Loudoun County has been awarded one of the Commonwealth’s Wounded Warrior grants. In response to the growing need to improve and expand services to our nation’s veterans and service members, the Commonwealth of Virginia established the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP) in 2008. It is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services, and the Department of Rehabilitative Services.
The VWWP supports the following persons on their road to recovery from the effects of stress-related injuries (such as post traumatic stress disorder) or traumatic brain injuries:
- Veterans of any era who are Virginia residents
- Members of the Virginia National Guard not in active federal service
- Virginia residents in the Armed Forces Reserves not in active federal service
- Family members of veterans and service members
Mark Taylor
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Regional coalitions of community services boards, brain injury services providers, and other public and private service providers are offering services across the Commonwealth. These coalitions will enhance the existing array of services in their communities based on an ongoing assessment of local needs.
The Loudoun County project is designed to provide services to veterans throughout the Northern Virginia region. In collaboration with the other CSBs in Northern Virginia we have developed a program which will provide evaluation and treatment, case management, education for veterans and their families, children’s services, family outreach (focusing on spouses), skill building, and emergency services.
The project will prioritize combat veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq and their families. Brain injury services will also be provided, including intensive case management, supported living, day programs, specialized volunteer services, consultation and training, and family support.
Michelle Wickman
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The Wounded Warrior program grant is guaranteed for only a year, but with a hope for at least one more year of ongoing funding. Each of the five Health Planning Regions in Virginia was awarded funds from the Governor’s allocation. The awards were for differing amounts, based on the perceived needs of each region and the interventions being proposed by each. Our region was awarded the second-highest amount -- $400,000.
That funding will provide for the services of four clinical staff plus 1 support staff person. Services will be based in Leesburg. Space on the third floor of the Shenandoah Building is being renovated to accommodate the new program. Direct services will be provided here, sine this site was seen as accessible to most of the region’s target population.
Referrals will come from a variety of sources, including, it is hoped, the Veterans Administration, other CSBs, other local agencies, such as Family Services, Brain Injury Services, and military installations who may be willing to identify potential service recipients from among about-to-be-separated service men and women. The program’s coordinator, Mark Taylor, notes that there will also be a need to publicize the program in various ways in order to attract self-referrals from the veterans and their families. He plans to get the word out to veterans’ organizations, reserve units, military bases and, sadly, even jails.
Donna Maglio
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Even local military recruiters will be informed about the program; service members frequently do keep in touch with those who recruited them.
Mark is not sure when services will be up and running. His hope is to do so by the beginning of October. Three staff are currently on board, with two more to begin before the end of the month.
The new staff include Mark, who is a 21-year veteran of the Marine Corps. He has just completed his MSW and was recruited for this position while inquiring about other employment opportunities with the Department.
Michelle Wickham recently received her PsyD and is returning to Virginia after having spent the last year completing an internship in Boston. She has long had a research interest in the needs of veterans and will use her clinical skills in testing and evaluation in the program.
Cynthia Spitzer
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Donna Maglio is an LCSW who is relocating to Virginia from New Jersey. In her former practice, Donna, who is certified with the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, used horses in her therapy treatment.
Cynthia Spitzer is the support staff person for the Wounded Warriors program. She has 20 years of IT and project management experience, experience that should prove helpful in managing the grant-related responsibilities of the program.
