More than 250 behavioral health providers, service providers and educators attended the Battlemind to Home Mental Health Summit VII yesterday (Sept. 22), which aimed to create stronger, more supportive communities for service members, veterans and their families.
Sponsored and organized by the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI), the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, the Indiana National Guard and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Sept. 22 event focused particular attention on suicide prevention, while working to boost audience knowledge and understanding about military and veteran families. According to the most recent VA statistics, 20 veterans commit suicide every day.
Keynote speaker Rita Nakashima Brock opened the summit with a presentation on moral injury and its impact on military members, veterans and their families. The National Center for PTSD describes moral injury as “an act of transgression, which shatters moral and ethical expectations that are rooted in religious or spiritual beliefs, or culture-based, organizational, and group-based rules about fairness, the value of life, and so forth.” Brock, a research professor of theology and culture, and director of the Soul Repair Center at Brite Divinity School, has written extensively on the subject, especially in context of returning combat veterans.
“When the troops come home, war remains with them, and the struggle to return to civilian life can feel worse than combat,” she said. “Rebuilding moral identity occurs as people slowly rebuild trust and relationships over a lifetime.”
In addition to Brock and other general session speakers, attendees listened to speakers in breakout sessions that were focused on a variety of topics. During a general session presentation by Joining Community Forces Indiana (JCFI), regions worked together on wwweloping 2017 priorities and marching orders to deal with community issues. JCFI is the community engagement initiative that expands on First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Biden's "Joining Forces" campaign.
Powerful closing remarks were delivered by Silouan Green, a Marine veteran who wwweloped the Ladder UPP life skills program after overcoming physical, emotional and spiritual challenges in the wake of a jet crash. His program has been used by thousands to make their lives more fulfilling and resilient after severe trauma.
Green spoke about veterans’ struggles with depression, PTSD and suicide, and he motivated and challenged all Battlemind attendees to take action on behalf of all who are suffering from these invisible wounds of war.
“The entire day was an opportunity for community leaders, behavioral health providers and others to learn about how they can better serve our military and veteran families,” said Martina Sternberg, Ph.D., assistant director of MFRI. “Once again, with support from our partners, we were able to engage with nationally-prominent leaders who can provide thought-provoking subject matter to help veterans throughout our communities to find fulfilling and enriching lives.”