United way provides 2-1-1 help line services to area military families

  • Published
  • By Carlyon, Communications Director
  • United Way
San Antonio, Texas --  United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County recently received a two- year, $320,500 grant for the Texas Military Family Access Project. The service area reaches to 12 counties including: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina and Wilson Counties.

Combat service in Afghanistan and Iraq is producing unique and critical issues for a new generation of active-duty Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, Reserve, Texas National Guard members, veterans and their families.

Due to concerns with job security and the stigma sometimes associated with reintegration, military service members and their families often don't reach out for help; and they don't know who to call when they do. They face a difficult network of federal, state, local, private and public agencies and advocacy groups whose services are fragmented and often only serve a portion of the military population.

Dialing 2-1-1 is now an option for connecting to trained military call specialists 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Military call specialists assess callers' needs and provide free information and referrals for military service members and their families, who have deployed to the Afghanistan and Iraq theatres of operation.

Finding solutions to a range of problems, military call specialists help with issues such as: financial assistance, marital problems, anger management, depression and anxiety, child care, legal services, medical care, drug and alcohol treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), employment, home remodeling for disabled warriors and many other services unique to military deployment.

One of the key goals of the Texas Military Family Access Project is the development of a comprehensive database of community and military resources. Currently 153 programs, specifically designated to assist Afghanistan and Iraq service members afamilies, have been identified.

"Our 2-1-1 Military Call Specialists help military members and their families navigate the complicated maze of the human care system and assist them toward achieving stable and productive lives before, during and after deployment," said Mark Scheibler, Lt. Col., USAF (Ret), and director of 2-1-1 operations and military programs.

United Way has added four new military call specialists to assist callers and two recently-retired Army officers to conduct outreach services throughout the region. 2-1-1 can provide referrals and information on services and programs provided by faith-based, non-profit, charitable, private, federal, state, county and city agencies.

Funding for the new Texas Military Family Access Project was provided by the Texas Resources for Iraq-Afghanistan Deployment (TRIAD) Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation.

Founded in 1939, United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County is the largest, private health and human service organization in Bexar County, supporting 70 agencies and 125 programs. For additional information on 2-1-1, visit www.unitedwaysatx.org or call (210) 352-7052.