Gayle Kagen Leads A National Effort To Help Veterans
Appleton, WI — Veterans will have easier access to valuable social services thanks to the efforts of Gayle Kagen and the United Way. As President of the Freshman Congressional Spouses Class of the 110th Congress, Gayle brought together the United Way and the National Military Families Association in support of 2-1-1, a national effort to make the three digit call centers a single point of contact for veterans and their families seeking counseling and other services.
“After a visit to Walter Reed Hospital, we decided, as a group, to dedicate ourselves to meeting the needs of military families,” said Gayle. “These social services were available, but many veterans were not taking advantage of them. We sought to simplify the process by creating a national hotline.”
Gayle Kagen contacted United Way Fox Cities, to discuss how 2-1-1 could provide resources for veterans and their families. The local contact led to discussion on a national level with United Way of America’s Director of 2-1-1, Linda Daily.
The 2-1-1 call centers offer access to resources for counseling, shelter, food banks, health resources, child care, financial literacy and job training programs. Almost two out of every ten U.S. soldiers who have faced combat in Iraq may return with serious symptoms of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a study released by the New England Journal of Medicine. Currently, less than 40% of the returning soldiers in need and afflicted by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder seek help.
The Congressional Spouse class is also working with the National Military Family Association (NMFA), which was founded by wives of soldiers in order to create a resource and support system for spouses and children of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
Congressman Kagen applauded the project, “Our veterans have served our country honorably, and we must do everything we can to help them and their families. Gayle has done a tremendous job in bringing together these two organizations. The 2-1-1 program proves that by working together, we will build a better nation for all of us.”
Rep. Kagen is a co-sponsor The 2-1-1 Act which will extend this service nationwide and the author of the Rural Veterans Mental Health Improvement Act, which would provide eligible veterans with vouchers to pay for necessary mental health services at local private facilities if they live more than 30 miles from a VA facility.
