UNC Charlotte Veterans Health Conference to Address Reintegration to Civilian Roles
Returning veterans often face serious challenges as they reintegrate to civilian roles. This task can be even more demanding when the returning service member has suffered a traumatic injury. Supporting veterans and their families through this process is the focus of the 2017 UNC Charlotte Veterans Health Conference.
The conference will emphasize biopsychosocial issues related to reintegration, including physical health challenges faced by this population access to and use of services among veterans, service members and their families, including potential strategies for supporting reintegration to their life roles in the community. The event will also address psychological trauma related to occupational health risk exposures in the military
“While asking ‘Have You Ever Served in the Military?’ is an important start, it must be accompanied by an in-depth understanding of what it means to have served and what the accompanying health risks are for that individual based on when and where they served,” said Major General Margaret Wilmoth, Deputy Surgeon General for Mobilization, Readiness and Army Reserve Affairs, US Army, and a keynote speaker at the event.
“Joining Forces for Veteran Health and Reintegration” will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday Feb. 28, 2017, in UNC Charlotte’s Popp Martin Student Union. The event is free and open to the public.
Other keynote speakers include:
- James Prosser, Assistant Secretary for North Carolina Veterans Affairs
- Professor Richard Tedeschi from the UNC Charlotte Department of Psychology, whose research focuses on post-traumatic growth in survivors of various traumas, including combat.
“In the aftermath of a traumatic experience some people may find posttraumatic growth, and this is true for veterans as well, said Tedeschi. “This growth may involve a greater sense of personal strength, appreciation of life, relating to others, new possibilities in life, or spiritual change. A combination of a program based on post-traumatic growth principles, in a setting that fosters reflection and within a safe interpersonal environment may have the best opportunity for promoting optimal reintegration for veterans.”
The conference will feature a research poster session and opportunities for audience interaction and questions with all the presenters. Attendees also will have the opportunity to attend clinician and veteran panels of campus and community partners, and visit a vendor fair featuring community service providers.
“North Carolina is home to more than 800,000 veterans and the third largest military force in the United States,” said Assistant Secretary Prosser. “Meeting the needs of service members, veterans and families requires interagency cooperation and collaboration.”
In March, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry will publish a special issue on veteran reintegration featuring research by UNC Charlotte Academy for Veteran and Military Health Director Christine Elnitsky.
CEUs Available for Social Workers.
This continuing nursing education activity was submitted for approval by the North Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.