour surveys its providers quarterly.  We appreciate our providers taking time to answer questions to help us measure our impact.

Thank you and congratulations, providers!

 

Congratulations as well to the three winners of the drawing for Amazon $150 gift cards, offered to those who completed the survey: Nancy Helgeson, Russ Owens, and Joelle Rabow Maletis.   

 

 

The trend of "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" has carried over to the nonprofit world with the Tuesday after Thanksgiving now being designated #GivingTuesday. And you won't be surprised to hear that Give an Hour has lots of ideas on how to give thanks and help on #GivingTuesday this year.  

 

#GivingTuesday is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.  

 

We invite you to keep the focus of the season on giving by supporting the organizations you value and spreading the message of #GivingTuesday to friends and colleagues via your social media networks on twitter @GiveAnHour and on Facebook/GiveAnHour.

To provide a financial contribution to Give an Hour or to find other ideas about how to give, click here.

  

"We are so grateful to Veterans United Foundation for their generous financial support," says Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour. "This grant will allow us to add resources to our commitment to the Army National Guard-- a partnership announced over the summer to reach all Army National Guard units and to recruit and train more mental health professionals to ensure help is available in every community."  

 

Give an Hour's  national program with the Army National Guard will harness the nonprofit's expertise in coordination and collaboration to make all Guard units 

aware of the Give an Hour services available to them and to work directly with local communities to create a comprehensive system of care for Guard families. The program will encompass trainings and presentations to Guard units across the country, outreach to national mental health associations to recruit more volunteer providers, and training for mental health professionals on the issues that affect those who serve and their families. 

(L-R) Miranda Chapin, Veterans United Foundation Outreach  Coordinator; Colonel Maureen H. Weigl, Chief of the Soldier and Family Support Division, Army National Guard; Barbara Van Dahlen, Founder and President of Give an Hour; and Amanda Scott, Veterans United Home Loans Coordinating  Manager for National Guard Relations

"Through the dedication and donations of our employees at Veterans United Home Loans, we are able to support such worthy initiatives as this," says Megan Sievers, director, Veterans United Foundation. "Our commitment to enhancing lives and the work Give an Hour is doing with the Army National Guard aligns perfectly with our core mission."

 

Veterans United Foundation is supported entirely by the employees of Veterans United Home Loans. The foundation is committed to enhancing the lives of veterans and military families nationwide, by supporting nonprofit organizations that strengthen local communities and honor the sacrifices of those who served our country. It also provides individual donations to current and former military members in need. More than $6.2 million has been pledged and donated to the foundation in the past two years.  

 

Give an Hour is thrilled to announce a partnership with Omaze, a company that raises money and awareness for charitable initiatives by offering everyday citizens the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can't be bought.

To encourage more people to get involved
in supporting servicemembers and veterans, Justin Verlander is participating in the Give an Hour Omaze experience. A $10 contribution gives donors a chance to win the experience of meeting Justin on the field before a Tigers' home game and then watching the game from his personal suite.

Please check out www.omaze.com /verlander. Whether you win or someone else does, someone's life is better because of your support. Thank you and good luck!

Save the Date for A Celebration of Service

April 6-8, 2014

A Celebration of Service back to Washington, D.C.  

 

 

Join Us For

Three days of Service, Education, and Celebration

 

April 6: Community Service Project

April 7: Educating the Next Generation of Mental Health Providers

April 8: Celebration and Performance - VIP Reception, Performance of "Water by the Spoonful" at Studio Theater

 

Stay tuned for additional details on connected.giveanhour.org

 

Sponsorship opportunities are available: please contact Katherine Wilkins, at [email protected].

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Brendan O'Toole, the heart and soul of the Run for Veterans, who finished his cross-country run of 3,600 miles on Veterans Day in Portland, Maine. On November 11, 2012, USMC veteran Sergeant Brendan O'Toole began his amazing run across the United States in honor of the men and women who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Brendan raised funds and awareness for Give an Hour, the USO, and Team Red, White and Blue. Thank you to Brendan and the Run for Veterans team! Way to go!

 

L-R: Catharine Grimes, director, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation; Curtis McDonald, Healthcare Alliance Liaison at Bristol-Myers Squibb; and GAH's Barbara Van Dahlen at the Norfolk Town Hall

The free events, being taped for an episode of the PBS series "Healthy Minds" and being live streamed nationwide, engaged local leaders, veterans, service members, and military spouses in conversation about the issues important to them. Each town hall included two moderated panels addressing creative problem-solving through the Community Blueprint and other local initiatives.

Give an Hour applauds the commitment of this group of runners, proudly wearing their GAH colors and helping to raise awareness for Give an Hour.

On October 26, a perfect fall morning, they set off from the National Mall and ran the streets of the nation's capital to the finish at the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn, Va.

Thank you, Team Give an Hour!

  

Margie Apgar has joined the Give an Hour team as an administrative assistant. At heart an educator, Margie holds a bachelors of science degree in elementary education from East Carolina University. She taught first and fourth grades at St. Ann's Academy in Washington, D.C., for four years; was a CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) teacher in Montgomery County Maryland parishes for 15 years; and currently teaches preschool part time in Damascus, Md. While caring for her three children over the past 20 years, Margie has held administrative assistant positions for companies in the publishing, healthcare, fitness, and marketing industries. She brings an energetic spirit to GAH that is fueled by her knowledge of the pure good that the organization does for military personnel, veterans, and their families. She also brings a family-and-faith-first perspective to her work.  Margie loves . . . her role at GAH, anything she does with her family, exercising with friends, the Redskins, the Nationals, attending sporting events, and supporting her children, church. and parish community.

 

At several events I have attended recently, providers have mentioned that they would like to increase their number of Give an Hour clients. With so many service members, family members, and veterans in our communities, we are grateful for our providers' enthusiasm to serve and want to offer several helpful hints to help them connect with those in need. With the stigma of mental health counseling still a challenge within the military, we must remember that many individuals remain hesitant to seek services. One of the ways to combat this reluctance is to identify where referral sources or veterans themselves may be located and get involved. Becoming a trusted ally in the military community can be an effective first step. If you do not currently have a client, consider using your one hour commitment to research and reach out. 

 

Possible areas to start include: 

    

Military chaplains. If you are near a base, contact the chaplain's office on base to introduce yourself and Give an Hour. Chaplains are often a highly trusted part of military units and can be a fantastic connection to service members and their family members who may need support. Try a simple internet search of the base name and chaplain to locate a phone number.

 

 

 

 

Career One Stop.  Did you know a service member's risk of suicide is highest during the transition from military service to civilian life? Reaching out to employment centers in your community may be a great option for connecting with a transitioning service member who is struggling. Career One Stop is a program sponsored by the Department of Labor. These workforce centers can be found in most cities across the nation. Try searching your zip code at www.servicelocator.org. When you locate a center, call and ask if they have a veterans representative or look at the online profile for this information. Many also have a representative who works specifically with veterans with disabilities. Consider visiting with this person and educating them about Give an Hour. It may be helpful to discuss when and how to refer a career client to mental health care.

 

                      

 

Connecting with some of these community resources will help increase your visibility. I would love to hear other ideas that providers have already found to be helpful. Please share success stories with me at [email protected]. I will continue this column next month and will share more ideas! 

 

Whether you are a provider new to Give an Hour or an old hand who has been giving your services to Give an Hour for years, we encourage you to take a look at the new provider tool kit. In this collection of materials, you will find useful information and opportunities to "give an hour" in your community while you are waiting for your first GAH client or in between clients.

 

Give an Hour is excited to announce the availability of OneHealth, a free mobile and web platform that offers anonymous peer support for health-related conditions.  

 

Veterans, active duty military, and their families can now access OneHealth's support communities at http://giveanhour.onehealth.com, where they can get

behavioral health conditions including

• PTSD
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Stress reduction
• Asthma
• Pain
• Obesity, and many other topics

OneHealth also offers communities focused on caregiver and family support for those caring for loved ones affected by autism or substance abuse.  In addition, OneHealth is proud to have recently launched a new veterans community that will allow Give an Hour visitors to easily connect with one another, as well as with other veterans and their families, to share their experiences and support one another.

 

OneHealth's social networking and behavior change platform uses evidence-based clinical tools to support those living with chronic physical and behavioral health conditions.  When a Give an Hour visitor becomes a member of OneHealth, s/he can join condition-specific and shared-interest communities designed to offer support and resources to match their needs. OneHealth staff and other members provide peer support in a moderated setting, so members can get help, wherever and whenever they need it, in a safe and private environment.

 

There are many ways that Give an Hour visitors can benefit from OneHealth.  OneHealth provides them with effectuve peer support from others with whom they have common experiences. In addition, the OneHealth platform offers many evidence-based clinical tools, including an emotional check-in that identifies members who may be at increased risk so that other members can reach out to them and offer support in real time. Other tools on the OneHealth platform include journals, commitment clocks, condition-specific interactive peer support meetings, and informational meetings led by recognized experts. Using these tools, Give an Hour visitors can access engaging and interactive support between visits as they work toward improving their physical and emotional health.

 

OneHealth is open to anyone who is eligible for Give an Hour services, whether or not they are currently seeing a Give an Hour provider. If you know of any veterans, active duty military, or their family members who would benefit from OneHealth, please refer them to  http://giveanhour.onehealth.com.

 

Give an Hour provider logos are now available on our website-- www.giveanhour.org. Log in to the provider section of the website, and you will find a logo that can be saved and downloaded into your business website (please consider making this a link to our website) or included in print material. We are thankful for your involvement with Give an Hour and want to help you receive recognition for your choice to serve military families. In turn, we appreciate your continuing to educate the community about us. 

 

 

Barbara Van Dahlen was one of two keynote speakers at the Las Vegas Conference of the U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress. Give an Hour was further represented at the conference by Nevada providers Sandra Abdullah and Earlene Evans who joined GAH Clinical Specialist Dr. Cheyenne Pease-Carter to raise awareness about our efforts. We are so thankful for these women and the many other providers who volunteer their time throughout their communities to share about the important work of Give an Hour and to educate the public on military mental health needs. Thank you, Sandra and Earlene! Your investment of time with Give an Hour is appreciated.

 

Is it depression? ADD? PTSD? Could it be a TBI? With TBIs being one of the most prevalent invisible wounds of the recent wars, it is crucial that providers working with service members and veterans possess foundational knowledge in how to assess for traumatic brain injuries.  

 

Some researchers have suggested that up to 80% of military TBIs occur in non-deployed settings, so all service members should be screened, not just combat veterans. TBI symptoms include memory or concentration problems, mood swings, depression, anxiety, headaches, sleep pattern changes (either too much or too little), and fatigue. Because these symptoms appear with other mental health diagnoses, TBIs can often be overlooked.  

 

We are excited to introduce an exceptional new screening tool for traumatic brain injuries. Created by Dr. John Corrigan and the team at the Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation at Ohio State University, the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method (OSU TBI-ID) will become a valued addition to the professional's assessment repertoire. The following website includes a training module that covers the purpose of the OSU TBI-ID, reasons why screening for TBIs is important, how to conduct the OCU TBI-ID interview, and how to interpret the findings: http://www.ohiovalley.org/tbi-id-method.  

 

 

Give an Hour was the recipient of funds raised during a charity golf event held at the exclusive Woodside Acres Golf & Country Club in Muttontown, N.Y., on October 8, 2013. Give an Hour is grateful to Dr. Layne Martin, a Navy veteran and dentist who is devoted to helping other veterans, who hosted the event. 

 

Over 80 players enjoyed a day of golf while supporting GAH's work. Give an Hour's Barbara Van Dahlen, Wayne Farmer, and Katherine Wilkins attended the event.  

Give an Hour apparel and all sorts of other cool items, available at our online shop, make great holiday gift items. Whether it is a water bottle, coffee mug, tote bag, t-shirt, or Give an Hour baseball cap, you can purchase it at our Cafe Press shop and help us raise awareness and funds for the valuable work we are doing all over the country. Show your colors and your support.