This document discusses resources for veterans in San Diego and how public libraries can help connect veterans to support. There are over 600,000 veterans in San Diego, many of whom experience post-traumatic stress disorder or other issues after leaving the military. While resources exist, information is not always organized. The document recommends libraries create pathfinders, guides, or webpages to organize information on mental health services, benefits applications, social support groups, and recommended reading materials to help veterans cope with disability and transition challenges.

1. Veterans in San Diego: Diversity Awareness 9/20/2011 Kristen Mulvihill

2. Diversity: Why Veterans? Unique group with unique cultural experiences Isolation experienced after leaving the military Change in routine Coworkers relocating elsewhere Resources to connect with other veterans are abundant, yet…

3. Veterans in San Diego 600,000 veterans seek services in San Diego New battlefield medicine yields more survivors of trauma Recurring tours of duty cause even more PTSD Veterans of previous wars living longer Ironically… Venues where active duty military service members can socialize are easy to find in San Diego, but they are not so easy to access among veterans. Once they are separated from the service, admission to a military base is limited, depending on the status of the veteran.

4. Veterans in San Diego 1,929,572 veterans in the state of California 24.6% of CA veterans are considered disabled California has the highest number of veterans in the country He or she will need some level of mental health services, and if not treated soon enough, alcohol and drug treatment also, in conjunction with assistance with affordable housing, legal, family and financial counseling… CA Dept of Labor

5. Considerations for San Diego Public Libraries Veterans can feel like a minority when leaving the service Not all library staff will be knowledgeable about veterans More than $6 billion in total expenditures are invested in DoD

6. Veterans and Public Libraries Veterans need to connect with other veterans Provide space for groups to organize or information about other venues Information is everywhere…..but not organized Create pathfinder or webpage with prioritized links Family and friends may need help coping with changes Create book clubs or coordinate support groups Transportation to medical facilities can be challenging without adequate knowledge of resources Provide information about easy-to-access resources and benefits

7. Low-Cost Possibilities Pathfinder or LibGuide Binder at Reference Desk Links or page on website Network with advocacy organizations Veteran Museum in Balboa Park U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Veterans Administration – Apply for Grants

8. Information Resources: Organized by Librarians High-priority hotlines and immediate resources for acute mental health conditions related to difficulties in transitioning or isolation resulting from the disability or separation from service; List of resources for obtaining immediate assistance by organizations and Veterans Affairs facilities in San Diego; Website links for obtaining military records and researching facilities in San Diego; Online resources for connecting with other veterans and professionals through social media; Bibliography of nonfiction: books about coping with disabilities; Bibliotherapy: fiction recommendations regarding coping with disabilities; Index to organizations that provide mental health services; Index to locations for connecting with other veterans.

9. Pathfinders – Some Examples

10. Pathfinders – Some Examples

11. Pathfinders – Some Examples

12. Pathfinders – Some Examples

13. Pathfinders – Some Examples

14. Recommended Works: Nonfiction Nonfiction: The following works provide information about coping with physical disabilities, veterans and mental health issues, and specific techniques related to psychology and physical disabilities. Buchalter, S.I. (2011). Art therapy and creative coping techniques for older adults. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Coombs, J., & Sard, F. (1984). Living with the disabled: You can help : a family guide. New York: Sterling Pub. Co. Couser, G. T. (1997). Recovering bodies: Illness, disability, and life-writing. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Cox-Gedmark, J. (1980). Coping with physical disability. Philadelphia: Westminster Press. Frank, G. (2000). Venus on wheels: Two decades of dialogue on disability, biography, and being female in America. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press. Garland-Thomson, R. (1997). Extraordinary bodies: Figuring physical disability in American culture and literature. New York: Columbia University Press. Hillyer, B. (1993). Feminism and disability. Norman, Okla: University of Oklahoma Press. Hoge, C. W. (2010). Once a warrior, always a warrior: Navigating the transition from combat to home--including combat stress, PTSD, and mTBI. Guilford, Conn: GPP Life. Marinelli, R. P., & Dell, O. A. E. (1999). The psychological and social impact of disability. New York: Springer Pub. Co. McHugh, M. (2003). Special siblings: Growing up with someone with a disability. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes. Milam, L. W. (1993). CripZen: A manual for survival. San Diego, Calif: MHO & MHO Works. Perske, R., & Perske, M. (1988). Circles of friends: People with disabilities and their friends enrich the lives of one another. Nashville: Abingdon Press. Resources for Rehabilitation (Organization). (2003). A man's guide to coping with disability. Winchester, Mass: Resources for Rehabilitation. Resources for Rehabilitation (Organization). (1994). A woman's guide to coping with disability. Lexington, Mass: Resources for Rehabilitation. Seifter, J., & Seifter, B. (2010). After the diagnosis: Transcending chronic illness. New York: Simon & Schuster. Shannon, J.B., ed. (2008). Disease management sourcebook : Basic consumer health information about coping with chronic and serious illnesses, navigating the health care system. Detroit: Omnigraphics. Sirof, H. (1993). The road back: Living with a physical disability. New York: New Discovery Books. Sullivan, M. B., Brightman, A., Blatt, J., Davis, M., & Bourke, L. (1979). Feeling free. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley. Wehman, P. (2001). Life beyond the classroom: Transition strategies for young people with disabilities. Baltimore: P.H. Brookes Pub. Co.

15. Recommended Books: Fiction Fiction: The following online resources provide book reviews, discussions, and recommendations of fiction that integrates the theme of physical disabilities into the plot or character of the works described. Kestrell. (n.d.) “Decloaking Disability Bibliography.” Blind Bookworm. Retrieved on August 9, 2011 from http://www.panix.com/~kestrell/DecloakingDisabilityBiblio.html Kestrell is the pseudonym of the blogger whose homepage, Blind Bookworm, provides resources for accessible audiobooks and reading materials. This page, while described by the author as a work in progress, is quite an accomplishment. It lists fiction, film, and literary criticism with annotations that explain how the material adds to the efforts of portraying people with physical disabilities as one of many acceptable and interesting cultural groups. I do not list my own recommendations in this pathfinder after having discovered this website that has reviewed the material much more eloquently than I ever could. This is the best resource I have found for locating literature portraying people with disabilities. Roberts, A. (2007, September 5). “Science fiction and physical handicap.” The Valve: a literary organ. Retrieved on August 12, 2011 from URL: http://www.thevalve.org/go/valve/article/science_fiction_and_physical_handicap The writer uses this blog to collect recommendations of science fiction where there is a representation of a physical disability. Responses offer several good recommendations as well as comments on how the material was inspirational to the readers. Stemp, J. (2004, Winter). “Devices and desires: science fiction, fantasy and disability in literature for young people.” Disability Studies Quarterly, (24)1. Retrieved on August 13, 2011 from URL: http://www.dsq-sds.org/article/view/850/1025 An author of fantasy and science fiction who has coped with chronic illness in her own life, Jane Stemp writes about well-written and poorly written science fiction, particularly works that helped her cope and filter her life experiences in living with chronic illness. Stemp follows the article with a list of recommended books.

16. Recommended Works: Online Community Organizations, Websites, and Online Resources: Army Starrs (Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers). (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.armystarrs.org/ This is the partnership program between the Army and the National Institute for Mental Health. It provides information about mental health issues and resources. Defense Centers for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. (n.d.) 24/7 Outreach Center. Retrieved from http://www.dcoe.health.mil/24-7help.aspx Provides email, telephone, and chat room resources for counseling, in addition to podcasts, a newsletter, and additional links for veterans and their families. Military One Source. (2011). Counseling Options and Immediate Help. Retrieved from http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/About/CounselingServices.aspx Offers resources to schedule face-to-face counseling, telephone counseling, or online counseling, in addition to a 24-hour hotline for suicide prevention. National Institute of Mental Health. (2010, August 31) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml National Resource Directory. (n.d.) National Call Center for Homeless Veterans. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/NationalCallCenter.asp Connects homeless veterans to a chat room or hotline to ask questions about resources available by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Offers information about volunteer opportunities for veterans who are seeking less isolation. Reviews the symptoms and available treatment of PTSD according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Provides links for veterans to seek assistance. Paralympic Program. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/ A new website dedicated to adaptive sports for veterans with disabilities. Provides resources, community links, and lists of activities where disabled veterans can connect with a community. The Ragged Edge Magazine. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/ Website for the Ragged Edge, a periodical that advocates disability rights and provides educational resources, blogging and other social media resources for networking among veterans or others with disabilities. “Replacing military records.” (n.d.) in United States Department of Veterans Affairs: Chapter 14: Military medals and records. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/benefits_chap14.asp This is the online resource for learning how to obtain the military records that verify a veteran’s eligibility for assistance. Visiting a local V.A. facility might be faster, now that most facility staff members are trained to provide immediate registration and orientation to any veteran who is claiming a need for assistance. Nevertheless, veterans who are unable to visit the nearest facility can use the resources on this web page to obtain their records to verify eligibility. Suicide Prevention and Risk Reduction Committee. (n.d.) Resources for Suicide Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.suicideoutreach.org/’ United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Mental Health Resources. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ This is the primary website used for learning about individual and group therapy options available through the nearest V.A. Hospital. It connects visitors to general information about mental health as well as to hospital staff who can assist them by phone or through a chat room. USO (United Service Organization), San Diego. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.usosandiego.org/ The USO Downtown Centeris open every day of the year from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m to offer comfortable surroundings for active-duty military during their travels. This facility offers meeting space, free wi-fi, and entertainment equipment. Although it technically for active-duty personnel, veterans can volunteer at the facility in an effort to meet other veterans and military personnel. By locating community centers such as a USO facility or a Vet Center, disabled veterans can avoid the isolation that can cause depression or other mental health problems. Veterans Crisis Line. (n.d.) Confidential chat room. Retrieved from http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ Offers a telephone hotline or chat room for veterans or family members of veterans to call regarding resources and immediate help. Offers a self-quiz and training materials to assist veterans and family members with understanding the warning signs for suicide. Provides a suicide hotline, an outreach center, and training materials for identifying the warning signs for suicide among veterans. Extensive multi-media material is available for viewing. “Locations.” (n.d.) in United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Retrieved from http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1 Veterans and caregivers can use this website to quickly locate the nearest hospitals and facilities where veterans seek assistance or socialize.

17. And More In addition to the works above, I recommend a recent article published in Library Journal where the “wounded warrior” issue is explained and recent publications are recommended. This article can be found through the following: Hughes, M.A. (2011, July 10). “Collection development | Back on the home front.” Library Journal. Retrieved online from URL: http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890883-264/collection_development__back_on.html.csp The list above is a starting point. Feel free to contact me at kjsmulvihill@gmail.com with your recommendations. You can also connect with the librarian at the Patient Education Center at the UCSD Medical Center in La Jolla, (858) 552-7401.