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Use as needed to care for your wellness

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A free training for veterans, military members and the families

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Dr. Hotez answers questions about the vaccines

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Dr. Hotez answers questions about the vaccines

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Easter Seals Greater Houston - Veterans Services

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Easter Seals Greater Houston - Veterans Services

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The mission of Easter Seals Veterans Program is to assist military-connected families with building the lives they want. Our staff wants to help meet the needs they have to foster stability, wellness, and growth.

Easter Seals Greater Houston is proudly serving current Service members, Veterans and their families in Harris and all surrounding counties.Our reach can extend to those throughout the state who are interested in tele-mental health services. Our mission is to assist military-connected families in building the lives they want during and after the military to meet their needs around reintegration, stability, wellness, and growth. Our goal is not to duplicate services offered in the community, but rather be an easy point of entry for finding and connecting with needed resources. CONTACT: 346.330.3859 / Veterans@eastersealshouston.org

Case Management Services - Case Management Services are open to all Service Members, Veterans and Miltary-Connected families living in Fort Bend and Harris Counties as well as The Brazos Valley. Participants will receive an assessment and then work together with the case manager to develop a roadmap for success. To better accommodate work schedules, case management services will also be offered via phone, and require limited paperwork to get started.

Additional Support Services:

are collaborations of the Texas Veterans + Family Alliance partners, offering hosted classes/tech support to the partners and their clients. Classes cover financial topics from budgeting basics to homebuyer education; technical assistance applying for public benefits; and demos on financial apps, mental health apps, or any apps that show people how technology can improve their mood or life (for example, a class on photography using phones and tablets). Access Cafés have even provided behind the scenes support for TVFA partners, including Easter Seals assisting Mental Health America in the creation of this Access Cafés video on how to use their mental health assessment tool.

includes assistive technology lab, BridgingApps specializing in proven apps for smart tech that work concurrently with many of our other programs and tele-health for those in remote areas or who do not have access to transportation.Assistive Technology

Camp / "First Light" - Open to families for a specific weekend of retreat/mental health services.

helping families create financial stability and a better future by increasing income, building savings and acquiring assets. Make sure to view our Financial Coaching/Home Buyers Education featured apps, and other online tools thanks to Freddie Mac

Meet our Program Coordinator, Dr. Cristy Gamez:

Dr. Gamez is a licensed psychologist who has worked with Veterans for over 15 years in inpatient and outpatient settings, in groups and individually, assisting them to create the lives they want to live by using their strengths to reach their goals.

Contact Dr. Gamez, Program Coordinator, Easter Seals
Veterans Program
713.838.9050, ext. 371
cgamez@eastersealshouston.org

Veterans Service Dog Program
Serving Veterans and their families

We offer Veterans the opportunity to be trained with and receive a service dog . A service dog can improve a Veteran's quality of life and help him or her live more independently.

To be eligible the veteran must:

Be able to participate in training. Must have transportation and ability to be work with the trainer.

Be financially capable of maintaining care after the training is over, i.e., feed the dog and take the dog to veterinarian visits.

Contact Jennifer WrightVeterans Service Dog Program281-904-1098

jcwright@eastersealshouston.org

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

*This program is made possible by: The 1687 Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, Employees Community Fund of Boeing Houston, Tom and Hetty Ball Foundation, The Christus Foundation, Houston Automobile Dealers Association, The Frees Foundation, The George Foundation, John O'Shea Foundation, The Strake Foundation, Texas Veterans Commission, The Bob Woodruff Foundation, WithMerci Foundation, and ESGH Youth Action Council. Special thanks for your generous support!
Mental health services for Service Members, Veterans and Military-Connected Families
Easter Seals Greater Houston and its collaborative partners have been chosen as recipients of the Texas Veterans + Family Alliance grant program from Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Houston, which has the 2nd highest population of Veterans in the U.S., will have some critically needed funding for mental health services to reach Service Members, Veterans as well as Military-Connected Families. The project will include system level change/outreach and direct services to Service Members, Veterans and Military-Connected Families through counseling, case management, technology, telemedicine, and other supports that will increase access to mental health services. .

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The mission of Easter Seals Veterans Program is to assist military-connected families with building the lives they want. Our staff wants to help meet the needs they have to foster stability, wellness, and growth.

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Mobile Apps: COVID Coach

The COVID Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Servicemembers, to support self-care and overall mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Features include:

Education about coping during the pandemic

Tools for self-care and to improve emotional well-being

Trackers to check your mood and measure your growth toward personal goals

Graphs to visualize progress over time

How to Use COVID Coach

COVID Coach can be used as a stand-alone education and self-care tool, or as a supplement to professional mental health care. You can mark your favorite coping tools and track your mental health over time. Set reminders to visit the app each day and work toward your goals. The app can also help you create your own personal support network.

NOTE: COVID Coach is not intended to replace needed professional care related to COVID-19 or mental health conditions, such as PTSD.

Several of the questionnaires used in COVID Coach, including the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), are reliable and valid self-report measures used across VA, Department of Defense (DoD), and the community, but they are not intended to replace professional evaluation.

Privacy and Security

See our full Privacy Policy for Mobile Apps.

Any data created by the user of this app are only as secure as the phone/device itself. Use the security features on your device if you are concerned about the privacy of your information. Users are free to share data; as the self-monitoring data belong to each user, HIPAA concerns do not apply while the data are stored or shared. If the user were to transmit or share data with a health care provider, the provider must then comply with the HIPAA rules.

Who Created COVID Coach Mobile App?

COVID Coach was created by VA's National Center for PTSD.

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The COVID Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Servicemembers, to support self-care and overall mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

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Connecting within the Veterans & Senior Communities during COVID

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Connecting within the Veterans & Senior Communities during COVID

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Connect with Others

Whether you are new to the role of caregiver or have years of experience, chances are you can benefit from the experience, skill, and wisdom of other caregivers. These resources will help you to find inspiration, strength, and support through the stories of caregivers like you.

Peer Support Mentoring

Caregivers of Veterans of all eras may participate in peer support mentoring, both as mentors and as mentees usually for 6 months. Mentors and Mentees communicate using email, telephone, and letter writing depending on what works best for both of them.

Mentors are volunteers with the Voluntary Services Department within the local VA medical center and receive training before being paired with another Caregiver.

Caregiver Support Line Monthly Calls

The Caregiver Support Line offers monthly telephone education groups, where caregivers can discuss self-care tips and ask questions on a variety of topics. Want to learn more about the monthly calls? Listen to a recording or view an educational handout.

Real-life Caregiver Stories
Need Help?
Your local Caregiver Support Coordinator is a licensed professional who can support you by matching you with services for which you are eligible, and providing you with valuable information about resources that can help you stay smart, strong and organized as you care for the Veteran you love.

Call VA's Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to learn more about the support that is available to you and for assistance connecting with the Caregiver Support Coordinator at your local VA Medical Center.

Caregiver Support Program (CSP) - Menu of Resources

*By clicking on these links, you will leave the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site.

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US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

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Whether you are new to the role of caregiver or have years of experience, chances are you can benefit from the experience, skill, and wisdom of other caregivers. These resources will help you to find inspiration, strength, and support through the stories of caregivers like you.

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Veteran's Services

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VETERANS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

Over 200,000 veterans of military service live and work in Houston/Harris County, making it home to one of the largest populations of military service members and families in the nation. Credits for this are due to the many available jobs, affordable housing and access to many institutions of higher learning. In spite of this, twenty-two veterans a day lose their lives to suicide or nearly one per hour. Research continues to show that veterans deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan may experience a variety of issues that can compromise their successful return to their families, jobs, and community and that the behavioral health needs of veterans returning from war fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan are not being adequately met by our current systems of care.

Since 2007, the Houston-Harris County Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative (VBHI) at MHA of Greater Houston has employed strategic and collaborative community engagement and trainings in support of MHA of Greater Houston's overall goal of shaping the mental health of people and communities. The VBHI impacts the community on numerous levels and strives to ensure that our veterans behavioral health needs are met. As the Regional Coordinator for the State of Texas' Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN), our mission is to connect service members, veterans and their families to local, state and national resources. As the mentoring arm for Harris County Veterans Treatment Courts we engage justice involved veterans with peer to peer support, health and wellness and activities and connect them to supportive services through our dedicated and highly trained volunteers. In addition to serving our local courts, the VBHI provides behavioral health education to volunteer veteran court mentors statewide through its Veterans Court Advocacy and Mentoring Program (VCAMP) in order to better serve Harris County veterans and increase capacity for veteran treatment courts across the state.
Military Veteran Peer Network Veterans Treatment Court Trainings Veteran Volunteer Page Program Contact Community Partners & Resources Get Involved with the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative

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Veteran Behavioral Health | Mental Health America of Greater Houston

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Over 200,000 veterans of military service live and work in Houston/Harris County, making it home to one of the largest populations of military service members and families in the nation. Credits for this are due to the many available jobs, affordable housing and access to many institutions of higher learning.

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Woman's Veterans Program

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Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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Catholic Charities' Women Veterans Program offers hope for women who have served this country and are in crisis. We help through financial assistance for rent, mortgage, food, employment and education guidance, and through other services.

Need help? Call 713.351.6915.
Get help now
Helping female veterans rebuild their civilian lives after the challenges of military duty.

Providing short-term basic needs and guidance for those who have served our country.

What you can do to support women veterans:

Learn more about ways you can donate and give back to Catholic Charities.

Upcoming Events

Visit our Event Calendar to learn about upcoming events within our program.

Here are a few of the women that were impacted by your gifts:

Yashika, a single mother
and a U.S. Navy veteran, found employment to
support her children and
is now attending school.

Like many Houstonians,
Candace was laid off, but through the Career Essentials classes, she found purpose.

The Career Essentials
course teaches women
various job and life skills
to earn better jobs and
become self-sufficient.

Lily went from living in her
van and losing hope to having enough food and a safe place to live.

Read Yashika's story Read Candace's story Read about the classes Read Lily's story

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Serving and Empowering Women Veterans - Catholic Charities

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Catholic Charities' Women Veterans Program offers hope for women who have served this country and are in crisis. We help through financial assistance for rent, mortgage, food, employment and education guidance, and through other services. Need help? Call 713.351.6915. Get help now Helping female veterans rebuild their civilian lives after the challenges of military duty.

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Fort Bend County Health and Human Services

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Fort Bend County Health and Human Services

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Veterans services

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Social Services " General Assistance

Basic Qualifications:

Fort Bend County Social Services provides services to all eligible military service men and women, spouses, and their dependents living in Fort Bend County. Beneficiaries eligible to receive services must demonstrate that they currently reside in Fort Bend County and they have served in the military or are immediate dependents or spouse to a service member.

Veterans are eligible for General Assistance:

Emergency Shelter Assistance

Services provided to veterans are funded in collaboration with Fort Bend County and the Texas Veterans Commission.

If you need help with General Assistance, Contact Us to schedule an appointment.

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Fort Bend County, TX - Health & Human Services

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Social Services " General Assistance Fort Bend County Social Services provides services to all eligible military service men and women, spouses, and their dependents living in Fort Bend County. Beneficiaries eligible to receive services must demonstrate that they currently reside in Fort Bend County and they have served in the military or are immediate dependents or spouse to a service member.

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Disrupting the traditional veteran service landscape by

Connecting veterans with purpose

Combined Arms exists to accelerate the transition from military to civilian life. The faster veterans integrate into our community, the faster we are able to harness their passions and skills to make an impact. We are here to connect these veterans to resources so they can make "civilian" their next branch of service.

Combined Arms serves active duty, reservists, National Guard, veterans from all service eras, and their family members.

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Combined Arms supports Texas veterans in transition

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Disrupting the traditional veteran service landscape by Combined Arms exists to accelerate the transition from military to civilian life. The faster veterans integrate into our community, the faster we are able to harness their passions and skills to make an impact.

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24/7, confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones. Contact the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online, or text 838255.

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Trusted Information and Resources for Texas' Veterans