.webp?width=50&height=50&name=pa-icon%20(1).webp)
Advocacy campaign will engage key stakeholders, amplify benefits of VSOs for Veterans
SAN DIEGO, January 10, 2023 — PsychArmor, the preferred training provider for military culture awareness, and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) have joined forces to advocate for Veteran Service Officer (VSO) programs as a crucial component in improving health and wellness outcomes for Veterans. VSOs help Veterans navigate the many federal, state, and local resources and benefits available to them. Their services are available free of charge through multiple national Veterans non-profit organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wounded Warrior Project, American Veterans, and Disabled American Veterans. This advocacy work will leverage the collective strength of multiple national organizations around whole person health in military-connected communities.
“Making health improvements easier and more attainable for all Veterans and their families is a top priority,” said Tracy Nolan, MarketPoint Senior Vice President at Humana. “Partnering with community stakeholders and healthcare professionals, we can leverage our collective strength to connect Veterans and their families to Veteran Service Officers, community resources and long-term support.”
With Humana’s support, PsychArmor will create a video-based curriculum to educate learners about Veteran Service Officers and their benefits and services, across the full range of non-profit providers. This course will be titled 15 Things Veteran Service Officers Want You To Know and will follow a similar format as PsychArmor’s cornerstone course, 15 Things Veterans Want You To Know. In addition to raising awareness about VSO programs, the curriculum aims to counter misconceptions around the VSO program and will address concerns that many Veterans don’t self identify or file VA claims.
“This is yet another building block in our work to reduce barriers to care for Veterans and their families,” said Dr. Tina Atherall, CEO of PsychArmor. “We’re applying a public-health approach to an identified health equity need–getting Veterans in touch with their VSO peers who can help them navigate the complexities of VA claims and benefits. We also believe that the resulting social connections and their impact on health outcomes will be a secondary benefit of VSO engagement and advocacy. ”
PsychArmor’s learning design and content development team will research Veteran Service Officer services and culture using broad data collection methods to include interviews and surveys, in partnership with Humana and all non profits who train and provide VSO services.
The Veteran population is included as one of Humana’s Bold Goal communities, part of its population health strategy unveiled in 2015 to improve the health of the communities it serves. Humana has focused on addressing the impact that social determinants and health-related social needs such as food insecurity, social isolation and loneliness, transportation and housing quality have on its members and in the communities where they live.
As a nationally recognized nonprofit leader and preferred training provider for military cultural awareness, PsychArmor serves members of the military-connected community and anyone who wants to more effectively engage with them. Carefully guided by clinical psychologists, Veterans, military and leaders in the private and public sector, PsychArmor offers learning journeys, from continuing education to customized training, including online courses, curricula, podcasts, webinars, live speaking engagements, and social media.
About Humana
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. More information regarding Humana is available atwww.humana.com.
About PsychArmor
PsychArmor is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation providing education and support to individuals and organizations that work with, live with, and care for American service members, Veterans, and their families. For more information about PsychArmor, contact Carole Turner, StrategicCommunications, PsychArmor, at cturner@psycharmor.org.
###