The recent TRUST retreat for healthcare students focused on providing appropriate care to veterans, including addressing the challenges they face when navigating the complex Veterans Administration system. Ann Canastra, a licensed mental health counselor and recovery coordinator for the Syracuse Veterans Administration, spoke about the stigma surrounding mental and substance use disorders and urged providers and policy makers to use appropriate language when discussing mental and substance disorders to decrease stigma. Students worked in cross-disciplinary groups to work through a case study of a 71-year-old veteran with multiple health problems, integrating their professional knowledge to address the veteran’s needs. The retreat emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and recovery-oriented care for veterans, as well as treating patients with dignity and being mindful of the language surrounding mental and substance use.
TRUST Retreat Focuses on Healthcare for Veterans
The TRUST retreat held in February provided pharmacy, nursing, social work, public health, and medical students with insights into the healthcare needs of veterans. The retreat began by posing questions about the characteristics of veterans and the military culture, and the resources available to support the veteran population.
The TRUST program, a collaboration between the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Department of Social Work, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and the community, was created by Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice Bennett Doughty to offer crucial training to healthcare students across the spectrum. The goal is to equip students with the skills needed to care for the most vulnerable populations in society.
The program has grown to about 80 students who attend four retreats each academic year for two years, and participate in at least two community outreach activities per semester. The retreats, which are held on Sunday afternoons, cover a variety of topics such as delivering appropriate care to the LGBTQ+ population, working with patients with substance use disorder, accessing reproductive healthcare, and exploring rural and urban health.
Through the program, more than half of the students receive educational scholarships, and all materials required for the service activities are provided. Doughty expressed gratitude to his interprofessional colleagues and the donors for their support in developing the TRUST program, which has made it possible to expand the number of students who can participate.
The recent TRUST retreat focused on providing healthcare to veterans, providing an opportunity for students to understand the perspectives of veterans and the specific challenges they may face. By collaborating with other healthcare providers, the students will be better equipped to provide the best care for patients from vulnerable populations.
In summary, the TRUST program offers crucial training to healthcare students to care for vulnerable populations. The retreats cover a variety of topics, and the recent TRUST retreat focused on providing healthcare to veterans. The program has grown to about 80 students and has been made possible by the support of donors and interprofessional colleagues.
TRUST Retreat Provides Insight into Healthcare for Veterans
At a recent TRUST retreat, pharmacy, nursing, social work, public health, and medical students came together to learn about healthcare for veterans. The retreat included discussions about the veteran population over time and how healthcare providers can work with veterans to provide appropriate care. A panel of veterans from Clear Path for Veterans, a nonprofit organization that supports veterans, discussed their experiences with the Veterans Administration (VA) system and the challenges veterans face when accessing appropriate care.
The VA system is composed of three separate branches, which can be difficult to navigate, especially for veterans who are not familiar with the system. The panel of veterans emphasized the importance of being patient and understanding when dealing with veterans, and not talking down to them. The veterans also stressed the importance of advocating for veterans and helping them navigate the VA system.
Ann Canastra, a licensed mental health counselor and recovery coordinator for the Syracuse Veterans Administration, spoke about the goals of recovery-oriented care for veterans, which include promoting full access to recovery-oriented services at every VA location, eliminating disparities and discrimination associated with mental illness, and building the body of knowledge about recovery.
The students at the retreat also had the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary groups to assess the needs of a 71-year-old veteran with high blood pressure and diabetes and provide appropriate care.
Key Takeaways
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The recent TRUST retreat focused on providing healthcare to veterans.
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Veterans face challenges when navigating the complex VA system.
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Being patient and understanding is essential when dealing with veterans.
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The goals of recovery-oriented care for veterans include promoting full access to recovery-oriented services, eliminating disparities and discrimination, and building the body of knowledge about recovery.
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Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for providing appropriate care to veterans.
In summary, the TRUST retreat provided valuable insights into healthcare for veterans, including the challenges they face when accessing appropriate care and the importance of being patient and understanding when dealing with veterans. The retreat also emphasized the importance of recovery-oriented care for veterans and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to provide appropriate care.
TRUST Retreat Addresses Stigma and Offers Interdisciplinary Case Study
At a recent TRUST retreat, Ann Canastra, a licensed mental health counselor and recovery coordinator for the Syracuse Veterans Administration, discussed the stigma surrounding mental and substance use disorders. Canastra urged providers and policy makers to challenge communities to be aware of implicit bias and to use appropriate language when discussing mental and substance disorders to decrease stigma. She also encouraged students to treat patients with science and evidence-based strategies, speak out against stigma and discrimination, keep hope alive, treat patients with dignity, partner with peer recovery specialists, and be mindful of the language surrounding mental and substance use.
After the presentation, students worked in cross-disciplinary groups of six to work through a case study of a 71-year-old veteran with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other health problems. The students were tasked with identifying the veteran’s needs, ranking them based on priority, and determining which profession(s) would be best suited to address each need. The goal was to integrate professional knowledge across pharmacy, nursing, public health, social work, and medical disciplines to provide appropriate care to the veteran.
Key Takeaways
-
At the TRUST retreat, Ann Canastra discussed the stigma surrounding mental and substance use disorders.
-
Canastra urged providers and policy makers to use appropriate language when discussing mental and substance disorders to decrease stigma.
-
Students worked in cross-disciplinary groups to work through a case study of a 71-year-old veteran with multiple health problems.
-
The goal was to integrate professional knowledge across pharmacy, nursing, public health, social work, and medical disciplines to provide appropriate care to the veteran.
In summary, the recent TRUST retreat addressed the stigma surrounding mental and substance use disorders and offered students the opportunity to work in cross-disciplinary groups to provide appropriate care to a veteran. Canastra’s presentation emphasized the importance of using appropriate language to decrease stigma and treating patients with science and evidence-based strategies. The case study allowed students to integrate their professional knowledge to address the veteran’s needs.
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