Veterans, Addiction, Mental Health Consumers and Vocational Rehabilitation, Part I

Helping veterans with challenges 
find work again is necessary

By JIM PURCELL

It's a big equation for a veteran, being a mental health consumer, addicted and needing vocational rehabilitation. 

   As a peer support specialist, I worked with this population for abot two years. It was an honor, a privilege and the hardest job I ever had. As I speak about this, I am doing so using my experiences in the field as a guide.

Sobriety and Compliance

   To begin with, if anyone who suffers from addiction is actively using mind and/or mood altering subtances then they are not a good candidate for voc rehab. Anyone who is a mental health consumer and is not fully compliant with their medication is also not a good candidate for voc rehab. A veteran must be in recovery, about a year, and medically compliant (a year would be a good amount of time), before they can really get down to the work of vocational rehabilitation. In my experience, prematurely working on vocational rehabilitation leads to a bad outcome for the client.

   Veterans have access to many programs that might assist them with vocational rehabilitation. However, without a willing, medically stable client and with addiction being in remission, the work of vocational rehab is so futile, so often that it makes little sense to try.

   Finding a job is stressful. Preparing for job interviews is stressful. Beginning a new job is stressful. Without a sound program of recovery then these stressors may well lead to a client becoming , compromised in one of these areas. Of course, anyone can fall prey to mental health disorders and addiction at any time. Adding stress to very early recovery, though, is a recipe for disaster.

Dealing with Court, Drivers Licenses, 
Finances and Credit, Etc.

   The work of helping a veteran return to the workforce actually begin with meeting them where they are. Someone cannot get and/or keep a job when they do not have adequate housing; are not able to have access to food or medical attention; have a drivers license or extremely reliable transportation; have the adequate training or experience in a given field; and/or have open warrants by the police.

   Helping a veteran find his way to work restoration is not something that any one individual can do. That effort begins with the client. A man or woman must be sober, medically comliant and interested in moving forward with work, or with school. But, it can be a long road until the task at hand becomes diagnostic testing, interview preparation and creating a resume.

   Many of my clients had pending charges or were on probation or parole. Well, if someone has not violated parole or probation then that is great. If someone has pending charges, outstanding warrants, has violated parole or probation and is pending court on any of these then they need a lawyer. There are organizations that help veterans with legal help. However, pro bono lawyers volunteer for such on an isolated basis and may not be available in every area.

   Having a driver's license or reliable transportation is a must for any job seeking client. If a client lives in the suburbs or in a rural area, a driver's license is absolutely necessary. If a client lives in an urban area then buses or subways are an effect transportation tool.

Using resources available to vets from the VA can really help

   It is straightforward, if a client has a suspended license then it needs to be reinstated. This means that fines have to be paid up, surcharges have to get paid and, perhaps, a client will have to take the driving test and/or a road test. This is precisely why a client must be sober and dedicated. Putting an addict behind the wheel again isn't a good idea for anyone.

   There is also the issue of credit. Many companies today check credit reports before they give an applicant a job. Consequently, if someone is well behind in their bills then they need to deal with that. If the situation requires assistance then referring a client to a financial counselor may be a good idea. If it is worse than that then maybe referring a client to a bankruptcy attorney is the right thing to do. No one wants to go bankrupt, but sometimes it is necessary. Getting a client in front of an attorney that specializes in bankruptcy can be important. Finding an attorney who will do it pro bono is easier to find if a client is a veteran, but that is no guarantee there is one in someone's local area.

   When a client suffers from addiction, when they are non-compliant with their meds and they are mental health consumers, then bad things can happen. The wreckage of past deeds can haunt a client, and spoil their plans for the future -- unless they are dealt with in a forthright manner by a client. This is also why a year's 'cooling off' period is important. A year of sobriety, of being medically compliant makes a statement about a client wanting to help themselves.

Next week: Part II - Housing and Supportive Employment