The intent of the Rural Community & Faith-Based Partnership Program is to involve community & faith-based organizations in developing and implementing strategies to support the wellbeing of veterans and their families residing in the rural areas of Texas. There are 254 counties in Texas, of which 144 to 191 are considered rural, frontier, or “micropolitan”. VMHD aims to address the mounting need of services in these rural areas of Texas by engaging and involving local community & faith-based organizations. This is done through building and strengthening local veteran coalitions, identifying and eliminating barriers to accessing services, developing military cultural competency among local stakeholders, and leveraging veteran peer support where clinical mental health services may be inaccessible. In addition to training and technical assistance, this aim is accomplished through the implementation of the Faith & Allegiance Initiative.
TEXANS ASK: “Did Y’all Serve?”
A big impact military-veteran populations deal with when accessing services is not feeling understood by those serving them.
Myth
All Veterans get healthcare through the VA Healthcare system.
Fact
Not all who served in the military are eligible to do so, and some may not consider themselves veterans.
Some who served in the National Guard may not consider themselves veterans.
Some women may say “No” when asked if they are vetereans, but “Yes” when asked “Did you serve?“
Myth
Service members are provided transition assistance before leaving the military which fully equips them for civilian life.
Fact
Transitioning out of the military into a new community means leaving your military culture and relationships behind and entering new communities, circles of friends and employment.
By asking “Have you or an immediate family member ever served in the military?” you begin building rapport and understanding, critical steps in providing the proper referrals and resources.
Ask the Question – Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder
Ask the Question Trifold 2023
Ask the Question – Federal/State/Local/Non-Profit
Ask the Question – Faith-Based Groups
Ask the Question – Health Care & Medical Service
Ask the Question – Housing & Homelessness Services
Ask the Question – Law Enforcement & 1st Responders
“Did Y’all Serve?” How Asking Helps!
Employment and vocational services professionals can:
- Identify transferable skills.
- Connect Veterans to military-friendly employers.
- Help access job training programs.
Faith-based professionals can:
- Identify families in need of help during transitions out of the military.
- Motivate communities to come together on behalf of those who serve.
- Connect former service members & families to the supports and services they need.
Law enforcement professionals can:
- Keep veterans and their families safe.
- Build trust and rapport in difficult situations.
- Partner with providers who help Veterans in crisis.
Healthcare and medical professionals can:
- Build critical rapport with a reluctant patient.
- Understand the relationship between military experiences and medical symptoms.
- Provide effective referrals and resources.
Behavioral health professionals can:
- Build critical rapport with a reluctant client.
- Understand the relationship between military experiences and medical symptoms.
- Help former service members & family understand the emotional effects of transitions out of the military.
Buddy Check
Our Mission
The 11th day of each month is designated as Buddy Check Day to remind Texas veterans to check in with other veterans. By getting in touch with others, veterans create the opportunity to experience comradery, check on each other’s well-being, and connect other veterans with a resource or service they may need. Buddy Check actions can be as simple as picking up the phone to talk, text, or perhaps taking extra time out to visit others in person.
“Of course, it’s a good idea to check on each other more often; but sometimes we forget. So set your alarm and program a reminder for the 11th day of every month as Buddy Check Day,” said Laura Koerner, Texas Veterans Commission Chairwoman and U.S. Navy Veteran.
A video explaining what “Buddy Check Day” is.
Faith & Allegiance Initiative
Just as those who served in uniform swore to bear true Faith and Allegiance to our Nation, the Faith and Allegiance Initiative encourages community and faith-based partners to bear true faith and allegiance by offering their hand in support. The Faith Allegiance Initiative is woven into the fabric of VMHD and is also part of the Central Texas Challenge to prevent suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF), as well as the state’s long-term Veterans Suicide Prevention Plan.
Leaders of both rural and metropolitan areas, faith leaders, and community partners are encouraged to begin a dialogue to establish local Faith and Allegiance Initiative programs with their areas.
The Faith and Allegiance Initiative state-wide implementation began with VMHD taking the lead whereby:
1.VMHD will provide training on the impacts of trauma while in the military.
2.TVC-certified Peer Services Coordinators of the Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) will provide Peer-to-Peer support and engagement through training and linkage to their Volunteer Peers, creating a statewide network of Veteran peer support.
3.Communities of faith are encouraged to appoint Veterans Champions from within congregations to serve as resource focal points for SMVF, promote training on military culture, etc. through VMHD and the MVPN.
