Veterans Administration and VSOs

Moe Armstrong, Vet 2 Vet, Talks About Recovery International

Recovery International is working with the Veterans Administration (VA) to bring our Recovery International cognitive behavioral peer-to-peer self-help groups to veterans with post traumatic stress disorder and other mental illness and behabvioral conditions. We have Recovery International meetings in several VA facilities and are registered in the Central Contractor Registration database.

In these VA programs, Recovery International provides a workshop for VA staff and veterans where we teach participants:

1. How Recovery International meetings work with the services veterans receive through the VA;
2. Basic concepts and terminologies of the Recovery International Method; and
3. How to give and train others to give four-part examples of practicing the Recovery International tools in everyday life—this peer support is the essential part to every meeting.

Following training, veterans will be able to start their own peer meeting, which can be held at the VA facility or in the community. Veterans can also take part in our community meetings, away from other veterans, if they so wish. In addition, VA staff and veterans will be able to train other veterans to:

To ensure the meetings are being run effectively, Recovery International will provide support to anyone who took part in the initial training.

Read examples of Recovery International practice from veterans.

Read endorsements from veterans who use Recovery International.

Working to meet the needs of our veteran population is a team effort. If you represent a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) and would like to discuss a collaboration to bring Recovery International meetings to veterans through your VSO, contact our office 312/337-5661 for more information.  Any partnership, be it at the national and local level, is integral to assuring our veterans go on to live healthy, productive lives.