DVEN CEO To Attend Veteran Suicide Prevention Conference

El Segundo, CA based Disabled Veteran Empowerment Network (DVEN) has announced that CEO Robert Hess will attend the 10th Annual Los Angeles County Veteran and First Responder Suicide Prevention Conference on September 11, 2020. The summit is sponsored by the California Transition Assistance Program (CalTAP). The California Transition Assistance Program is a program designed to keep veterans informed and connected regardless of what generation they belong to. It also helps veterans get access to their earned federal and state benefits and provides support and assistance as their needs change over time. Read about the event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/veteran-and-first-responder-suicide-prevention-virtual-conference-tickets-117440873815.

Hess says, “Veteran suicide is a continuing tragedy in America. On average, 22 veterans commit suicide every day. The emotional issues that drive veterans to take their own lives are being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With no end in sight, this conference will provide important insights so that each of our can find a role in suicide prevention."

This years’ summit will focus on the impact of COVID-19, systemic racism and oppression and community violence. The summit’s goal is to bring together some of the brightest minds to find more effective methods of suicide prevention and to present talks that foster hope, transformation and well-being. Together, attendees will explore their roles in preventing suicide.

Hess is himself a disabled Vietnam veteran, with 80% of his disability being combat related. Almost all of his disability stems from Agent Orange-related prostate cancer and combat-related PTSD. He knows and understands the challenges faced by veterans in trying to get their lives back on track. Read more about PTSD, one of the most common conditions among veterans, at https://dven.org/ptsd/.

DVEN provides veterans with resources that can help them get their lives together and helps them cope with how their time in the military may have affected them, be it physically, mentally or both, as in Hess’ case. “According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are roughly 22 million veterans in the general US population,” says DVEN. “The number of veterans from our recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to surge to 3.9 million by 2021, and there still are 7.2 million veterans from the Vietnam War alone. Roughly 30% of our newest veterans have a service-related disability, and almost 8% live in poverty. 16% of our older veteran population are similarly injured, and 7% of that broader group are living in poverty. The Veterans Administration now provides medical care for over 5 million veterans, and more than 40,000 veterans are diagnosed each year with cancer. That’s a staggering number. There is a huge need in America’s veteran population.”

DVEN has carefully screened several charities, and they offer support to these charities in order to assist them in their efforts to help veterans. Some of the charities they support include Disabled American Veterans(DAV), the Fisher House Foundation, The Gary Sinise Foundation, Hire Heroes and Stop Soldier Suicide.

“Sadly, many people have created sham organizations that collect funds but never provide any meaningful support,” says DVEN. “The Federal Trade Commission and state governments work hard to identify these organizations, but it’s a challenge. We have posted a list of sham organizations along with a list of organizations that genuinely support our veteran community. Our vision is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our Nation’s disabled veteran community by providing information and resources to increase their safety and independence and to enable them to have the best possible quality of life. Thank you for helping us support America’s disabled veteran community.”

America has seen many wars, and those wars have produced veterans who still experience health issues related to their service or suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Robert Hess and the DVEN team, with the support of Americans everywhere, are committed to helping these veterans get the support they need and deserve. Hess understands what it means to be a veteran and wants to help others in similar circumstances lead better lives. Find out more about what one can do to help veterans at the following link: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/.