The National VA Care Management and Social Work Services

SUMMER 2015
The National VA Care Management and Social Work Services Newsletter
Inside Edition:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - VA Takes Part
in White House Conference on Aging
Conference on Aging
1
College Initiative
2
Homeless Outreach
3
In their Boots___
4
SWANK
5
Portraits of Recovery
6
Equine Therapy
7
EMPOWER program
9
The White House Conference on Aging was
held in Washington, D.C., on July 13, 2015.
Secretary McDonald spoke on a panel titled
Caregiving in America and the conference
was attended by Laura Taylor, Acting Chief
Consultant, Care Management and Social
Work Services. The Conference can be
viewed here. The White House has held a
Conference on Aging each decade since the
1960s to identify and advance actions to improve the quality of life of older Americans.
In addition to the attendees present, the
event was also available by live stream.
Over 600 watch parties were held nationwide.
Long Term Services and Supports:
Dr. Tom Edes and Dr. Barbara
Jaramillo
Winter 2014
Healthy Aging: Dr. Tom Edes, Dr. Hermes
Florez, and Ms. Meg Kabat
Elder Justice: Ms. Laura Taylor
A significant number of older Veterans
receive care and services through the VA.
In addition, the family caregivers of older
Veterans may be eligible for services and
supports provided by the VA Caregiver
Support Program. Participating in the White
House Conference on Aging was an
excellent way to raise visibility and awareness of VA programs and services for older
Veterans and their family caregivers.
BCT
10 In preparation for the event, the White
House Conference on Aging formed four
SW Intern Projects
11 federal interagency workgroups.
The
workgroups were structured around four
Letter from the Editor 11 critical areas: long-term services and
supports (including caregiving), retirement
Editorial Board
12 security, healthy aging, and elder justice.
The VA had robust representation in the
workgroups as follows:
Ms. Laura Taylor and Mr. Angelo
McClain, CEO, National Association of Social Workers (NASW) at
the White House Conference on
Aging.
Secretary McDonald speaking on panel titled
“Caregiving in America”.
1
Innovative Program Partners Colleges, VA in
Hudson Valley
MONTROSE, NEW YORK - An innovative program pioneered by the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System,
New York, is expanding, and its team has Social Workers leading the way to help America’s Heroes.
The College Initiative—a partnership between VA Hudson Valley, Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and
the Posse Foundation—kicked off in the summer of
2013. Its goal is to connect Veterans attending college
with medical care and benefits they earned as a result of
military service.
Angel Rosario, the Operation Enduring Freedom/
Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/
OIF/OND) Veterans Program Director for VA Hudson
Valley, oversees the College Initiative effort. He said the
program’s success can be summed up by one phrase:
“Think big by starting small.”
Angel Rosario, social worker and program manager of the OEF/
OIF/OND program for VA Hudson Valley, talks with a Veteran who
attends Vassar College Sept. 5, 2014 (Photo by Jason Tudor)
Since the program’s 2013 kickoff with 11 students, their
population has blossomed and the College Initiative will
grow by 30 students in the next three years, tallying 50
at Vassar. Rosario added, “We have been able to gain
the trust of our Veterans, Posse Foundation, and Vassar
College.”
The case manager has been providing general case
management, enrollment in VHA care, crisis intervention, and referrals to the Veterans Benefits Administration. The case manager also assists with coordination of
medical and mental health services. More recently, the
case manager was instrumental in taking the mobile clinics to the SUNY OCC campus where Veterans received
care for medical and mental health services.
Efforts included bringing mobile clinics to the campus,
and offering VA enrollment, eligibility, counseling, gender
-specific medical care, and more. Vassar also installed a
computer and webcam in a private room on campus to
allow for video telehealth. Recently, the VA Hudson Valley leadership sat with Posse students in a focus group
to improve and tailor VA efforts.
VA Hudson Valley and SUNY OCC are exploring placing
video telehealth services on campus by Fall 2015. The
annual OEF/OIF/OND summit that met with the first two
cohorts at Vassar College in May provided great feedback on the program’s direction.
“This is a true forward-thinking initiative,” Rosario proclaimed.
“We received only compliments on the care provided by
VA Hudson Valley. A few Veterans who are not new to
the VA said this is the best VA experience they’ve encountered so far,” Rosario said.
Meanwhile, the program continues to expand, thanks to
a partnership with the State University of New York Orange Community College (SUNY OCC). The school
asked for similar opportunities and will open up services
to about 300 more students in the area. SUNY OCC also
agreed to create an office on campus for the OEF/OIF/
OND VA Social Worker.
Rosario revealed, “Plans are also in the works to expand
the program to SUNY Orange in Middletown, N.Y. The
relationships ensure that we take a proactive approach
in serving this group of Veterans. These relationships
have motivated our VA to find creative ways to deliver
care to students at their college campuses and we are
excited about that.”
Rosario mentioned: “The Social Worker is providing oncampus services once a week and provides consultation
to faculty on issues specific to Veterans’ academic challenges, as well as attending Veterans’ Club meetings.”
2
HCHV: One Veteran’s Story
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS- The South
Texas Veterans Health Care System’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV) has been
identifying homeless Veterans via
outreach since 1987. In fact, we were
one of the original five test sites for
the former “Mentally Ill Homeless
Program.” We continue to identify the
homeless needs in our city and colHermán Montalvo,
laborate with stakeholders and comLCSW, ACSW,
HCHV Coordinator, munity partners to address the myriMinority Veterans
ad needs of our homeless VeterProgram
ans. To paraphrase a familiar televiCoordinator.
sion program: there are eight million
San Antonio, TX
stories in the HCHV program and this
is just one of them.
this self-motivated decision and its timing. HCHV had
fulfilled its mission to transition this homeless Veteran
from the street to his own apartment paid for by the income derived from his full-time job. In a devastating turn
of events, he lost his job due to difficulty locating his birth
certificate to validate US citizenship. He returned to our
contracted facility, was referred and accepted back into
the CWT program, and was reinstated in EMS. The multidisciplinary providers collaborated to give him an overarching umbrella of clinical support and guidance. However, the issue of his citizenship still hung over Mr. Lui’s
return to employment.
Mr. De Bona and this writer worked with the State Department, highlighting the positive effect the necessary
documentation would have on Mr. Lui retaining his Federal employment. Weeks later, a formal letter arrived
from the State Department confirming Mr. Lui’s birth to
an American father and that Mr. Lui had been issued an
American passport in the 1960s.
This story involves Mr. Ronald Lui, an Asian-Pacific Islander and Army Veteran who first gained our attention
when he presented to our Grant and Per Diem grantee’s
Service Center in April 2013. He arrived without funds,
housing, any specific contacts, or knowledge of the services available in San Antonio. A cursory assessment
identified his birth in the Philippines and service in the
US Army from 1973 to 1976 with an honorable discharge. Mr. Lui had never filed for compensation nor VA
pension. His salient need was for
housing and employment. He was
admitted to our
transitional
bed
facility nine days
after arriving at
VA. The assigned
case manager, Mr.
Anthony De Bona,
LMSW,
worked
Mr. Ronald Lui
closely with this
Veteran to engender trust and a positive therapeutic alliance. This trust led to referrals to his primary care provider and our Compensated Work Therapy program
(CWT) within a month. CWT accepted Mr. Lui and followed him closely while placed in Environmental Management Services (EMS). He distinguished himself as a
dedicated and hard worker and, with the support of his
contracted housing placement, continued with his numerous medical and behavioral health appointments. He
also received dental services via the Homeless Veteran
Dental Initiative Program. His dental care further accentuated his road to recovery.
Mr. De Bona used the letter to assist Mr. Lui with receiving an official Texas identification card, thus establishing
his identification and ensuring continued employment
with VA. Today, he continues with his new HUD-VASH
voucher apartment, his full time employment as an exemplary worker, and compliance with all his appointments and medications.
In summary, this case remains open because it is the
role of social work to stand by and support, at times gently prod, and demonstrate how issues are resolved within
the parameters of the greater organization. I look forward to providing Synergy+ readers updates as Mr. Lui
progresses with VA and our community partners. Meanwhile, HCHV case managers continue to put Veterans
first: to engender an empathic, trusting, and caring relationship; to build a relationship where the Veteran is part
of the solution and not part of the problem (quoting Eldridge Cleaver); and where a homeless Veteran can appreciate his role in the treatment plan and contribute to
the resolution of his identified needs and concerns. Mr.
Lui’s case is Veteran-centered case management and
social work at its best. Lastly, we can convince our Veterans that we have a choice in life if they are willing to
accept their roles as change agents and to channel their
energies to address plausible and appropriate goals with
the support of those assigned to assist them.
Mr. Lui progressed so well that in October 2013, he voluntarily discharged into his own local permanent residence. He was ecstatic, as was his treatment team, with
3
In their Boots
MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - It is Tuesday at 3:00
p.m. A frustrated Veteran walks
into your office and says, “I’ve
been all over this medical center, waiting in all kinds of lines,
talking to all kinds of people,
and I still can’t get the help I
need!” This is a scenario that most of us have heard at
some time or another. Most VA staff work tirelessly in the
job they do every day. Outside of that perspective, it is
difficult to know the Veteran and caregiver experience.
Social Workers are embedded throughout our Medical
Centers, yet despite our best efforts, we often don’t know
what our colleagues do, or what resources they have in
another part of our campus. What if you and staff from
throughout your Medical Center had the chance to see
what Veterans experience and what resources and assistance are available?
of what a Veteran might experience coming to the VA.
Ninety-two percent said they learned something new
about VA programs after the activity.
If you have any questions on this activity please contact
Kristin Maxwell, Manchester VA Medical Center at 603624-4366 ext. 6483.
“Being in a Wheelchair
gave me a different
perspective of what the
Medical Center looks like
from that vantage point
and how accessible
things are”
A work group of primarily Social Workers at the Manchester VA Medical Center created an interactive activity to
simulate common Veterans’ experiences. The activity is
called “In Their Boots” and is modeled after a domestic
violence awareness activity called “In Her Shoes.” “In
Their Boots” was developed over many months and rolled
out to all Manchester VA Medical Center staff during the
annual Social Work Day on March 27, 2015.
The activity assigns a small group to a Veteran scenario,
each with a name. Tom, Bill and Vivian are just a few of
the scenarios. Once assigned to a Veteran scenario,
participants read a card that describes a little about “your”
situation as the group’s participants become the Veteran
and share his/her experience. Each card in the scenario
ends either directing the group to another task or service
or provides a choice of next steps.
Depending on the Veteran group’s selection, the scenario will guide the group through a possible outcome, other
referrals or choices. The Veteran group walks through
the Medical Center to identified areas that are marked as
different services. Not only does the Veteran group
choose a particular path, but also has the experience of
trying to find that service or finding someone to help the
group determine where to go, much like many Veterans’
experiences. All scenarios have an end: some are positive and others are not, with the intent to be as realistic as
possible.
This group of Manchester VAMC staff are in the
scenario of “Tom”, a Veteran with ALS.
The activity was extremely well received and staff enjoyed the interactive and realistic components of the experience. Ninety percent of those who completed this activity said they believe they have a better understanding
4
SWANK HealthCare
Courses
In their Boots - Continued
Swank HealthCare has approximately 25 courses accredited by NASW that are available to VHA MSWs at
no additional cost and are completed in VA Talent Management System (TMS).
EES has established a national contract with Swank
HealthCare for employee access to more than 500
online health care continuing education/continuing medical education courses. These high-demand courses –
most of which are accredited – cover a broad range of
current topics and clinical competencies and are integrated into the VA Talent Management System
(TMS). Using the TMS will allow VHA staff ready access
to courses in the office or remotely, and course completions will be automatically recorded in employee learning
records.
In addition to providing comprehensive and immediate
employee access to Swank HealthCare’s large catalog
of clinical education and training content, the EES contract leverages learning resources across all VHA. This
single, national contract has allowed other VHA organizations to cancel work on new or existing contracts for
this content, resulting in significant cost avoidance to
VHA.
Two separate group scenarios. Each reviewing the next step in
their journey “In their Boots”.
Below, you can access a complete course catalog
(updated monthly) of all accredited and general staff
education offerings currently in the TMS.
We want your feedback on these courses! Send comments/feedback to jeff.tilden@va.gov and you may see
yourself quoted in an upcoming article regarding this
training!
Get Started!
Course Catalog
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Take a Course
Manchester VAMC staff work in groups to walk through various
scenarios choosing the path they want their care to take.
5
Portraits of Recovery
COLOMBIA, MISSOURI- The Social Worker and the Supervisor of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) team
wanted to reduce the stigma of homelessness by putting
real faces and real stories to Veterans who were utilizing
services through PSR.
After months of preparation and deliberation, Portraits of
Recovery was established. This project is a look into the
lives of Veterans on the road to recovery utilizing
services in the PSR programs. PSR services include all
homeless, vocational, peer support and Veteran Justice
Out Reach programs. Every location the Veteran was
photographed in was significant to them - some were of
their new homes, and some were the jobs they had been
laid off from that eventually led to their homelessness.
Portraits of Recovery has been featured in many conferences across Mid-Missouri, and will be featured as
artwork in the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans'
Hospital. Shown are a few samples - the project has
grown since inception, and now features over 10
different Veterans' stories.
Photos and design by Travis Weger, Visual Information Specialist, Truman VA.
Concept and interviews by Jessie Holdinghaus, LCSW, Truman VA.
PSR Supervisor- Sarah Froese, LCSW, Truman VA
6
A Star Inside Us
REDDING, CALIFORNIA The story of Candi and her
horse, Doc, has many lessons
and reminders for social workers and VA staff who work with
Veterans. As Coordinator for
the VA's Caregiver Support
Program in far Northern California, my clients are Care
Partners of wounded Veterans. Doc and Candi’s story is
a reminder to me that the bePatricia Gomez-Gillard,
lief Care Partners have in the
LCSW and Caregiver
Veteran's ability to cope with
Support Coordinator at the
their illness is paramount to
VA Northern California
Healthcare System
the Veteran's recovery. When
Care Partners, family
and
medical/mental health clinicians show confidence in not
only the Veteran's ability to recover, but to overcome
and succeed, the Veteran often rises to the occasion.
And as Candi did with Doc, the best communication
sometimes occurs when one watches carefully for body
language; listens with ears, heart and intuition. The best
communication can occur when we do not speak at all.
“DOC”
One Spot is a 17 year-old Registered Appaloosa horse,
nick-named “Doc”, who has won dozens of ribbons and
medals for barrel and pole racing. He and his human
companion, Candi Tucker, Administrative Officer for the
VA Outpatient Clinic in Redding, California, since 1980
travel throughout California every weekend during Gymkhana season participating in races. What makes this
unusual is that Doc is completely blind. Candi became
Doc’s human companion when he was 5 years old and
she immediately trained and began racing him. Doc repeatedly won.
one eye he was completely blind and on the other eye
they could try an expensive operation with no guarantees. She was also instructed by the specialists to immediately stop riding or racing Doc; and suggested that
he might eventually need to be euthanized as the anxiety related to his blindness would lead him to experience
significant discomfort and behavioral issues that would
make life dangerous for him, his caretakers, and anyone
who might walk near him.
After an overnight race in Paradise, California, in July
2008, Doc was in a temporary corral encircled by a portable electric fence next to Candi’s camper trailer when
she was awakened at 3:00 a.m. to noise outside. Candi
found Doc tangled in the electric wire, shaking and shivering and immediately took him to a local veterinarian.
After numerous tests with equine specialists, he was diagnosed with Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), a progressive eye condition that results in horse blindness.
The veterinarians stated that it appeared, based on the
condition of his eyes, that Doc had been afflicted with
the disorder for some time. They advised Candi that in
After much soul searching and time with Doc, Candi decided that if Doc was able to race and win races just
weeks before his diagnosis, he was clearly capable of
racing, despite his blindness. She decided she would try
to continue working with him, rather than “put him out to
pasture” or euthanize him. Candi covered his eyes with
a fly mask, so that other riders and audience members
would be aware that he was blind. She began to include
vocal cues to help Doc get in and out of the horse trailer;
such as stomping her foot on the step up and guiding
him gently into the trailer. Doc would then follow her lead
and enter his trailer.
When they raced, in addition to using leg pressure to
direct him to go right or left, Candi added vocal cues for
example, “here” for a sharp turn, or “over” for a quick
7
A Star Inside Us - Continued
weave between a pole. Candi states that Doc’s hearing
has become especially acute and when he hears the
latch on the arena gates open and close, he seems to
know he is getting ready to race. She says his ears
perk up and he appears to be excited when he hears
the announcer call their names. During the race, he
seems to fly with joy. And after the race, Candi can tell
he is calm and enjoying himself because he holds his
head high, he knickers in response when she speaks to
him, and he cocks his hips and feet, which is often a sign
of relaxation in horses.
Candi hopes that Veterans and VA staff will be inspired
by Doc’s story. She would also like to generate more
interest in equine therapy groups. “The VA has contracted with various equine therapy groups around the country. For instance, Stable Hands is a group in Yreka,
California that has contracted with the VA.” Stable
Hands, has a program, Horses Helping Heroes, where
military Veterans can recover strength and confidence
while developing horsemanship skills.
Horses Helping Heroes is built on the foundation of Veteran peer support and utilizes the camaraderie between
Veterans to provide a healing environment under the
guidance of a licensed occupational therapist and certified therapeutic riding instructors,” says riding instructor
Marcia Cushman-Perkins. Information about VAcontracted equine therapy groups in Northern California
may be obtained by contacting Candi at (530) 247-7977
or email Candi.Tucker@va.gov.
Candi hopes to continue racing Doc until he decides he
is done. She says that his courage, trust in her, and his
perseverance is inspiring. Candi is aware that the story
could have turned out quite differently. If she had given
up on him, and followed the advice of the veterinarians,
he probably would not be alive today. “Doc is an amazing horse who has taught me a lot,” said Candi. “You
are in charge of how you adapt to life’s difficulties. Doc
has shown me that anyone can find positive aspects of
life, even with physical or mental health challenges. We
all have a star inside us, waiting to excel. We just need
a little support and encouragement. ”
Candi Tucker racing her blind horse
“Doc” in competition.
8
EMPOWER:
Establishing Multiple Programs and Opportunities for
Women Engaged in Recovery
LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS - The EMPOWER project
was developed in response to the Domestic Violence/
Intimate Partner Violence (DV/IPV) Outreach Challenge
invitation from the Office of Women’s Health Services
and the Office of Care Management & Social Work Services The challenge highlighted the disproportionate
impact that DV/IPV has on women and the need for both
VA and community-based services to assist women Veterans with rehabilitation. The purpose of EMPOWER is
to centralize programs for women Veterans in need of
DV/IPV assistance under one umbrella and provide an
emphasis on whole recovery. EMPOWER will serve to
increase awareness about DV/IPV, support the implementation of VA’s DV/IPV Assistance Program, and
strengthen VA’s partnerships and relationships with the
community. The goal of the project is to exceed expectations in the following areas: Community Involvement,
Effectiveness, Innovation, Exportability, and Alignment.
The EMPOWER outreach events were designed to create awareness in both the community and Veteran population.
competitive 3.1 mile run or a recreational walk. Over 200
people registered and proceeds were directed to local
DV agencies that provide care and shelter to individuals
and families, including Veterans, experiencing violence
in their interpersonal relationships.
Volunteers from EKHCS were on-hand to educate the
participants about the VA services available to Veterans
who were dealing with DV/IPV. Volunteers also distributed program materials informing participants about related VA programs and eligibility.
Celebrity Appearance VA event
On Wednesday, May 6, 2015, the Women’s Health Center (WHC) at the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA welcomed
NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb for a speaking engagement. Ms. Cobb shared with EKHCS Veterans and
staff how she was inspired to create Driven2Honor, a
nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and honoring women in the military. Information
about Driven2Honor can be found at http://
www.driven2honor.com/
5K Run Community Event
On Saturday, May 2, 2015, VA Eastern Kansas Health
Care System (EKHCS) joined with Race4 Domestic Violence Prevention (Race4DVP) to raise awareness of the
issue of DV/IPV in our community. The 5K run took
place in a community setting and the activities included a
Driven2Honor recognizes the outstanding sacrifice of
military women by presenting them with a VIP race day
experience. This year a EKHCS Veteran was the recipient of the VIP race day experience at the Kansas City
Speedway on May 8, 2015.
EMPOWER Project Goals
Outreach Challenge goals
established by VA Central
Office were considered when
developing the EMPOWER
project. The goals include
achieving a high level of community involvement, demonstrating effective impact, developing an innovative project
design and exportability of the
project to other VA facilities.
Photos By: Joe Roe
9
Behavior Couples Therapy for Substance Use
Disorders: A Reflection of Practice, Trust and Understanding
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - More and
more, we are seeing the positive impact of evidence-based practice for
the treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Multiple randomized
studies show that when compared to
individual treatment alone, Behavioral
Couples Therapy (BCT) for SUD
leads to less alcohol and drug use,
fewer substance-related problems,
and better relationships.
In one
Jennifer Walton,
study, compared to individual treatLCSW-R, CASAC
ment, BCT-SUD resulted in signifiSocial Worker
cantly fewer cases that relapsed, fewVA WNY Healthcare er days of drug use, fewer drugSystem
related arrests and hospitalizations,
and longer time to relapse. Couples in
BCT-SUD also had more positive relationship adjustment on multiple measures and fewer days separated
due to relationship discord (O’Farrell and Fals-Stewart,
2000, pp.51-54). My journey with BCT started in August
2013, when I completed BCT-SUD training.
when symptoms are beginning, and actions the Veteran
can take to support continued recovery, such as going to
an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous
meeting daily. It also includes actions the spouse or
partner can take to receive additional support, like attending an Al-Anon support group or contacting the therapist with concerns.
One Veteran and his fiancée were referred by the Judge
of the Buffalo Veteran’s Treatment Court to outpatient
Substance Abuse Treatment Services and BCT-SUD
therapy. The couple’s relationship and communication
before BCT-SUD therapy was severely strained because
of his substance use. They no longer spent any quality
time together and the partner did not trust the Veteran
because he was dishonest about the money he spent on
drugs, spent significant periods of time away from their
home and her, and was using drugs. This mistrust was a
significant factor in bringing the couple to BCT-SUD. The
Veteran was able to maintain sobriety, complete Veteran’s Treatment Court, and re-build his relationship with
his fiancé. The Veteran gave many accolades for this
approach to treatment: “We learned so much by working
with Jennifer! She made sure that we applied the strategies we learned to our daily lives. From our promise to
each other and then our communication exercises, my
fiancé and I have new skills that will be used for the rest
of our lives. For that, my family is forever grateful.”
There are many facets to the success of BCT-SUD therapy: the couple’s commitment to making their relationship work, to weekly home practice assignments, and to
a daily trust discussion; and finally, the reward of the
couple’s commitment to recovery and their improved relationship.
Dr. Timothy O’Farrell, a VA expert on BCT said, “Often
external motivation can gradually become internal motivation which can be further reinforced by taking part in
BCT.” Dr. O’Farrell received his first grant for BCT in
1978 and has published over 250 articles. For more information, please see the BCT-SUD SharePoint, which
is filled with information for clinicians and patients, and
includes information on current BCT-SUD providers:
http://vaww.mentalhealth.va.gov/ebp/bct-sud.asp.
The goal of therapy is to improve interpersonal communication skills and relationship satisfaction. The curriculum consists of 12 one-hour sessions using a structured,
manualized protocol. On a daily basis, couples use the
Trust Discussion, in which the Veteran and his/her partner confirm his/her intention to maintain sobriety for the
next 24 hours, and the partner acknowledges his/her
effort and continued support. The Promises describe the
couple’s commitment to work together through respectful
interactions. This includes no threats of separation or
divorce while engaged in BCT-SUD therapy and no angry touching or threats of violence. Discussions of the
past are limited, focusing on the present and future.
Couples participate in all sessions and complete home
practice assignments.
Engaging in Shared Rewarding Activities is encouraged
to rebuild fun in the relationship. Shared Rewarding Activities are sober activities that both find enjoyable, such
as going for a walk, watching a movie, or going out for
dinner. A Relapse Prevention Plan is developed with the
therapist to support continued abstinence. The Relapse
Prevention Plan includes information on who to contact
Donna Sherman, LCSW-R- Substance Abuse Treatment Services
Program Supervisor, and Barry Chapman, LCSW-R- Buffalo Veteran’s Treatment Court Representative, presenting award to Jennifer
Walton, LCSW-R, CASAC-Social Worker in Buffalo, NY Substance
Abuse Treatment Services Program.
10
2014-2015 VA STUDENT INTERN PROJECTS
PROJECT TITLE
STUDENT
VA Social Work
Student Internship
Projects
The VA Care Management and Social
Work Services’ Quality, Safety and Value
(QSV) Committee collected over 30
student project summaries from the 20142015 cohort of VA social work graduate
student interns. As in previous years, the
projects reflected dedication, professionalism and diversity of interests displayed by
the social work students placed at VA
facilities.
Please click on Student Projects 20142015 for link to full summaries which can
be found on the CM/SWS SharePoint.
Mikaela Harf
VA Puget Sound HCS
Caregiver Support Program: Process Evaluation and Improvement
Vielka Pamerleau, Caitlin
Aspel, Elena Wash
VA Long beach HCS
Smoking Cessation Group
Melissa Bares
Northport VAMC
Mariela Bodon Ramos
Albany Stratton VAMC
Natalie Carter, Michelle Dean,
Allison Gibbs, Quatysha
Jackson, Michelle Northrop,
Xue Meyer, Emily Taylor,
Candace Turner
McGuire VAMC
Addressing Racism by Focusing on Covert Microaggressions
Katie Culpepper
Michael E. Debakey VAMC
(Houston, TX)
Caregiver Resource Guide: A Prevention of Caregiver Burnout
Erin Cummings
Interactive Voice Response system
Social Work Advance Directive Documentation
Post 9-11 Veteran Homelessness in Southern Arizona
Zachariah Giguere
Mammogram Test Results Reporting
Amanda Grunwald
Uncontrolled Diabetes among VA Primary Care Patients
VA Palo Alto HCS
S. Arizona VA HCS
(Tucson, AZ)
Wm. S. Middleton VAMC
(Madison, WI)
Kelley Haskins
VA Puget Sound VAMC
Brandon Haygood, Nhien
Dutkin
Atlanta VAMC
Caregiver Support Group: Managing all Caregiver Roles
Tiffany Kresl
VA Loma Linda HCS
The Effects of the Media on Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center:
A Qualitative Research Study
Hilda Massie
Atlanta VAMC
Advanced Directive Project
Brittany Munson, Holly
Powell and Michele Romano
West Palm Beach VAMC
HUD VASH Program Review
Michael Ogunsusi
Fort McPherson
Laura Faye Perkins
Cincinnati VAMC
Claire Piassa, Christie Allen
Albany Stratton VAMC
Ian Pocock
VA Puget Sound HCS
Military Sexual Trauma & Recovery
Improving inclusivity, Welcoming Environment, and Equitable
Health Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)
Veterans.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Cannabis Policy and Opioid Maintenance Treatment for Veterans
Mindfulness and Metaphors in Motion
Themes emerging from group discussion process
Our sincere thanks and congratulations to
the student interns, their practicum sites
and supervisors, as well as the National
Care Management and Social Work Services’ Quality, Safety and Value Project
Subcommittee past and current members
for their contributions – LeAnn Bruce, Erin
Butler, Barbara Harter, Katie Herrera,
Robert Larson and Page Lessy.
SITE
Coping with Agitated Behaviors in Dementia: A guide for Caregiver
Kaitlin Saverese
Austin VA CBOC
Afifa Yusufi, Deb Wertheim
Albany Stratton VAMC
Jennifer Bachand
VA Loma Linda HCS
Carmen Macias
VA Loma Linda HCS
SW Intern Handbook and Resource Manual
The Impact of Social Support of the Length of Homelessness
Lifestyle Curriculum for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes
Karen Moore
VA Loma Linda HCS
Dementia…Now What?: Caregiver Education and Support Group
(Non-institutional Care VA Adult Day Health Care)
Bo Chamunee and Joanna
Rodriguez
Sepulveda Ambulatory
Care Center
Development of a Benefits Guide for Community Residential Care
Mathew Kaplan
Collecting Caregiver Data During Universal Assessment
Brittany Madigan
Effectiveness of Women's Health Self-Esteem Group
Jessica Tapia
Outcomes for Older Adults in the Coping with Stress Group
Hayley Schleifstein
MHICM Program Satisfaction Survey
Eliane Spagnoletto
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression: A Group Facilitation
Manual for Clinicians
Alison Antony
Michelle Abdennour and Sean
Chandler
Dementia Intervention
VA Greater Los Angeles
HCS
VA Greater Los Angeles
HCS
Sepulveda Ambulatory
Care Center
Sepulveda Ambulatory
Care Center
Sepulveda Ambulatory
Care Center
VA Greater Los Angeles
HCS
VA Greater Los Angeles
HCS
Letter from the Editor
Dear Colleagues,
It’s with optimism and promise that I
leave SYNERGY+ in the capable
hands of Jana Seay, LCSW and our
new Assistant Editor Tiel Keltner, JD.
each new edition.
My hope moving forward is that front line staff spread
the edition to their teammates across the country, and
that program managers, executives and chiefs
encourage their staff to write articles to highlight their
programs and facilities.
During my tenure with SYNERGY and
then SYNERGY+ I have seen both
expansion and change within Care
Management and Social Work Services.
This edition showcases services in New York, Missouri, New Hampshire, Texas, Kansas and California.
Where are my collaborators from Oregon, Georgia,
Michigan and Florida? And all of the others? SYNERGY+ relies on the field.
Throughout that time, staff around the
country continued to pour their time and effort in collaborating with SYNERGY+ and writing articles that expressed their passion and focus. We have remarkable
folks doing outstanding work and I am amazed with
Finally a special thanks to Laura Taylor, Lorn Gingrich
and Jennifer Silva for the encouragement and support
over the last four years.
Lesley S. Reece,
LCSW, Social
Work Supervisor,
Salisbury VAMC
Happy Reading.
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Editorial Staff
Editor-in-Chief:
Lesley Reece, LCSW
Supervisory Social Worker
W.G. (Bill) Hefner VAMC, Salisbury, NC
Assistant Editor:
Jana Seay, LCSW
Supervisory Social Worker
Women Veterans Program Manager
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Editorial Board:
Laura Taylor, LSCSW
Acting Chief Consultant
Care Management and Social Work Services
Office of Patient Care Services, VACO
Jennifer Koget, LCSW, BCD
Acting National Director, VA Social Work
Care Management and Social Work Services
Office of Patient Care Services, VACO
Lorn Gingrich, LCSW-R, BCD
Social Work Program Manager
Care Management and Social Work Services
Office of Patient Care Services, VACO
Margaret Kabat, LCSW-C
Acting National Director of Caregiver Support Program
Care Management and Social Work Services
Office of Patient Care Services, VACO
Jennifer Perez, LICSW
Acting National Director of Transition and Care Management
Care Management and Social Work Services
Office of Patient Care Services, VACO
Melissa J. Harding, LCSW
Chair, Care Management and Social Work Services Leadership Council
Social Work Executive
New Mexico Veterans Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM
Heather Luper, MSW, LCSW-C
Acting Program Manager
National Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program
Case Management and Social Work Services
Public Relations
Subcommittee:
Jennifer Silva, LCSW-S
Assistant Chief, Social Work Service
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Chair, Public Relations Committee
Jennifer Molleker, LSCSW
OEF/OIF/OND Social Worker
VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System
Topeka, KS
Jennifer Smentek, LISW
OEF/OIF/OND Social Worker
Iowa City VA Health Care System
Waterloo, IA
Tiel Keltner, JD
VISN 20 Health System Specialist
Vancouver, WA
Publishers:
Lesley Reece, LCSW and Jana Seay, LCSW
Share your ideas, pictures and stories! We invite submissions from social work chiefs, program executives, and staff for
consideration for this coming issue. Please send with your Chief’s/SW Executive’s approval to
Jana.Seay@va.gov and Tiel.Keltner@va.gov
By: November 1, 2015
SYNERGY+ provides an excellent opportunity to share information with thousands of peers and VA stakeholders. SYNERGY+ welcomes
articles on leadership and innovation in practice relating to Care Management and Social Work within the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Talented SW/CM photographers are encouraged to submit digital photography for use in SYNERGY+
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