Give an Hour: Volunteer Mental Health Providers Help Returning Veterans

Give an Hour is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop a national network of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. The organization's first target population is America's returning veterans and their loved ones.

Give an Hour has created a network of 575 mental health professionals who literally give one hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families. Individuals who receive services are also given the opportunity to volunteer their time.

Give an Hour believes that those in need are capable of and interested in becoming those who provide services for others. The organization is partnering with a variety of federal, state, and local organizations and agencies to provide a range of community volunteer opportunities.

"While our primary focus is to get much-needed counseling and other mental health services to the folks that need it, the other unique aspect of our organization is a kind of 'pay-it-forward' idea that the people receiving services will then give an hour of volunteer time back to their own community," said Give an Hour founder and executive director Dr. Barbara Romberg.

Because the parents, siblings, and unmarried partners of service members are not entitled to mental health benefits through the military, those who do not have access to treatment through other means are often hesitant to seek the help they need and deserve if it is costly or difficult to find.

Give an Hour's goal is to provide easy access to skilled professionals for all of the people affected by the current war. The participating mental health professionals offer a wide range of services, including individual, marital, and family therapy; substance abuse counseling; and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"What our veterans and their families and loved ones are experiencing as a result of deployments; traumatic brain injuries and other devastating physical injuries; PTSD; and more is incomprehensible to the general population," said Dr. Romberg. "The sheer number of people being affected makes it virtually impossible for the very competent but overtaxed military health care system to provide help to everyone who needs it."

According to Give an Hour, research indicates that a major barrier preventing military personnel from seeking appropriate treatment is the perception of stigma associated with treatment. Many fear that seeking mental health services will jeopardize their career or standing.

Give an Hour's services are endorsed by many veterans service organizations, but they are separate from the military, offering an option for men and women who might otherwise fail to seek or receive appropriate services.

Give an Hour hopes to recruit to its network 40,000 of the approximately 400,000 licensed mental health professionals in the United States. This could potentially save the military and the taxpayer $4 million per week in mental health services costs.

To obtain mental health services through Give an Hour, visit www.giveanhour.org. A zip code finder will help locate a provider near you. If there is no provider currently listed in your area, send an e-mail to info@giveanhour.org and Give an Hour will help you find a service provider.

Mental health professionals willing to donate an hour of their time each week for a minimum commitment of one year can also visit Give an Hour for more information.