Policies

VET TO VET CORE COMPONENTS

1. Vet-to-Vet has an educational focus, utilizing established materials recognized in the field of psychosocial rehabilitation. These materials are read and discussed during each group.
- Materials should be selected with care. See Vet-to-Vet manual for currently recommended materials.

2. Vet-to-Vet consists of a semi-structured curriculum with regular meetings scheduled 2 to 5 times each week.

3. The principal focus of Vet-to-Vet is on the unique experience of veterans, and how veterans can learn to live with problems posed by mental illness and/or an addiction.

4. Vet-to-Vet groups are peer-to-peer in orientation and are therefore led and guided by veterans themselves.

5. Vet-to-Vet is based on a partnership with the mental health system in which the mental health system provides facilities and support for Vet-to-Vet.

6. An important feature of the partnership between veterans and the mental health system (whether the VA or some other system) is collaborative-clinical supervision through which the mental health professionals and veteran group leaders hold regular consultative meetings that are largely separate from the actual Vet-to-Vet meetings.

7. Vet-to-Vet meetings are held in facilities made available by the mental health system to provide optimal access to services.

8. The program operates on a voluntary basis, however the value of the veteran group leaders’ contribution to the program may be acknowledged financially when possible and appropriate.

9. The role of the veteran group leaders is independent of their role as receivers of treatment.

Reference: Resnick, S. G., Armstrong, M., Sperrazza, M., Harkness, L., & Rosenheck, R. A. (2004). A model of consumer-provider partnership: Vet-to-Vet. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 28, 185-187. Vet-to-Vet Core Components