The following are opinions from Neil Lichtman – Founder of KAV. They should be considered as the thoughts of one person, who is NOT a medical or mental health professional.
If you are feeling like you want to hurt yourself or someone else, PLEASE call 911 NOW
or For Free HELP NOW Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 Press 1,
or Veterans Crisis online chat,
or text Veterans Crisis Line 838255, RIGHT NOW.
A caring person will listen to you, right away. There are better ways!
The term “Mental Health” is a huge tent covering a wide variety of topics. Probably the most important thing to remember is that everyone needs help at some time and most of us need help lots of times throughout our complicated lives.
When we are under stress, it is very hard to think through our good options. Sometimes we just see the problems and no good solutions.
Whether it’s talking things out with a friend or doing the same with someone on a hotline, it’s all about helping you work through things, so that you feel better now, and have a plan for feeling even better in the future.
As you have noticed, this site is mostly for self-help and referrals. We also offer a Champion to anyone who would like help getting started or figuring out what to do first with all the sometimes-overwhelming information in here. Just click and someone will get in touch shortly. Not as a medical, legal or financial professional, but as a buddy who has experience with the options and can help you make your own decision, based on your own priorities, as to what is best for you, when and how.
To make it easier, please print our Self-Help page to use as a check sheet to find help for the multiple issues you face. We are human, so we are complex and usually have several things going on in, or interfering with our lives, at the same time.
Please use the Comments Form to let us know if the site is helpful to you and what we can do to improve it.
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VA, Government and Organization Help
Know A Vet? presents this information and these national resource directories, not as a recommendation of any specific service or provider, but as a starting point for your own research.
Clicking here will bring you to a database of other VA services you can locate by zip code.
Please also check out our page on Filing Claims. We recommend that you do NOT file claims on your own. If you do not file exactly the way the VA looks for information, it can take literally years for your claim to go back and forth before approval or denial.
The other resources listed, such as your local Veterans Service Office (names vary by county), VSO counseloror, VFW, etc., will help you determine what you are eligible for and file correctly for results in as little as a few weeks.
Non-VA Local Help
Know A Vet? presents this information and these national resource directories, not as a recommendation of any specific service or provider, but as a starting point for your own research.
Please feel free to use the check sheets Before, During and After the Medical Appointment and Choosing a Medical Service Provider to help you in your search for the best help for your individual circumstances.
In addition, there may be other federal, state and local government or private resources for your individual needs. A
VA, Government and Organization Help
Know A Vet? presents this information and these national resource directories, not as a recommendation of any specific service or provider, but as a starting point for your own research.
Clicking here will bring you to a database of other VA services you can locate by zip code.
Please also check out our page on Filing Claims. We recommend that you do NOT file claims on your own. If you do not file exactly the way the VA looks for information, it can take literally years for your claim to go back and forth before approval or denial.
The other resources listed, such as your local Veterans Service Office (names vary by county), VSO counseloror, VFW, etc., will help you determine what you are eligible for and file correctly for results in as little as a few weeks.
Non-VA Local Help
Know A Vet? presents this information and these national resource directories, not as a recommendation of any specific service or provider, but as a starting point for your own research.
Please feel free to use the check sheets Before, During and After the Medical Appointment and Choosing a Medical Service Provider to help you in your search for the best help for your individual circumstances.
In addition, there may be other federal, state and local government or private resources for your individual needs. A VSO counselor may be able to help you find them.
While we strongly urge you to take advantage of all you have earned through your service, we understand there are many reasons why you may prefer non-VA service providers. Here are some places to start:office-of-vet-services/">VSO counselor
may be able to help you find them.
While we strongly urge you to take advantage of all you have earned through your service, we understand there are many reasons why you may prefer non-VA service providers. Here are some places to start: