Community Partners Help Address the Growing Need for Veteran Mental Health
These days, good health encompasses more than just physical well-being. Mental health has become a critical part of overall wellness, particularly for veterans who face unique challenges related to their service. Organizations like Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) highlight the need for accessible and high-quality mental health care for military service members and their families.
A 2023 research paper, Veteran and Military Mental Health Issues, estimates that approximately 14% to 16% of the U.S. service members deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq have been affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression.
According to the most recent Warrior Survey* conducted by WWP™, 76% of registered warriors self-reported PTSD or symptoms of PTSD. Nearly half of all warriors reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, with more than half noting moderate to severe symptoms of depression.
The survey also indicated that post-9/11 veterans who struggle with PTSD, depression, and anxiety are three times more likely to develop unhealthy habits to cope, leading to reduced quality of life for them and their loved ones.
Partnering for Improved Quality of Life
Addressing the diverse needs of all wounded, ill, or injured post-9/11 veterans, families, and caregivers requires collaboration. WWP invests in other best-in-class veterans and military service organizations to positively support veterans' overall quality of life, reduce suicide risk, and support high-need populations.
Wounded Warrior Project has a long-standing commitment to supporting veterans’ mental health. Since 2022, WWP has enhanced efforts to equip its community partners with resources to enhance their ability to provide mental health support. In 2024, this initiative expanded to include a unified referral process, simplifying and standardizing how WWP’s community partners access mental health resources for the veterans and families they serve.
When a partner organization works with a veteran who requests or consents to additional mental health support, they submit the customized referral form to WWP’s Triage team. From there, a WWP Triage screening specialist steps in to assess the individual’s needs and connect them with the most appropriate resources.
Maureen Devine-Ahl is the director of programs and community impact at Dog Tag, a nonprofit that empowers disabled veterans, military spouses, and caregivers to build a strong entrepreneurial foundation through education and a WWP partner. She said the collaboration has been a game changer for their organization, especially in their ability to provide care in a crisis.
When mental health needs are identified, community partners can refer their clients to WWP for support.
"Previously, when one of our fellows or alumni was experiencing challenges, we relied on our programs team to act as service connectors, attempting to connect them as quickly as possible,” explained Devine-Ahl. “Now, as a partner of Wounded Warrior Project, we are able to promote our relationship and our ability to provide direct mental health resources to fellows early in their involvement with us, so they know it's there. This has resulted in fellows reaching out sooner before they are in crisis.”
Devine-Ahl added that the collaboration has made finding care easier and gives the organization confidence. “We have a trusted partner who can meet a variety of needs and is a recognized resource at the ready throughout our program.”
Positive Impact and Future Growth
Testimonials like the one from Dog Tag demonstrate the positive impact of this streamlined referral process. Another community partner and nonprofit, the Green Beret Foundation (GBF), supports U.S. Army Special Forces members and their families. They have also experienced firsthand the benefits of this process in connecting veterans with timely mental health support.
“The streamlined mental health referral process has strengthened the Green Beret Foundation's ability to support our community in a timely and effective manner,” said Charlie lacono, president and CEO of GBF. “We have full confidence that each referral will be met by swift action on the part of the Wounded Warrior Project team, and GBF will be consulted as appropriate on wrap-around support needs.”
He continued, “In 2023, GBF collaborated with Wounded Warrior Project on 15 requests for counseling support within the Green Beret community, including individual and couples counseling. This increased the Green Beret community's enrollment with Wounded Warrior Project and saved GBF thousands of donor dollars to be utilized to power other critical programs and services.”
This referral initiative is just one element of WWP’s commitment to improving the quality of life for post-9/11 veterans and their families.
Ashley Bunce, director of WWP’s Community Partnerships and Investments team, is thrilled about how this collaboration is enhancing veterans’ access to mental health services.
“The needs of our warriors and their families continue to evolve. By investing in these best-in-class community organizations, we are building a robust support network to meet the unique needs of warriors, their families, and their caregivers,” said Bunce, noting that since 2012, WWP has invested more than $388 million in 215 military and veteran organizations.
The focus on mental health today is significant, Bunce added, since there is a growing need. “The aim is that by utilizing Wounded Warrior Project’s integrated system of support, we can work together with our partners to provide high-quality and high-touch care, reduce duplicative services in the ecosystem, and fill program gaps for partners, particularly as it relates to mental health.”
If you, or someone you know, needs immediate support, you can call, text, or chat with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988,or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "TALK" to 741741.
Learn more about WWP’s community partnerships.
*Warrior Survey, Wave 2 (conducted June 15-Aug. 24, 2022)
Contact: Cynthia Weiss – Public Relations, cweiss@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904. 738.2589
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.
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