Mid-Atlantic Regional Community of Practice

Military Culture and Moral Injury in Veterans

Tuesday, November 5
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST

This is the second Regional Community of Practice training event for our network users in the Mid-Atlantic Region, from our AmericaServes providers in Greater Pittsburgh, the National Capital Region, and larger South Hampton Roads communities.

Our next training will be a two-part presentation. Virginia Veteran and Family Support will begin by providing network users with insight into military culture, what it is like to serve in the military, and the nuances of transitioning back into civilian life. The second part of the training will be a presentation by the Center for Deployment Psychology and will feature an extensive understanding of moral injury in veterans.

This workshop is FREE of charge to you and your staff within your organization.

This will be a completely virtual training and we encourage you to join us in part or for the entire workshop, helping to strengthen your ability to support the military and veterans in your community.

Agenda:

1:00 – 2:00 pm:

Introductions

Provided by ServingTogether, a program of EveryMind

Military Culture Competency and Transition Awareness

Presented by Jonathan Patrick, Virginia Department of Veteran Services

2:00 – 4:00 pm:

Moral Injury in Veterans

Presented by Dr. Paula Domenici, Center for Deployment Psychology

Military Culture Competency and Transition Awareness

Currently, over 1.3 million people serve on active duty and over 800,000 are supporting in the reserves components in the United States Armed Forces around the country and world. With over 2.7 million service members have deployed since 2001, and a continued presence in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas of conflict, the need for quality, culturally competent care for military and their families has never been greater.

This course will help to provide basic knowledge regarding military organization structure, rank, branches of services, core values, and demographics of the United States Armed Forces.  This course will also help to discuss military transitions from active duty, deployment and reintegration into civilian life, and how you, as network providers, are important resources to support that connection to services.

 Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the military organizational structure, rank, branches of service, core values, and demographics
  • Identify differences between the Active and Reserve components and National Guard
  • Identify characteristics of military transitions from active duty, deployment and reintegration to civilian life and the challenges that arise
  • Identify best practices to enhance behavioral health, treatment options and resources for military service member veteran family (SMVF) in community settings
  • Identify resources for SMVF, caregivers and providers
  • Discuss the prevalence and characteristics of suicide among military service members, and veterans according to Federal and State data sources

Moral Injury in Veterans

One commonly misunderstood consequence of exposure to traumatic or morally conflicting events of war is moral injury.  This condition – sometimes characterized as soul wounds – occurs when an individual’s deeply-held values, ideals or expectations are severely transgressed leading to inner conflict. Over the past several years, this concept has received increased attention both in the psychological literature and popular press. Some experts have suggested that the extended operations in Iraq and Afghanistan where Service members were exposed to unconventional guerrilla warfare and greater ambiguity increased the risks for developing moral injury.

This webinar will describe moral injury, identify incidents that may contribute to it, and highlight why it remains controversial and requires further inquiry. It will analyze challenges clinicians face in identifying and treating this condition, including how to distinguish it from other mental health problems such as PTSD. The presenter will introduce military cases to demonstrate strategies for assessing and addressing moral injury. Attendees are encouraged to bring examples of clients who have experienced moral injury. This webinar is aimed at behavioral health providers and trainees working with the military population in addition to clinicians interested in trauma.

Learning Objectives:

  • Specify the critical components of a comprehensive definition of moral injury
  • Discriminate between characteristics of moral injury and symptoms of other mental health problems.
  • Identify strategies for the assessment and treatment of moral injury

Speakers & Panelists:

Jonathan Patrick

Veteran Justice Specialist, Virginia Veteran and Family Support

Virginia Department of Veteran Services

Paula Domenici, Ph.D.

Director, Training and Education

Center for Deployment Psychology

Click here to review more information about the speakers.

Who?

Registered AmericaServes Network Users in the Mid-Atlantic Region (ServingTogether in the National Capital Region, Mission United of South Hampton Roads, and PAServes, Greater Pittsburgh). Staff and team members within the organization are also invited to participate.

Cost?

This workshop is provided free of charge, as part of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Community of Practice Champion initiative.

Where?

Attend Virtually through GoToWebinar

When?

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST)

Continuing Education: 3 Credit Hours

EveryMind will provide continuing education certificates to those in attendance for the entire seminar, after which attendees may collect their certificates.

  • EveryMind is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education learning activities and maintains full responsibility for this program.  This training qualifies for Category I continuing education units.
  • EveryMind has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP #5796. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. EveryMind is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

Registration:

Register to Participate Virtually 

We will offer this session virtually via GoToWebinar.

Questions?

Please contact Christy Kenady at ckenady@every-mind.org or by phone at 703-288-5355.

 

Presented by ServingTogether, a program of EveryMind as part of the Regional Community of Practice efforts for the AmericaServes Mid-Atlantic Region. This project was supported under a Grant awarded by the Walmart Foundation to SU.