Veterans in Construction and Military Wellness

If you’ve served in the military or know someone who has, you’ll understand why mental health and well-being are extremely important to address, as the transition to civilian life can be particularly difficult. Many of those who transition, often lose the sense of purpose, camaraderie, and identity central to their military experience and unfortunately, a Veteran is twice as likely to die from an accidental overdose than any other member of society.

The SAFE Project programs focus on prevention by addressing these concerns and preparing service members and their families with tools to move from coping to thriving. They work collaboratively to bring solutions to communities, campuses, workplaces, and active-duty service members, Veterans, and their families. In 2019, SAFE Project created a military connected prevention and wellness program designed by Veterans for Veterans and focuses on the unique challenges of military veterans and their families.

This front-end wellness program aims to promote resilience for military connected individuals and encourages participants to seek help where there is a risk for substance use, mental health, and co-occurring challenges.

The SAFE Project will offer three Military Wellness Workshops for FREE in the Northern Virginia National Capital Region on December 17, 18, and 19. SAFE Project has been awarded a grant from the Virginia Department of Veteran Services (DVS) to assist community-based programs throughout the commonwealth in supporting service members, veterans, and military families in suicide prevention and opioid addiction services.

The Military Wellness program is a 6-8 hours in-person evidence-based workshop that provides mental health and well-being skills to include:

• Identifying personal strengths
• Emotional regulation
• Stress and resilience
• Help seeking and accessing benefits
• Reducing alcohol/drug use
• Goal-setting and sustained growth after training

Consider including these resources and training activities in your company programs, as you work to improve your employees’ overall health and safety. For more information on these programs, visit the SAFE Project.