Veteran Family Toolkit launched for Veteran Health Week

Bolton Clarke has a long history of supporting veterans and we have launched our Veteran Family Toolkit to align with Veteran’s Health Week 2018.

A Bolton Clarke initiative, the project is a collaboration between the Bolton Clarke Research Institute (BCRI), Altura Learning and the veteran community to explore the experience of veterans and their families and identify gaps in health and social care for current and ex-serving members and their families.

Bolton Clarke Chairman Pat McIntosh said the toolkit project was grounded in research into the unique health needs of veterans that identified a demand for greater knowledge and practical resources.

“By giving a voice to veterans to share their experiences, we hope this toolkit plays a role in supporting their access to timely information and services,” he said.

“This is particularly the case with the issue of mental health – where we need to do more in promoting early identification and effective treatment pathways.”

Bolton Clarke Research Institute Principal Research Fellow Dr Judy Lowthian said good family function was integral to maintaining or improving mental health for veterans.

“This toolkit is one of the complementary resources we can use to support individuals and their families to navigate their journey to recovery,” she said.

Bolton Clarke’s Veteran Family Toolkit sits alongside other programs to support veterans, their families and others to understand effective treatment pathways to post traumatic growth.

The toolkit consists of five modules, each addressing a different part of the journey to post-traumatic growth.