Building Bridges to Support Military and Veteran Families: A Multi-Agency, Civilian/Military Collaborative Approach

CDR Brenda L. Gearhart, Division Chief, Outreach Clearinghouse, Outreach and Advocacy Directorate Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE).

Multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and the expanded role of the National Guard and Reserve in these conflicts have placed great stress on families and communities. As military and veteran families transition to different systems of care and move to new communities, care and support often becomes fragmented. Communities want to help but often are unfamiliar with military culture and systems, and may be unsure how to reach out to the military installations and Guard and Reserve Units to offer support. This presentation will describe a multi-agency, civilian/military collaborative group, “Building Bridges,” whose goals are to develop networks for informationsharing, initiate joint planning efforts, and increase the capacity of communities to support military and veteran families.

Brenda Gearhart is a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of military experience, both as an enlisted service member and as an officer, and has served as a U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Officer since 2002. CDR Gearhart has worked at DCoE since July 2008 and facilitates the multi-agency, multiservice group.

Facilitator/Presider: Gary Bowen