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Chairman of Joint Chiefs lauds USC, LA’s efforts to support veterans

By |March 23rd, 2015|

With more veterans in Los Angeles County than any other part of the nation, a robust effort of academia, nonprofits, government and the private sector has stepped up to meet their needs and their families’ – and top military officials have noticed.

“My message to you is, ‘well done.’ The highest compliment you can give in the military is ‘well done’ and get out of the way,” said Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledging the work of USC and the School of Social Work’s Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) for […]

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$500,000 gift supports military social work scholarships

By |March 23rd, 2015|

by Claudia Bustamante

When the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust was deciding its most recent funding focus, it considered areas and organizations that would have the most impact.

Recognizing the far-reaching effects and value of trained military social workers, the trust awarded a $500,000 25th Anniversary Grant to the USC School of Social Work for scholarship support for veterans and military families.

To commemorate a quarter century of giving, the trust recently awarded five 25th Anniversary Grants totaling $3.7 million, one in each of its program areas: elders, foster youth, people with disabilities, veterans and military families, and discretionary grants.

Ruth Collins, a […]

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Training providers on sex and intimacy issues facing military personnel

By |March 2nd, 2015|

by Claudia Bustamante

Recent research by the USC School of Social Work has found that even though sexual functioning problems are significantly higher among military service members than civilians, very few are receiving treatment.

These problems, which are strongly related to the physical and psychological health of service members, are often overlooked by both military populations and clinicians, making it yet another invisible wound of war.

To help address this gap between the needs and services provided, the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families held a conference Feb. 13, where it unveiled a toolkit to help bring awareness to […]

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Orange County veterans face transition challenges, high mental health concerns

By |February 27th, 2015|

by Claudia Bustamante

Like their counterparts in Los Angeles, many service members returning home to Orange County are facing significant barriers to a successful transition back to civilian life, according to a new study from the USC School of Social Work.

“The State of the American Veteran: The Orange County Veterans Study” by the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) at the USC School of Social Work details the findings of a survey of more than 1,200 veterans living in Orange County. The report mirrors a similar study conducted last fall in Los Angeles, the first comprehensive […]

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Global experts convene to drive military research

By |February 18th, 2015|

by Claudia Bustamante

The nation’s nearly 22 million veterans and their families are confronted with difficult and enduring challenges.

Returning veterans face high unemployment rates, and homelessness is a national concern. Some veterans are coming home with severe physical injuries. Aging veterans must grapple with the further complications of injuries incurred during combat decades ago. Many have untreated mental health concerns. About 22 veterans a day die by suicide. These issues can strain relationships and stress caretakers. Military children are more vulnerable to suicide and depression.

During a recent two-day summit held at the University of Southern California, about 50 researchers from national […]

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CIR to launch mentoring group for military mental health providers

By |January 30th, 2015|

Since last summer, the USC School of Social Work has benefited from the expertise of Eyal Fruchter, a colonel and former head of the Israel Defense Forces mental health division. The visiting scholar is focusing his yearlong tenure on research and training.

Starting in February, Fruchter will launch a mentoring group of military mental health officers and clinicians. This group is an extension of work that has been on-going in Israel for decades with success.

The world of a mental health officer can be fairly isolated. You must make individual decisions about a service member’s mental health on a case-by-case basis. Often, […]

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Dept. of Defense grant to explore technology’s role in preparing military social workers

By |January 30th, 2015|

by Claudia Bustamante

As the mental health needs continue to grow for greater numbers of service members and veterans returning to communities, researchers at the University of Southern California are studying how to use the latest in technological advancements to prepare behavioral health providers to effectively treat these military-impacted populations.

The Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) at the USC School of Social Work received a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study whether technology—i.e., 3-D avatar animation and mobile apps—is effective at training graduate students and professional clinicians and therapists.

The three-year study will […]

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Collaborative trains lawyers on veteran issues

By |January 30th, 2015|

More than 40 lawyers recently attended a training workshop, held by the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative’s Legal & Re-Entry working group, to be better prepared to help veterans.

As the city strives to end veteran homelessness, many veterans with bad discharges or those who face legal and financial hardship are unable to receive services. With the passage of Proposition 47, certain low-level, non-violent felonies can now be changed to misdemeanors.

According to the Los Angeles County Veterans Study, 43 percent of pre-9/11 and 36 percent of post-9/11 veterans needed legal assistance. These types of efforts show how the collaborative is using local data […]

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Annual gift that comes from the heart

By |January 9th, 2015|

By Maya Meinert

As a child, Chuck Spielman would listen to his father’s friends tell stories of their experiences in World War II, enthralled by the men’s tales of everything from traveling through Europe to living on the frontlines.

“I was fascinated by the age of 5,” he said. “The stories of men and women who would leave civilian life willingly and fight for their countries fascinated me.”

This interest turned out to be lifelong, following him through high school — where his World War II colonel-turned-social studies teacher passed around rocks from the beaches of Normandy — and college. Spielman has now […]

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Veteran trades military service for social service

By |December 17th, 2014|

by Claudia Bustamante

Gerardo Reynoso joined the Army because he wanted adventure and prestige. He signed up while still in high school during peacetime and was captivated by the idea of escaping his Southern California neighborhood and living in Europe, where the most danger he could possibly see would be in Bosnia.

But two days before graduating from boot camp, the plan changed. It was Sept. 11, 2001.

“I didn’t even realize it happened,” Reynoso said. He and the other privates went into a room that was streaming live news coverage of the attacks. “We thought it was fake, and they were testing us […]

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