Health and Wellness

Stryder Sartor: Inspiration from a Military child

This week on the Veterans Voice Podcast, Stryder Sartor honors his father, SGM Ryan Sartor, by sharing the legacy and inspirational attributes he passed down to him in 2019. We’ll hear Stryder talk with Colin Lightfoot who looked up to SGM Sartor as a mentor during his younger years as a Green Beret. Stryder also tells us how he is acting as a mentor for younger gold start children at A Soldiers Child, a summer camp-based foundation who supports children who lost a parent in the military. A common theme you’ll hear throughout the episode is that Stryder Sartor, who is now 20 years old, is a truly inspiration young man.
Our mission hear on the Veterans Voice Podcast is to remind you all that you’re not alone. As you hear through the stories of guests each and every week, we have all struggled, we have all turned to poor outlets to cope with life, and we have all felt alone at times. But these are the reason we all need to be there for one another within the Veteran community, a community whose voice is needed in America more than ever. This is the Veterans Voice Podcast, and this is a reminder that you are not alone.

Hope at the Holidays with Next Chapter: Meet Army Veteran Ken Curtner, LCSW

Army Veteran Ken Curtner, LCSW sits down with host, Paul Watson, to discuss  holiday struggles and ways to reach out for help. Next Chapter is on a mission to help Veterans navigate mental health struggles and end veteran suicide.
Hear Ken's story and how he became a part of Next Chapter and now devotes his days to helping veterans find hope and healing.
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is a Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 

Healthcare & Veterans: Options You Should Hear About!

Today's episode brings you Colorado Springs area family physician, Dr. Rachel Langley, discussing Direct Patient Care and why she chose this model for her own practice and ways you can explore and connect with DPC providers wherever you are.
 
Plus, dual service Marine and Army veteran, Johnny Moody, NP, discusses the benefits of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. A national guest, Johnny Moody oversees one of seven Optimal Bio clinics in the south-east and is spreading the word about how optimizing your hormones can optimize every aspect of your life.
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is a Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.
 
 

The Trager Approach

The Trager Approach is a massage therapy technique that can be especially helpful to veterans with complex PTSD. Find out more in this episode and learn how you can connect with a certified Trager Approach practicioner.
Plus, a special  excerpt brings us a delightful throwback to Ted Robertson's interview with retired Air Force Colonel, Kim "KC" Campbell. Hear about her inspiring story and discover her book that is now available: Flying in the Face of Fear.
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is a Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 

Arts as Healing for Veterans and it’s Never Summer

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and Mt. Carmel are partnered to bring the arts to veterans to help them heal.  Also, Never Summer, a Colorado snowboard and winter gear manufacturer, is creating unique boards and donating proceeds from the sales to help fuel Mt. Carmel's mission.  
LEARN MORE ABOUT ART THERAPY CLASSES
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT NEVER SUMMER HERE
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 
 

OPTUM Colorado and Medicare Mentors Partnered to Lead the Way

Optum Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Rankey, leads a comprehensive team of health care providers committed to helping people get and stay healthy. Optum Colorado’s model of care aims to help providers achieve higher quality patient outcomes and better experiences, at lower costs.
Optum is partnering with Medicare Mentors to host FREE Medicare Advantage education events specifically for veterans, on September 6th and September 20th, at the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.
These events will teach the basics on how veterans can get more medical benefits with Medicare Advantage in addition to the ones they may currently have with TRICARE, VA Healthcare, or CHAMPVA.
Sign up, HERE or call 719-249-548
- Some copy provided courtesy of OPTUM Colorado
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

One Simple Voice and Pours for a Cause

One Simple Voice is offering a series of retreats.  The next is September 22 and entitled, Carrying the Cross of Fear & Loss.  REGISTER HEREAlso in this podcast, Peaks & Pours, a whiskey gathering in Colorado Springs. Sample spirits from around the world! Food, music, cigars & bartender competition.  LEARN MORE HERE
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

Patriots Saying Thank You to Patriots

On Patriot Day 2023, Robert Irvine, a Veteran of the British Royal Navy and Royal Marines, is visiting with Mt. Carmel's executive director, Col. Bob McLaughlin, US Army, Ret.  The pair discussed the work of their respective organizations, thanking their fellow warriors, patriots and their families, and said a grateful goodbye to Veterans Voice Project lead and host, Ted Robertson, who's last day as a member of the Mt. Carmel Team was September 1.   
 
GALLERY
Robert Irvine's Visit to Veterans Voice
Images by Ted Robertson  |  Media Outreach Coordinator  |  Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center
Robert Irvine (L)  Ted Robertson (C)  Bob McLaughlin (R)
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 

Cutting Edge Mental Health Care and Shattering the Silence

In this edition of Veterans Voice, a special extended episode featuring a Dr. of psychiatry and treatments you might not have heard of, then, a trio of special forces operators telling their stories publicly for the first time.
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

Heavy Hitters Join to Fight Suicide and Getting Vets in Jobs and Business

The longest serving airman in Air Force history, Major General (Ret.) Alfred Flowers, and a new partnership with USAA to prevent veteran suicide.  Then, Melba Robinson-Santa and the Colorado Enterprise Fund helping veterans start and grow their own businesses.  The Colorado Veterans Business Outreach Center at Mt. Carmel is open for business!  And, a group teaching networking and interviewing skills to help veterans land their dream job.  
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 
 
 

Taking Action to Help Veterans, Save their Lives and Get Jobs for Milspouses

Action 22 is helping vets in rural Colorado; the White House is helping milspouses get jobs; the PACT Act has been set up to save veteran lives and a special message for Special Forces.
 
 
Action 22's, Making Action Happen Radio Program
Contact Brian McCain and Sara BlackhurstD:  719-369-7901E:  admin@action22.org
 
 
Dr. Silpa Krefft
The Time to Make Your PACT Act Claims is Now
Veterans enrolled in VA Easter Colorado Health Care System may request a screening by sending a message in MyHealtheVet or leaving a voicemail at 720-857-2511. For more information on how to apply for VA health care, including the documents needed to determine eligibility, visit VA.gov/health-care/how-to-apply. To apply today for benefits or learn more about PACT Act claims and care, call 1-800-MYVA411 or visit VA.gov/PACT.
Veterans can also contact their local VSO about starting a claim. Veterans who apply for PACT Act-related benefits before August 10, will have benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 when the bill was signed in to law.
REQUEST VSO SERVICES:  719-772-7000
 
 
Sue Luangkhot Hoppin
New Executive Actions Aimed at Creating More Opportunities for Milspouses
In this podcast, Veterans Voice host and Cohen Veterans Network's, Cindy Centofanti, talks with Sue Hoppin, National Military Spouse Network president and founder, about new executive actions created to improve employment opportunities for military spouses. 
READ THE WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL MILITARY SPOUSE NETWORK
 
 
Paul Watson  |  Cindy Centofanti  |  Dean Gobel
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION
O:  (719) 728-8816E:  info@specialforcesfoundation.org
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

Garrison Commanders Fighting Veteran Food Insecurity

Two former Fort Carson garrison commanders joining to fight food insecurity among the military connected community, and, Air Force veteran, Sterling Campbell, has your guide VA home loans 
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT CARE AND SHARE
 
 
A FREE Class for Veterans on How to Navigate the VA Mortgage Lending System with Sterling Campbell Presented in part by Loan Depot
February 7, 2023 - 6:30-8:30 P.M.Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center530 Communication Cir., Colorado Springs  80905
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

Partnerships and Friendships Benefitting Veterans

In this edition of Veterans Voice, the Cohen Military Family Clinic is open and providing mental health treatment services.  ACI Learning is training and adding veterans to the workforce.  A Key Bank team spends a day helping at Mt. Carmel and Veterans Business Outreach Centers at Mt. Carmel is guiding veterans to success in business.
 
 
Cindy Centofanti (L)  |  Amy Moore (R)
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Red Rock is located at at 1915 Aerotech Drive Ste 114, Colorado Springs, CO 80916. Please call us at 719-370-5141 or email us at CVNCS@red-rock.com with any questions or to get more information on how to schedule an in-person appointment.
LEARN MORE
 - Copy courtesy of Cohen Veterans Network
 
 
Kia Palmer (L)  |  Eric Phillips (R)
 
The Veterans Business Outreach Center Program is now open! Entrepreneurial service members, veterans, and their family members are encouraged to use VBOC resources to help develop their business concepts and ideas. 
Contact Kia Palmer at kpalmer@mtcarmelcenter.org for more information!
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA
 
 
Chris Young, ACI Learning Centers
CONTACT CHRIS
E:  chris.young@acilearning.com D:  (719) 309-1421
 
ACI LEARNING FOR VETERANS
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

I had a Choice to Stay, Die or Surrender

Frannie Rose lay bedridden for 17 years.  No one could tell her why or what was wrong.  Her fight gone and hope lost, the time had come for her to make a decision:  resign herself to never leaving her bed, kill herself, or, surrender to God.  Then came a voice.

When a Veteran Needs Help, It’s Here

Housing for veterans between homes; services and aid for aging veterans; a layered approach to mental health treatment and hearing God's voice.

The PCS Season Survival Guide

Spring and Summer mark the start of PCS season. Permanent changes of station mean pulling up stakes, starting over in a new community and all that entails. Our experts and host have PCS'd nearly 50 times between them and they've got some helpful tips and advice to help you survive it all.
 
 
CLINT JORDAN AND NEXT MOVE MILITARY
 
 
LINDSEY MEEK AND ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICE
 
 
LAURA EARLY AND WISE ADVISE + ASSIST TEAM
 
Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center Transition and EmploymentMilSpouse Career AssistanceBlair Erato:  719-4758
 
 
The Veterans Voice presented by USAA is a service of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner, Colorado Computer Support and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.
    
 
 

Affected Family and Friends Episode 3: PJ Higgins

In the third and final installment in this series, Community Health Partnership's, PJ Higgins, discusses the help and resources available for those struggling with substance use disorder.   
 
 
"The biggest and most complex problems we face are possible to solve!"- P.J. Higgins, 2023
 
ABOUT PJ HIGGINS
PJ oversees the Coalition for Prevention, Addiction Education, and Recovery (CPAR), a collective impact organization dedicated to improving access to behavioral health treatment.  He is currently leading local efforts to organize around opioid settlement funding.
- Some content excerpted and adapted from online resources.
 
 
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
With Thanks to PJ HigginsCHP Opioid Prevention Project Manager
Harm Reduction Centers
Colorado Health Network
https://coloradohealthnetwork.org/prevention-health-education/access-point/
Love Alive
https://www.lovealivecos.org/
Recovery Community Organizations
Serenity Recovery Connection
https://srchope.org/
Embark
https://www.embarkpca.net/
Phoenix Multisport
https://thephoenix.org/
Treatment types and locators
American Society for Addiction Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64088/
https://findtreatment.gov/
OWNPATH
https://ownpath.co/
Aunt Bertha
https://www.findhelp.org/
Treatment Payment Assistance
Raymond Roundtree Jr. Foundation
https://sosrrjrfoundation.org/
Colorado Medicaid
https://hcpf.colorado.gov/how-to-apply
Next Chapter
https://nextchapterco.org/
Veteran Specific Resources
Next Chapter
https://nextchapterco.org/
SAFE Project
https://www.safeproject.us/veterans/
Vet Centers
https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/state.asp?STATE=CO&v=1
Family Support Organizations
CRAFT Colorado
https://bha.colorado.gov/behavioral-health/CRAFT
Medication Assisted Treatment
Colorado Treatment Locator
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1naco-pLi0honGtdSd62m3XuQuGkdwKDF/view
Sober Living
Hazelbrook
https://hazelbrooksoberliving.com/
Embark
https://www.embarkpca.net/
Homeward Pikes Peak
https://homewardpp.org/
Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Resources
Main website: https://corxconsortium.org
Affected Families and Friends: https://corxconsortium.org/work-groups/affected-families-friends/
Affected Families and Friends Resource List: https://corxconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/Affected-Families-and-Friends-Resource-Guide.pdf (will ask you to open a document. Click “ok.”)
Affected Families and Friends “Beyond the Numbers” videos: https://corxconsortium.org/projects/beyond-the-numbers-echoes-of-the-opioid-epidemic/
Additional Resources
National Institute of health
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone
Shatterproof:
https://www.shatterproof.org
Mayo Clinic
https://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
Veteran’s Administration:
https://mentalhealth.va.gov/substance-use/index.asp
Colorado Crisis Services
https://coloradocrisisservices.org
Colorado’s Good Samaritan Law
“The 911 Good Samaritan Law states that a person is immune from criminal prosecution for an offense when the person reports, in good faith, an emergency drug or alcohol overdose even to a law enforcement officer, to the 911 system, or to a medical provider. This same immunity applies to persons who remain at the scene of the event until a law enforcement officer or an emergency medical responder arrives, or if the person remains at the facilities of the medical provider until a law enforcement officer, emergency medical responder, or medical provider arrives. The immunity described above also extends to the person who suffered the emergency drug or alcohol overdose event.”
 
DOWNLOAD THE FULL AFFWG RESOURCE GUIDE
 
ABOUT THE AFFECTED FAMILIES AND FRIENDS PODCAST SERIES
The Affected Families and Friends Podcast is a three-part series on substance use disorder presented by the University of Colorado’s Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, Affected Families and Friends Work Group and produced in the Veterans Voice studio located on the campus of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
 
 
MEET CO-PRESENTERS SARAH WERNER AND TRACEY RITTER
Meet your moderators for this series, Sarah Werner (L), and Tracey Ritter (R). They are the co-chairs for the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention’s work group called, “Affected Families and Friends.” 
The work group provides opportunities for friends and family to share hope, raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorder. Both have lost loved ones to substance use.  For Tracey, her son Evan.  For Sarah, her nephew Jonathan. 
Both have chosen to turn their pain into purpose. Sarah is on the board of the SAFE Project, which is an organization that aims to support action that will prevent fatal drug overdoses. Tracey is a Family Support Specialist with Advocates for Recovery, and has even lobbied with our Attorney General’s office for change in our state.
 
 
The Affected Families and Friends podcast series was produced in the Veterans Voice studio located on the campus of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, CO, in cooperation with the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, Affected Families and Friends Work Group, and the the team of Ms. Sarah Werner, Ms. Tracey Ritter and Ms. Hilary Bryant.
 
 
 

Military Money: How to Thrive on a Government Salary

Coming May 31, spend the afternoon with Trevor Nolan, author of Military Money:  How to Thrive on a Government Salary.  Trevor shares a series of stories that begin with financial mistakes and failure, and end in his ultimate success. 
 
 
Meet Trevor Nolan
Trevor penned his book Military Money to share his journey towards financial freedom after retiring from active duty as a member of the United States Air Force.  His mission is to help fellow service members achieve the very freedom they've fought to protect.  By transcending the limitations of trading time for money, Trevor's book paves the way for you to passionately pursue your true life's purpose.
 - Excerpted and adapted from the Military Might Publishing website
 
 
HELP TREVOR GIFT MILITARY MONEY TO VETERANS
LEARN MORE ABOUT MILITARY MIGHT PUBLISHING
 
 
The Veterans Voice presented by USAA is a service of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner, Colorado Computer Support and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.

Feeding Your Mind for Life

Good mental health means always learning new things and feeding YOUR mind.  PILLAR Institute for Lifelong Learning offers a great many opportunities for learning, being in the company of others and much more. 
DOWNLOAD THE COURSE CATALOGUE
LEARN MORE ABOUT PILLAR INSTITUTE
 
 
 
 
The Veterans Voice presented by USAA is a service of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner, Colorado Computer Support and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.

A Show of Vital Support and a 5K Run and Fundraiser for Vets & Pets

In this edition of Veterans Voice, Mt. Carmel's executive director and our board chair share their motivation for the mission, and, the Vets & Pets 5K and fundraiser gearing up for a walk - or run - in the park!
 
 
 
(L-R) Col. Bob McLaughlin, US Army Ret. | Mike Lewis | Jim Hannon, USAF Ret.
 
Request Services:  (719) 772-7000  |  Open:  8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Monday-FridayWalk-In services in Colorado Springs530 Communication Cir., Colorado Springs, CO  80905
 
 
REGISTER FOR THE 5K TODAY!
 
The Veterans Voice presented by USAA is a service of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner, Colorado Computer Support and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.
 
 
 
 
 

Affected Families and Friends Podcast Episode 1: Elizabeth

In this episode, affected family member and Army veteran, "Elizabeth", tells her story, and that of her daughter's, followed by asking moderators, Sarah Werner (L) and Tracey Ritter (R), a series of questions about how she can support her daughter who is in an active substance use situation.
 
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Safe Medication Use, Storage and Disposal     ▪ TakeMedsSeriously          • https://takemedsseriously.org/ 
Family Support     ▪ CRAFT Colorado          • https://bha.colorado.gov/behavioral-health/CRAFT      ▪ Serenity Recovery Connection          • https://srchope.org/      ▪ Al-Anon and Nar-Anon           • https://al-anon-co.org/             • https://www.nar-anon.org/find-a-meeting      ▪ Forward Together Colorado          • https://parents.forwardtogetherco.com/
Overdose Prevention     ▪ Bring Naloxone Home          • https://bringnaloxonehome.org/      ▪ Never Use Alone Hotline          • https://neverusealone.com/           • 1-800-484-3731     ▪ Canary—Prevent Overdose app          • https://apps.apple.com/us/app/canary-prevent-overdose/id1396426874 Colorado’s Good Samaritan Law
“The 911 Good Samaritan Law states that a person is immune from criminal prosecution for an offense when the person reports, in good faith, an emergency drug or alcohol overdose even to a law enforcement officer, to the 911 system, or to a medical provider. This same immunity applies to persons who remain at the scene of the event until a law enforcement officer or an emergency medical responder arrives, or if the person remains at the facilities of the medical provider until a law enforcement officer, emergency medical responder, or medical provider arrives. The immunity described above also extends to the person who suffered the emergency drug or alcohol overdose event.”
DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE 1 RESOURCE GUIDE
 
ABOUT THE AFFECTED FAMILIES AND FRIENDS PODCAST SERIES
The Affected Families and Friends Podcast is a three-part series on substance use disorder presented by the University of Colorado’s Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, Affected Families and Friends Work Group and produced in the Veterans Voice studio located on the campus of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL AFFWG RESOURCE GUIDE
 
 
MEET SARAH WERNER AND TRACEY RITTER
Meet your moderators for this series, Sarah Werner (L), and Tracey Ritter (R). They are the co-chairs for the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention’s work group called, “Affected Families and Friends.” 
The work group provides opportunities for friends and family to share hope, raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorder. Both have lost loved ones to substance use.  For Tracey, her son Evan.  For Sarah, her nephew Jonathan. 
Both have chosen to turn their pain into purpose. Sarah is on the board of the SAFE Project, which is an organization that aims to support action that will prevent fatal drug overdoses. Tracey is a Family Support Specialist with Advocates for Recovery, and has even lobbied with our Attorney General’s office for change in our state.
 
 
The Affected Families and Friends podcast series was produced in the Veterans Voice studio located on the campus of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, CO, in cooperation with the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, Affected Families and Friends Work Group, and the the team of Ms. Sarah Werner, Ms. Tracey Ritter and Ms. Hilary Bryant.
 
 
 

Neurofeedback Therapy, Service Dogs and Healing Teen Minds

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  In this edition of Veterans Voice, a primer on neurofeedback therapy; you'll meet Cody and his service dog, Zuko, both thriving now that they've found each other; and hear from two passionate mental health practitioners on how healing teen minds is so vital for a bright future.  
 
 
CONNECT WITH DR. MATT SHEM
LEARN MORE ABOUT NEUROFEEDBACK THERAPY
 
 
NAVY VETERAN, CODY, AND ZUKO
 
 
CONNECT WITH KEDISHA DIXON
LEARN MORE ABOUT PURPOSE, PLLC
CONNECT WITH ALICE MILES:  719-309-4758
LEARN MORE ABOUT MT. CARMEL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 

The Time to Make Your PACT Act Claims is Now

The Time to Make Your PACT Act Claims is Now
Veterans enrolled in VA Easter Colorado Health Care System may request a screening by sending a message in MyHealtheVet or leaving a voicemail at 720-857-2511. For more information on how to apply for VA health care, including the documents needed to determine eligibility, visit VA.gov/health-care/how-to-apply. To apply today for benefits or learn more about PACT Act claims and care, call 1-800-MYVA411 or visit VA.gov/PACT.
Veterans can also contact their local VSO about starting a claim. Veterans who apply for PACT Act-related benefits before August 10, will have benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 when the bill was signed in to law.
REQUEST VSO SERVICES:  719-772-7000
 
 
About Dr. Silpa Krefft, MD, MPHStaff Physician, Assistant Professor, Pulmonary and Critical Care, Site Director, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) Post-Deployment Cardiopulmonary Evaluation Network Center,Department of Veterans Affairs.Dr. Krefft is an occupational pulmonologist and critical care physician. She completed training in Internal Medicine at Boston University Medical Center and then subsequently completed Pulmonary/Critical Care fellowship and Occupational Medicine training at the University of Colorado. She joined the faculty in the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at National Jewish Health in Denver, CO in 2016 as well as the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado in 2017 where her practice includes evaluation and management of occupational and environmental lung diseases. Her research interests include exposure-related lung disease with a particular focus on deployment-related respiratory diseases such as asthma in military service members who have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. She currently serves as the Site Director for the VA Eastern Colorado Post Deployment Cardiopulmonary Evaluation Network Center, one of 6 specialty centers offering local and regional evaluations for deployment-related respiratory disease.
 
 
 LEARN MORE ABOUT MYHEALTHeVET
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services. 
 
 
 
 
 

Your Military Life in Stages and How to Plan for All of Them

Your military life in stages:  going in, serving and afterward.  Along the way, you can't plan for or control the unexpected.  But, as our panel will tell you, you can make smart, advance financial, estate planning and end of life decisions. 
 
      
 
CONTACT RYAN PLUNKETT, FINANCIAL ADVISOR
D:  719-380-1177MORE ABOUT RYAN
 
 
CONTACT KEVIN HANCOCK, ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY
THE LAW OFFICE OF KEVIN R. HANCOCKD:  719-575-9690WWW.COTRUSTATTORNEY.COM
 
 
CONTACT MIKE THOMAS, VETERAN LIAISON
PIKES PEAK HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CAREWWW.PIKESPEAKHOSPICE.ORG
 
 
The Veterans Voice Project presented by USAA is an Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center service.  Veterans Voice Colorado Springs is produced in the OPTUM Podcast Studio, distributed via the Medicare Mentors Veterans Voice Podcast Channel, powered by Technology Partner Colorado Computer Support, and made possible in part by Supporting Partner, The WireNut Home Services.