Are you a service member, veteran, or military family member (SMVF) who needs help and doesn’t know where to go? Are you a community provider who wants to do more to help the SMVFs in our state? Are you a clinician who wants to be better informed about the physical and mental health challenges faced by our soldiers? Help with these and other questions can be found at the Ask the Question website (askthequestionnh.com). Take some time to peruse the site- developed as part of DHHS’s Ask the Question outreach and awareness initiative- and find some help today!
The site’s resource page contains information and links to everything from a comprehensive resource list (excerpted below) and VA FAQs, to educational material on Stigma, BATTLEMIND, and the Invisible Wounds of War, and includes tools for community providers and clinicians who want to better serve our heroes . . . plus more!
If you’re interested in learning more about military culture and the unique challenges faced by those who have served, check out the many amazing and FREE webinars available through the Home Base Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Department of Veterans Affairs and Center for Deployment Psychology (askthequestionnh.com/wp-content/uploads/MilitaryCultureandAwarenessWebinars.pdf). The Home Base Program offers a series, From the War Front to the Home Front: Supporting the Mental Health of Veterans and Families. This online training series focuses on how to recognize and address the challenges faced by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. The CDP webinars train on how to provide high-quality, culturally-sensitive services to military personnel, veterans and their families.
Where to get help in NH? Below are some commonly sought resources and referrals for your convenience:
VA Medical Centers
- Manchester VA Medical Center: 603.624.4366, 800.892.8384, www.manchester.va.gov
- White River Junction (WRJ) VA Medical Center (VT): 802.295.9363, 866.687.8387, www.whiteriver.va.gov
- Eligibility for VA Healthcare Services— Manchester ext. 6799, WRJ ext. 5118/6281
- Caregiver Support Program–Manchester ext. 6895 or 2524, WRJ ext. 5364
- Homeless Veterans- Manchester ext. 3622 or ext. 2701, WRJ ext. 6939
- Intimate Partner Violence- Manchester ext. 6932
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)- Manchester ext. 2777, WRJ ext. 5886
- Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Services- Manchester ext. 6463 (SUD: 2203), WRJ ext. 6132
- Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Coordinator- Manchester ext. 6450, WRJ ext. 5766
- Peer Support Services- Manchester ext. 3621, WRJ ext. 6932
- PolyTrauma/TBI- Manchester ext. 6455
- Veterans Just Coming Out of the Service (OEF/OIF)- Manchester ext. 6483, WRJ ext. 5362
- Veteran Justice Outreach- Manchester ext. 2296, WRJ ext. 5681
- Women Veterans- Manchester ext. 6541, WRJ ext. 6230
Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)
- Conway VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic- 800.892.8384, ext. 3199
- Portsmouth VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic- 603.624.4366, ext. 3199
- Somersworth VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic- 603.624.4366, ext. 3199
- Tilton VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic- 603.624.4366, ext. 3199
Vet Centers: Vet Centers provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services for combat veterans, veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma, and their families
- Berlin Vet Center- 603.752.2571, 877.927.8387
- Keene Vet Center- 603.358.4950, 877.927.8387
- Manchester/Hooksett Vet Center- 603.668.7060, 877.927.8387
- White River Junction (VT) Vet Center- 802.295.2908
State Military Archivist: For help tracking down military discharge paperwork, 603.225.1380
Veterans Benefits Administration: Provides veterans benefits information and determination, 800.827.1000, www.benefits.va.gov/manchester
NH State Office of Veterans Services: Provides assistance to veterans and/or their dependents with securing all benefits to which they may be entitled, 603.624.9230, 800.622.9230, www.nh.gov/nhveterans
Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Services (MVS) offers Care Coordination to veterans of all eras – from World War II veterans to those who are currently serving. Services are free, confidential, and provided locally – in the veteran’s home or other convenient location. Care Coordinators are community caseworkers with extensive training in military culture. Their job is to do whatever it takes to help service members, veterans, and their families thrive. Care Coordinators help those in crisis situations, and are also available to help families plan ahead and avoid problems when facing life changes and challenges. If you know a service member, veteran, or military family in need, please contact the Program Coordinator, Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Services, at 603.315.4354.
Veterans Count, the philanthropic program of ESNH MVS, provides emergency financial assistance to veterans for critical and unmet needs. Veterans Count raises awareness about the challenges that can result from military service and raises money to help address these needs. To learn more about Veterans Count or to make a donation, please visit vetscount.org/nh. Or, mail your donation to Veterans Count, Easterseals NH, 555 Auburn St, Manchester, NH 03103.