RETURNING VETERANS PROJECT

Returning Veterans Project (RVP) provides support and healing for the short- and long-term impact of military life for Veterans, Service Members, and their Families. By administering a large network of professionally licensed and insured volunteer mental and physical health care providers, RVP helps hundreds of Veterans, Service Members, and their Families each year access the timely care they need at no cost to them. All services are confidential and we never ask for insurance or referrals. Since 2005, RVP has provided no-cost, quality care to over 4,000 individuals.

All of our Health Providers volunteer their time to help military-connected individuals. RVP provides no-cost military culture training and professional CE classes to our Providers. Trainings specifically address the unique health challenges experienced during and after military service. Our innovative trainings facilitated by experts give both mental and physical health Providers a full toolbox of resources to offer RVP clients. Our Providers offer a variety of healing modalities including mental health therapy, drug & alcohol counseling, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, and more.

The need for health services for Veterans and Military Families is rising, mental health in particular. Many are affected by suicidal ideation, moral injury, PTSD, anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injuries, military sexual trauma, distressed personal relationships and much more. While it is common to believe all Veterans can access services from the VA, there are multiple reasons why only 22% of post-9/11 Veterans exclusively use VA health services and 53% are not enrolled. Oregon does not have an adequate number of providers to support the behavioral health needs of the state’s Veterans leaving a substantial number of Veterans without care.

The stigma of a mental health diagnosis keeps our Veterans and Service Members from seeking care and over one-third of military personnel say seeking mental health treatment would damage their military career. Other barriers to care include cost, wait and travel times. RVP is bridging an important gap by improving access to timely, high-quality care. As the only nonprofit of its kind in Oregon and SW Washington, RVP has a direct positive impact on self-sufficiency and quality of life reducing the risk of further decline.