Veterans across the nation, including those in the Coachella Valley, will now have greater access to services 24/7.
The Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) and Vets4Warriors on Tuesday announced a new cooperative to provide the much-needed access. Vets4Warriors will be offering access to their network of veteran peers to help extend CVN’s existing service to off hours, weekends and holidays for veterans, including National Guard and Reservists, military families and caregivers.
The Cohen Veterans Network was launched in 2016 and operates seven clinics nationwide focused on helping post-9/11 veterans and their families with a variety of issues. CVN seeks to improve the quality of life for veterans by strengthening the mental health outcomes and complementing existing support with a particular focus on post-traumatic stress, an area that Vets4Warriors specializes in. CVN will have 10 clinics in operation by March of 2018.
Vets4Warriors, which operates out of Rutgers University, is a peer support network operated by a team of more than 40 veterans who provide personalized peer support for veterans, currently serving military personnel, their families and caregivers. CVN will utilize Vets4Warriors’ unique service to help extend their current support network around the clock.
“This partnership will provide great value to veterans and families across the country. Vets4Warriors will be there for our clients when our clinics are closed, provide support to our clients who complete treatment, and enable us to enhance our telehealth efforts,” said Dr. Anthony Hassan, CEO & President of the Cohen Veterans Network, in a prepared statement.
The partnership will ensure that veterans and military family members who reach out during clinic off hours, weekends, and holidays will be able to talk to a trained and empathetic veteran peer, who can then personally guide them to the local Cohen Clinic. These veteran peers will provide an understanding ear, and potential CVN clients in need will never be left alone even if a clinic is closed. The Vets4Warriors veteran peers will not be doing any counseling, or extending clinical care.
By connecting veterans in need with a peer, the two organizations will be able to help veterans find solutions to their challenges and problems sooner rather than later and continue to improve their overall well-being.
“We are excited to partner with Cohen Veterans Network to ensure that all veterans, service members, family members and caregivers can directly connect to a peer for support whenever they face a challenge, wherever they are in the world.” said Director of Vets4Warriors, Major General (Retired) Mark Graham in a prepared statement. “By collaborating with CVN, we will be able to better fulfill our mission to help veterans with whatever they may be going through before they reach a crisis point. Vets4Warriors looks forward to growing alongside CVN as an organization and reaching more veterans and their families who seek mental health care.”
