Group Intervention Framework

Treatment Group Proposal

Erika Tallent

Walden College

SOCW 6121

10/09/2022

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Purpose

Transition into civilian life is a significant issue for many veterans. During the transition to civilian life, veterans may struggle with challenges such as joining the workforce, adjusting to the effects of serious injuries sustained during service, transition stress, PTSD, and substance use which can lead to conditions such as alcohol use disorder (Derefinko et al., 2019). The purpose of the group will be to discuss ways through which veterans can be aided to successfully transition into civilian lives and live productive lives that can see them be self-sufficient. The program will focus on meeting the needs of veterans, ensuring that those needs are understood, and bringing on board leaders who can be involved in the program and are familiar with the challenges of veterans. Another purpose of the program will be to ensure that the appropriate resources are provided to veterans to cope with their transition to civilian life.

Membership

The membership of the group will be made up of veterans who have left or are in the process of leaving the service and are either in the process of transitioning to civilian life or about to begin the transition. The primary qualification will be individuals who have been service members. The group will also be made up of professionals that can help meet the various needs of the group members. This will include therapists, mental health providers, and professionals from fields that can help veterans with the successful transition into civilian life. The group will be open to individuals from all demographics as long as they are veterans transitioning from service.

Statement of Need

According to Ravindran et al. (2020), the chances of veterans successfully transitioning into civilian life are greatly improved if they have the proper social support. Military service cannot be equated to any other profession because the life of service members is different from any other civilian profession. Also, most service members leave the service at the prime of their lives and need to find a new structure to the life they have lived during their time in the service (Ravindran et al., 2020). Military service involves abiding by orders and directives issued by superiors, and it is structured. Civilian life is not structured, and that lack of structure can challenge veterans. As such, veterans at the end of their service are likely to need support to relearn many aspects of civilian life, including but not limited to simple skills such as making and managing a budget and working on resumes. They also need support to be equipped with coping skills to manage PTSD, so they do not risk developing mental health disorders associated with PTSD (Derefinko et al., 2019). Lastly, veterans also need support to manage physical trauma to ensure full recovery and mitigate the risk of addiction to medications.

Recruitment

Recruitment of veterans into the program will be on a need basis. Any veteran who requires support with challenges during the transition and is willing to be assisted will be recruited into the group. Part of the recruitment strategy will involve alerting different agencies, physicians, and mental health providers who offer services to veterans about the group and how it can benefit veterans. In this way, veterans can know about the group and approach it. The recruitment of professionals to support the veterans will be done through an interview to determine their availability and the skills they would bring to the group.

References

Derefinko, K. J., Halsell, T. A., Isaacs, M. B., Colvin, L. W., Salgado Garcia, F. I., & Bursac, Z.

(2019). Perceived needs of veterans transitioning from the military to civilian life.  The

Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research,  46(3), 384-398.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-018-9633-8

Ravindran, C., Morley, S. W., Stephens, B. M., Stanley, I. H., & Reger, M. A. (2020). Association

of suicide risk with transition to civilian life among US military service members.  JAMA Network Open,  3(9), e2016261-e2016261. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.16261