Phoenix VA Hosts 12th Annual Mental Health Summit
The Phoenix VA Health Care System held their 12th Annual VA/Be Connected Community Mental Health Summit in-person and virtually at the 32nd Street Outpatient Clinic on Oct. 20.
This national requirement, in partnership with Be Connected brought together Phoenix VA staff, community partners and more than 80 Veterans for the conference. For the last three years, the event was held 100 percent virtually due to the Covid pandemic. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Summit was “Dignity in Mental Health,” and the event was designed to strengthen collaboration and care with the community in support of Veterans and their families.
Associate Director for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Leslie Lockridge said, “We think this partnership and this opportunity to really collaborate is something to be celebrated here today.” She also thanked everybody for being at the Mental Health Summit and for participating, collaborating, and learning about the things “we have to do and offer our Veterans that we serve.”
Some of the community partners that were in attendance include: Alpha-Stim, Area Agency on Aging, A.R.I.S.E. Community Solutions, Inc., Arizona Department of Veterans Services, Arizona Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Be Connected, Connections, Humana, Native Health, OASIS Behavioral Health, Phoenix Vets Center, VBA, Veterans Mental Health Advocacy Council, and Via Linda Behavioral Hospital.
“The idea is to really bring together stakeholders who are interested in Veteran Care to talk about what it is we are doing, what partnerships we are currently involved in, how we are working together to serve Veterans in our community and what we can do better,” said Erica Leffler, Phoenix VA Social Worker.
During the event, Veterans were able to participate and interact with community partners about their care. “It’s just an opportunity for stakeholders to partner up and discuss Veteran Care and where we can go from here,” said Leffler. “We are showcasing the priorities of Mental Health, here at the VA, we’re talking about things maybe people aren’t aware of, programs and services that are offered in our recovery services, whole health programs, and we’re learning what’s out there and what’s available to educate the community and to know what the community is doing to help our Veterans.”