SAVC Policy
SAVC
The inaugural State of the American Veteran in California conference was held in Los Angeles on Sept. 15-16, 2016. Attendees could choose to participate in one of three tracks. This is a brief description of why we chose to focus on policy during the conference.
Advancing Well-Being Through Policy: Promoting policy action is essential to solving key veteran issues at a sustainable scale. Work with policymakers and influencers to identify and prioritize the most impactful policy changes.
SAVC Innovation
SAVC
The inaugural State of the American Veteran in California conference was held in Los Angeles on Sept. 15-16, 2016. Attendees could choose to participate in one of three tracks. This is a brief description of why we chose to focus on innovation during the conference.
Cultivating Innovation to Strengthen Communities: Innovative, community-based solutions are critical to solving problems and leading the way for government and others to follow. Learn about several pilot projects improving the veteran community across the state.
SAVC Collaboration
SAVC
The inaugural State of the American Veteran in California conference was held in Los Angeles on Sept. 15-16, 2016. Attendees could choose to participate in one of three tracks. This is a brief description of why we chose to focus on collaboration during the conference.
Fostering Cross-Sector Collaboration: Explore how principles of collective impact have created successful collaboration across disparate agencies.
L.A.U.S.D. Press Conference
LAVC
Nov. 12, 2015 – Deborah Hayes, co-chair of the Families & Children working group, speaking on the necessity of the new ‘Military Student Identifier’ at Leland Elementary School, a L.A.U.S.D school.
Veterans Day – Mayor’s Luncheon
LAVC
Nov. 11, 2015 – The Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative being recognized by Mayor Eric Garcetti as a key figure in reshaping and improving the county’s veteran space alongside our various partner organizations and service providers.
LAVC Meeting – Nov 11, 2015 (3)
LAVC
Nov. 11, 2015 – MSW intern, Maggie Cutler, presenting updates for the ‘Text2Vet’ engagement tool to the Engagement & Access working group.
LAVC Meeting – Nov 11, 2015 (2)
LAVC
Nov. 11, 2015 – LAVC members Lorie and Stephanie catching up over morning coffee.
LAVC Meeting – Nov 11, 2015 (1)
LAVC
Nov. 11, 2015 – Housing & Homelessness working group’s co-chair, Steve Renahan, leading the Veterans Day meeting for his group.
Legal & Re-Entry – Incarcerated Veterans Meeting
LAVC
Oct 14, 2015 – LAVC and Legal and Re-Entry’s passionate fighter, Jodi Galvin, gathered veteran service providers and concerned veterans together to discuss the need for LA County to link incarcerated veterans to the proper services and resources they need for reintegration back into the community.
One major subject of discussion was the goal to train Veteran Justice Officers (VJOs) to become community providers who will link vets with the appropriate services they need in order to sustain a continuity of care upon release.
LAVC Meeting – Oct 14, 2015 (2)
LAVC
Oct 14, 2015 – Co-chairs Valvincent Reyes (Behavioral Health) and Lisa Anderson (Career Advancement) catching up at the collaborative.
LAVC Meeting – Oct 14, 2015 (1)
LAVC
Oct 14, 2015 – Members of the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative gather to discuss access and engagement issues facing local military population.
Sex & The Military: Manny
Sex & The Military
Based on a study undertaken by the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families, these video vignettes — along with a toolkit with further resources — were developed to help behavioral health practitioners address some of the sexual and intimate relationship challenges that injured service members, veterans and their spouses/partners may experience.
“Manny” is a former U.S. Army staff sergeant who sustained genitourinary (GU) injuries during his last deployment to Afghanistan. Manny and Angela have been married for eight years.
Sex & The Military: Grace
Sex & The Military
Based on a study undertaken by the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families, these video vignettes — along with a toolkit with further resources — were developed to help behavioral health practitioners address some of the sexual and intimate relationship challenges that injured service members, veterans and their spouses/partners may experience.
“Grace” is an active duty Air Force officer, who is home on block leave. Last year, during her deployment, she was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED). Grace and her partner of nine years, Claire, have been seeing a couple’s therapist.
Sex & The Military: Jake
Sex & The Military
Based on a study undertaken by the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families, these video vignettes — along with a toolkit with further resources — were developed to help behavioral health practitioners address some of the sexual and intimate relationship challenges that injured service members, veterans and their spouses/partners may experience.
“Jake” served four years with the U.S. Marine Corps. He has no physical injuries, but suffers from severe PTSD for which he is on medications prescribed by his doctor.
The USC Social Work Initiative for the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative
The USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families administers the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative, which comprises community stakeholders and representatives from organizations serving veterans and military families in the Los Angeles area. Founded at New Directions in February 2010, and now at CIR since March 2012, the members of the LA Veterans Collaborative gather to discuss the issues affecting local veterans and to coordinate the resolution of gaps in service or needed policy changes they identify through the collaborative’s working groups. Each working group is focused on a particular issue area regarding veterans.
The USC Social Work Initiative will raise $75 million, part of the historic Campaign for the University of Southern California, providing the investment necessary to develop highly trained practitioners and visionary leaders who will shape the 21st century.
USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR)
The USC School of Social Work Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families is committed to strengthening veterans and military families, through military behavioral research with consequence, transformative education and training and global engagement.
CIRlearn – Military Culture Course
Madeleine Bruning, Associate Professor of Nursing, discusses the benefits of the military culture course. CIRlearn is the new home for all of USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families’ community training and education courses.
IAVA 2014 Heroes Celebration
IAVA’s 6th Annual Heroes Celebratin, held May 6 at Mr. C Beverly Hills, honored CIR Director Anthony Hassan with its 2014 Civilian Service Award and Peter Berg, director of “Lone Survivor,” with its 2014 Leadership in Entertainment Award.
Orange County Veterans Survey PSA
The Orange County Veterans Survey is an expansion of a similar poll the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families began in fall 2013.
The data gathered from this comprehensive needs assessment will help identify opportunities for program and service development, access to services, policy change and community collaboration.
Let your voice be heard. Learn more at www.OCvetsurvey.org
Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative
USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) administers the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative, a group of more than 200 stakeholders and community organizations working together to meet the varied needs of Los Angeles’ military community.
USC Military Voices – Matt Jackson, 1-140th Aviation Battalion
Video Voices
Capt. Matt Jackson, with the California National Guard, talks about his transition home after a one-year deployment to Iraq. Jackson participated in a CIR program that provided Reintegration Skills Training (RST) to National Guardsmen and their families readjusting to civilian life.
Los Angeles Veterans Survey PSA
The Los Angeles Veterans Survey is the first, comprehensive study of the diverse needs of Los Angeles County’s military community, including family members and service providers.
The data generated will help identify opportunities for program and service development, access to services, policy change, and community collaboration.
Let your voice be heard. Learn more at www.LAvetsurvey.org
USC Military Voices — Adam Renteria
Video Voices
USC Social Work graduate student Adam Renteria talks about his personal transition out of the military, and why he chose to pursue a degree in social work.
USC Military Voices — Richard Powers
Video Voices
Vietnam veteran Richard Powers discusses the hard time he had when he returned from Vietnam, and his hope that today’s returning veterans not go through the same.
USC Military Voices — Claire Lawless
Video Voices
USC School of Social Work graduate Claire Lawless discusses why she chose the military social work specialization, and how she plans to use her learned skills in the real world.
LA Dodgers Veteran of the Game – Sept. 13, 2013
On Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, Anthony Hassan, director of USC CIR, was recognized as the LA Dodgers Veteran of the Game.
MILES
Motivational Interviewing Learning Environment and Simulation (MILES) is a virtual reality project developed by the USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families, in partnership with the USC Institute for Creative Technologies.
Now embedded in the USC School of Social Work, MILES provides future therapists the opportunity to advance their skills in treating service members, veterans, or military-impacted family members through practice with a simulated patient. This exciting teaching tool allows instructors to guide social work students through a therapist-client interaction with a simulated veteran using a multiple choice-style progression through a therapy session.
Serving Those Who Have Served
On March 20, 2013, USC hosted “Serving Those Who Have Served” a U.S. Veterans Hiring Event at USC Davidson Conference Center. Over 300 Veterans and representatives of 26 companies and businesses attended the one-day hiring event.
After an invocation and color guard salute, opening remarks were given by Dean Marilyn Flynn of the USC School of Social Work, one of several sponsors of the event, and attendees were welcomed by USC President C. L. Max Nikias via a video message. In the morning, the Veterans and Employers attended educational sessions where they were encouraged to network and also learned how military skills transfer to the corporate world. The career fair took place in the afternoon where Veterans could discuss potential job openings with hiring representatives from various companies for around Los Angeles.
Virtual Patient – Progress Update
The USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR), in partnership with the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, is currently developing a human avatar known as the Virtual Patient. This first application of virtual reality in a social work setting is used to help prepare students to interact with real clients. The realistic role-playing with an avatar that responds to open-ended questions will allow students to hone their clinical skills.
USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families
An informational video about the mission of the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families at the USC School of Social Work, as well as the school’s military social work program