July 2014

Coming Soon: Special Hotline for Veterans

There's little doubt that a young recruit who's deployed to Afghanistan or another nation undergoes tremendous stress.  Everything is different from life in the United States. For many, their first deployment is their first time traveling outside of the country.  In addition to adjusting to a different culture and climate, many find themselves living in a hostile and dangerous environment.

After years of being immersed in military culture, the transition back to civilian life can be frustrating and traumatic. To many vets, it seems like the only people who truly understand what they've experienced are those who have worn the uniform.

Every day, thousands of people make the difficult transition from military to civilian life. For this reason, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is collaborating with MacDill Air Force base and government and non-profit agencies to launch a special hotline where a veteran can speak with a fellow veteran.

Through a specialized phone number, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay will utilize its existing 2-1-1 infrastructure to create a dedicated service line for veterans and their families.  This new program will help Florida veterans in five counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee and Polk, connect with Federal VA-funded services; receive the assistance they need; and prevent them from falling into a cycle of despair, addiction and homelessness.

The program provides veterans with an easy and accessible entry point for finding veteran-critical information and serves as a primary source of information and referral for returning veterans. The program will also help connect them to mental health and substance abuse services along with additional Crisis Center and community services.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is thankful to everyone who has served our nation in the armed forces. We look forward to being a source of help, hope and healing to veterans and their families.  


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