National Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Convene in DC to Improve Care for Military and Veteran Community, Families, and Survivors
Open to the public May 7th
Washington, DC (Vocus) April 22, 2009
The Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans (http://coalitionforveterans. org/ciav/home/) (CIAV) is hosting a national conference in Washington, DC from May 5-8, 2009. Service providers, veterans, families, survivors and advocates will share cutting edge expertise to improve the quality and quantity of support for the military and veteran community.
The CIAV is comprised of 52 agencies, located across the country, that are serving Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and families. The goal of the CIAV conference is to build partnerships with the non-profit community, Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Federal Government to ensure the well-being of military, veterans families, and survivors.
"The Coalition is working to find solutions to make sure that those affected by our current wars do not fall through the cracks," said Amy Fairweather, director of the CIAV. "No single organization can provide all of the support necessary to the military and veteran community. We all have a part to play - that is why non-profits who are on the frontlines every day are vital to the health and well being of our nation's military, veterans and their families," Fairweather said.
Conference attendees will develop strategies to increase funding and access to support as more service members return from combat. Coalition members will discuss ways to continue to provide services in the suffering economy and to sustain services as the need increases. In addition, the conference participants champion community and government collaboration to most effectively and efficiently serve our military and veterans (http://coalitionforveterans. org/ciav/home/). To that end, the CIAV will host a Roundtable Discussion on May 6th with representatives from the VA, DoD, Congress and key administrative organizations.
At the conference, Coalition members will share their expertise in areas from state-of-the-art mental health treatment to services for children of deployed parents to current military/veteran initiatives at the federal level. The conference will be open to the public at no cost on May 7th and attendees will have an opportunity to learn about the impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Planned panels on this day include: Outreach and Support for Military Children; Economic Welfare: Access to Benefits, Housing and Employment; Public, Private and Community Partnerships; Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and Pain: Treating the Whole Person; and Peer Support: Helping Each Other Find a Way Home.
May 5-8, 2009
Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
1127 Connecticut Ave
Washington, DC 20036
About the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
The Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans (CIAV (http://coalitionforveterans. org/ciav/home/)) is a national non-partisan partnership of organizations committed to working with and on behalf of all military, veterans, families, survivors and providers to strengthen the existing system of care and support for all those affected by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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