Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence
REACH VA: Multiple Sclerosis Caregiver Support Group Leader Training
If you are professional staff or a supervised trainee in a VA facility, and would like to support caregivers of Veterans with the following conditions: ALS, dementia, MS, PTSD, or spinal cord injury/disorders, training for the REACH (Resources for Enhancing All Caregivers Health) VA Program is available.
Training is offered by the Memphis Caregiver Center and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Employee Education System (EES). It is approved for 3.0 CEUs for nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists. Register in TMS to attend a session and learn about the REACH VA Program and how you can become a certified REACH VA Program Coach. All training is live and online; supported by Adobe Connect and VANTS.
As a Program Coach, you will deliver skills building in four core sessions. Caregivers will develop skills in problem solving, positive thinking, and stress management. The Program can be delivered over two to three months by phone or face-to-face delivery. The REACH VA Program has been shown to decrease caregiver depression, burden, and frustrations, and reduce the number of challenging problems reported.
REACH VA is focused and efficient; it helps maximize your time and interaction with caregivers by providing a structure for giving them exactly what they need. To become a certified REACH VA Program Coach, contact REACH Trainer, Stefanie Alexander at Stefanie.Alexander@va.gov or call 800-636-8262 press 1+4092 or 901-523-8990 press 1+4092 for training details and schedule.
Additional Information
Alicia Sloan, MPH, MSW, LICSW
MSCoE-West, VA Puget Sound HCS, Seattle, WA
Alicia.Sloan@va.gov
