For our Veterans, we know, not all wounds are visible. Help has arrived in Douglas County.
A new full-time, specialized, Veteran-specific clinician is now working to serve Veterans in Douglas and Arapahoe counties. This position, an agreement with the community mental health center, AllHealth Network, was approved by the Board of Douglas County Commissioners during its regular Business Meeting Feb. 21, and the new clinician is now taking referrals.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, between 11% and 20% of Veterans experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder each year – significantly more than the general population. Nearly 20,000 Veterans live in Douglas County and over 40,000 in Arapahoe County as of 2020.
The Douglas and Arapahoe County Veteran Service Offices (VSOs) will both identify Veterans in need of mental health and substance use treatment and refer them to the AllHealth Network Veteran clinician. Because Douglas County is funding the position, Commissioners requested the contract reflect that Douglas County veterans be prioritized for care. Veterans with barriers to care, such as transportation or inability to cover the cost of treatment, will also be prioritized.
The clinician will be licensed, and either be a peer or have sufficient experience working with our nation’s heroes.
The total cost to employ this clinician through December 2026 is $276,979, which the County is funding with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. In 2022, Commissioners announced their allocation of $68.2 million in (ARPA) funding, including $8.9 million for mental health services, and specifically $333,000 for Veterans’ mental health services.
Are you a Veteran in need of this or other assistance? Visit DouglasVeterans.org.