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WASHINGTON D.C. (March 18, 2008) - Help for servicemembers
coping with the effects of wartime service is just a phone call or
a mouse click away, thanks to a nationwide network of mental health
professionals.
"Give an Hour" is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has
created a national network of mental health professionals providing
free counseling services to returning veterans and their loved
ones, according to Barbara Romberg, the group's founder and
president. "The participating mental health professionals will
offer a wide range of services including individual, marital and
family therapy, substance abuse counseling, and treatment for post
traumatic stress disorder," she said.
The organization's member providers offer an hour of their time
each week to provide services to servicemembers and their spouses
and children.
Give an Hour takes the offer a step further by extending its
services to parents, siblings and unmarried partners who aren't
entitled to receive similar services through the military. This
group might have access to mental health services, but may be less
likely to seek help if it's costly or difficult to find, Romberg
said.
Romberg said she's hoping that will never be the case, as one of
Give an Hour's goals is to recruit tens of thousands of mental
health providers across the country willing to offer their
services. To date, Give an Hour has 1,000 providers participating
nationwide -- a number Romberg hopes to see increase substantially
in the near future.
"There are approximately 400,000 licensed mental health
professionals in the United States. Our goal is to have 10 percent
of them join our efforts," she said. "With 40,000 providers
offering free services for which the average fee would be $100 an
hour, we will be saving the military and the taxpayer a total of $4
million per week."
Until that goal is reached, however, if a request is received
and there's no provider in the immediate area, Give an Hour will
work to find one, Romberg said. Organization officials will either
work to recruit a provider to serve that area or find a one who
will offer phone support.
Give an Hour recently became a supporter of America Supports
You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies
with servicemembers and their families serving at home and
abroad.
"America Supports You will help Give an Hour get much-needed
mental health services to our troops and their loved ones by
letting them know help is available wherever they are," Romberg
said.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals,
groups and organizations that are helping support the troops,
visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America
Supports You directly connects military members to the support of
the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their
quest to find meaningful ways to support the military
community.
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