Providing Free Mental Healthcare for Veterans

According to a statement given to North Carolina’s The State newspaper, Dr. Romberg founded Give an Hour after listening to a radio news report on a veteran who found himself homeless after returning from Iraq.  “I thought, ‘We can do better than this.  This is unacceptable,’” Dr. Romberg said.  Dr. Romberg consulted with various veterans’ groups to get clear on exactly what was needed, and then created the non-profit to achieve these ends.[3]

The professionals who sign up to give of their time are approved and reviewed by GAH.  Professionals sign up for a multitude of reasons including empathy for their peers if they have also served in the military, or a feeling of sensitivity, compassion and the desire to give back to those who have done so much to serve our country. This network is a gift that gives both ways.

Further, operating the Given an Hour website is simple and uncomplicated.  One just enters their zip code to find providers in their area (from a five to 55 mile radius).  Give an Hour also works with those who are not in close proximity to a professional by offering therapy by phone.  (Just to mention, phone therapy is not always enough. Give an Hour is aware of this and conducts phone therapy only when it is appropriate.) 

Additional resources include NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), which also has access on their website on peer-to-peer counseling as well as family-to-family counseling.  This too is offered free of charge and may of benefit to veterans as well.  Lastly, Mental Health America also lists out providers and other resources for treatment that may or may not be for free, but may be obtained at a lower, and perhaps affordable, cost.

The bottom line here is that giving one hour per week of one’s time is so small; to a suffering veteran, it can make all the difference and can be the doorway to recovery.