Welcome all Committee Members and Guests

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Welcome all Committee Members and Guests!
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Rhode Island Task Force Meeting Agenda 23 Oct 07,
0900 - 1100 VA Hospital, 5th Floor Advisory
Committee - Welcome, Review Dr. Susan
Storti/CMSgt Lori Ashness Addictive Disorders
Committee SSgt Alida Roa/Cindy Williams Woman
Veterans Committee LTC Jeannine Vachon/Minerva
Thomas Public Awareness Committee LTC Dennis
Riel/Norman Deragon Community Outreach
Committee LTC Bruce Fletcher/Michele
Jackson Peer Support Committee MAJ Michael
Manning/Christopher Morse Family Network
Committee Maj Judy Ferriera/Kathy Neil
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Veterans Task Force of Rhode Island Highlights

• Program Activities
• Development of Resource Guide (through Sen.
  Reeds office) Content being updated projected
  completion date 12/07.
• Advisor meetings, How to handle requests from
  other states, funding, schedules.
• Dr. Laurie Sloane, National PTSD Center and Dr.
  S. Storti submitted a grant to DOD for additional
  resources to support the continued development
  and implementation of the RI Blueprint. Proposals
  are currently under review.
• The RI Council of Community Mental Health
  Organizations and Dr. S. Storti submitted a
  proposal to the Agua Foundation to facilitate the
  dissemination of the RI Blueprint to other
  states the proposal was funded in the amount of
  7,500, to begin outreach/dissemination. (efforts
  in Florida and Alabama)
• Attended meeting w/RVOC coordinator, review
  successes of
• Task Force as well as processes that are
  currently working.

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Veterans Task Force of Rhode Island Highlights

• Program Activities
• Interview with Providence Journal in August
  writer still revising article at this time.
• Meeting held w/MG Bray , 4 Sept 2007 for update
  on Task Force as well as pictures for Providence
  Journal
• Distributed Blueprint/Handbook/Resource guide to
  Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Command
  Chief of the Air National Guard, Command Sergeant
  Major of the Army National Guard.
• Walkthrough of potential office space w/LtCol
  Santos (Family Programs)
• Task Force presentation at Dept. of Veterans
  Affairs monthly meeting. Disabled American
  Veterans interested in partnering. Info given to
  Community Outreach Committee.
• Dr. S. Storti to participate in teleconference
  call in November
• with group of national foundations interested in
  funding
• efforts based upon the RI Blueprint.
• Attended Peer-to-Peer meetings, first classes
  given Sept/Oct.

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Veterans Task Force of Rhode Island Highlights

• Program Activities
• Attended Judges Conference, 21 Aug, presented
  Blueprint and briefed Task Force activities.
• Meeting w/Col Hague, J-1 Personnel. Discussion
  of pre-deployment assessment of soldiers/airman.
  National Guard Bureau contacted.
• Attended Community Outreach meeting. PA
  activities being conducted. Public Service
  Announcement complete.
• Attended Air Force Association/ANG Board meeting,
  DC. Reintegration and Family Programs are the two
  top priority of Director of Air National Guard.
• Wrote talking points for LTC Habershaw (ANG/LL)
  supporting Bill S38.
• Send Operation Holiday Cheer info to VFW and
  Libby Arron for Senior Project.

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Veterans Task Force of Rhode Island Highlights

• Update on National Dissemination Efforts
• Pennsylvania Kick-off conference/skill building
  workshops held in September, 2007. Activities
  designed to assist community providers in
  providing mental health care for returning
  military members/families
• Missouri Kick-off conference held in March,
  2007 follow-up activities underway
• Kansas Kick-off conference held in March, 2007
  Information can be found at http//www.mattc.org
  / Follow-up activities are being planned.
• Virginia Kick-off conference held October 17,
  2007 Coordinated ANG support Follow-up
  activities are being planned.

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Veterans Task Force of Rhode Island Highlights

• Update on National Dissemination Efforts
• North Carolina Kick-off conference and creation
  of Blueprint in 2006 September, 2007, NC State
  Legislature allocated 3 million dollars to
  facilitate implementation of recommendations set
  forth in Blueprint.
• New Mexico Kick-off conference held in July,
  2007. In
• process of developing Blueprint and Resource
  Guide.
• Nevada Will be presenting first regional
  workshop addressing the
• issues faced by returning military members
  and their
• families in Reno and Las Vegas in December,
  2007.
• Massachusetts Dr. John Rodolico, McLean
  Hospital MA, Commander of Combat Stress Unit in
  Iraq and Dr. S. Storti will
• be presenting Grand Rounds (1.5 hours) at St
  Lukes
• Hospital in New Bedford on November 6, 2007.

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Addictive Disorders Committee
SSgt Alida Roa/Cindy Williams

• Program Activity
• Video phones set up at Trihab, Wilson House,
  Capitol Hill House, andKing House
• Veterans Training Planning committee meeting for
  the RI Council ofCommunity Mental Health Centers
• Meeting with Darlene Price of the RI Housing
  Resources Commission,along with LTC Vachon,
  Berne Greene LICSW, and Linda Thompson LICSW
  regarding services and resources available to
  women and others through the VAMC and Vets Center
  - August 29
• Judges Conference in Narragansett - September 20
• Air National Guard briefing -  September 21

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Women Veterans Committee LTC Jeannine
Vachon/Minerva Thomas

• Program Activity
• Conducted 3rd quarterly briefing for women
  veterans of RI at VET Center, Warwick.
• Fall timeframe - Legislative Tea at State House. 
  In process of confirming date with legislature,
  LT Governor, etc.
• Conducted Operation Stand Down for RI Women
  Veterans, 21 Sept.
• Conducted Operation Project Connect, 26 Sept.
• WW II Oral History Project, Ch 36, PBS.
• 5th Anniversary Womans Memorial Dedication
  Luncheon, 27 Oct.

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Public Awareness Committee LTC Denis Riel/Normand
Deragon

• Program Activity
• Coordinate RING TV Show
• Feature article Phoenix Magazine
• Coordinate Providence Journal article
• Coordinated Kenny Carnes production sites

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Community Outreach Committee LTC Bruce
Fletcher/Michele Jackson

• Program Activity
• Contacts with Veterans Groups (VFW, Amer Legion,
  Elks), Disabled American Veterans pending
• Produced a 30 Second Public Service Announcements
  for Cable
• Generating 60 Second Announcement
• Tentative Scheduled Appearances on Senior
  Journal, Rhode Island Soap Box, VTFRI Show in
  progress (Cox Cable)

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Peer Support Committee MAJ Michael Manning/Chris
Morse

• Program Activity
• Peer-to-Peer Program update
• Peer Support Training, given by Ann Balboni -
  First class 26/27 Sept, second class 16/17 Oct -
  (4 Air Guard, 4 Army Guard, 8 Veterans)
• Funding avenues being researched for follow-on
  classes

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Family Network Committee Maj Judy Ferriera/Kathy
Neill

• Program Activity
• Judicial Conference held 20 Sept, 0900 - 1200, 60
  judges in attendance, very successful conference
• Weekday VA Briefing for full-time members of the
  RIANG held
• 21 September 2007 VA Benefit Briefing held at
  Quonset (35 members of the RIANG and BG Haynes
  stopped in)
• Family Symposium in the Fall (Kathy)
• Additional VA Benefit Briefings to be scheduled
  on UTA weekends (Judy)

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Next Meeting22 January 2008