The month of May is a time for remembrance and appreciation as we celebrate several military observances. Not only is May Military Appreciation Month, but it is also the Month of the Military Caregiver. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance (SMVF TA) Center understands the specific need to support the mental health and overall well-being of our military and Veteran caregivers, as military families are a large focus of our work.

This year, the SMVF TA Center hosted a Caregiver Learning Community Series, “Addressing the Caregiving Crisis: How States and Communities Can Better Support Military and Veteran Caregivers.” This three-part series discussed frameworks for supporting military and Veteran caregivers, recognized caregivers in the continuum of care, and identified resources available for this population. Please see below the recording from each session:

Shawn Moore, with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, is a strong advocate for emphasizing the “F” in SMVF and provides a unique perspective as a family member and caregiver with lived experience. She recently presented at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/SAMHSA Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among SMVF Policy Academy in April and discussed ways to partner with military families and caregivers. View key highlights from her presentation.

In addition, our partners at PsychArmor released a VA Signs, Ask, Validate, Encourage, and Expedite (S.A.V.E.) Preventing Caregiver Suicide training to address the mental health concerns of and increased risk of suicide among our military and Veteran caregivers.

Please join us in recognizing and celebrating the military and Veteran caregivers who make daily sacrifices to support the health and well-being of their loved ones. Check out the Resource Center below for a broad list of military and Veteran caregiver resources.

SAMHSA’s SMVF TA Center is honored to provide TA to states, territories, and communities seeking to strengthen their behavioral health support for those who have served in the armed forces. For TA inquiries, please email smvftacenter@prainc.com. For more information about the SMVF TA Center and the resources offered, please visit https://www.samhsa.gov/smvf-ta-center.

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