Amanda Kraus, Ph. D.Amanda Kraus, Ph. D.Veterans SymposiumVeterans Symposium

February 21, 2011February 21, 2011

Goal to more authentically Goal to more authentically understand how disabled veterans understand how disabled veterans experience higher educationexperience higher education

Produce a model with Produce a model with recommendations on strategies that recommendations on strategies that contribute to the success of veterans contribute to the success of veterans on campuson campus

Four year Congressionally-directed Four year Congressionally-directed grantgrant

ResearchResearch Participatory-action research and mixed qualitative Participatory-action research and mixed qualitative

methodologymethodology 35 individual, semi-structured interviews35 individual, semi-structured interviews

OutreachOutreach Professionals’ RoundtableProfessionals’ Roundtable Sports and Wellness CampSports and Wellness Camp Liaise with Student Vets Center Liaise with Student Vets Center and campus and communityand campus and community

Academic initiativesAcademic initiatives SERVSERV Online faculty resourcesOnline faculty resources

Direct ServicesDirect Services DRC accommodationsDRC accommodations Healing TouchHealing Touch

Initiative 2008-2009 2009-2010 Initiative Total

Sports and Wellness Camp

20 22 42

Individual interviews

n/a 20 20

Healing Touch n/a 47 47

DRC Accommodations

6 15 21

SERV classes 8 24 32

Student Veterans Center

125 225 250

Student Veterans of America club

100 200 300

Annual Total 259 553

As of February 2011, the number of American As of February 2011, the number of American troops who have been injured in OIF, OEF, OND troops who have been injured in OIF, OEF, OND is 42,346is 42,346

Nearly 20 percent of the 1.6 service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment (RAND, 2008)

Nineteen percent report a probable TBI, seven percent report TBI, PTSD and depression

Costs associated with mental health care for Costs associated with mental health care for service members in the first two years after service members in the first two years after deployment is an estimated $6.2 billion over deployment is an estimated $6.2 billion over two years (RAND, 2008)two years (RAND, 2008)

Veterans Veterans Education and Education and Transition ServicesTransition Services

(V.E.T.S.)(V.E.T.S.)

Research Research philosophy has philosophy has guided program guided program developmentdevelopment

Student Vets Center SVA@UA, SVA Law SERV Classes GI Bill counseling Network of point people on and off campus PTSD support group and on-site VA counseling Veterans in Higher Education National

Clearinghouse and Conference

Access issues related to higher education Bias, can encounter hostile climate

Use Student Vets Center as safe space Space to cultivate identity as student vets

Identify as vets

Norms, rites of passage

Vet-speak

Cohort mentality “Mission” oriented

Identify “friendlies” Focus on justice

Hypervigiliance

Reluctant to identify personally, but acknowledge disability as important aspect of community DOD statistics, VA VR rating

Language Wounded Warrior Injured

Hierarchy Combat-related injuryCombat-related injury Service-related injuryService-related injury Non-service-related injuryNon-service-related injury

Service provision Cohort mentality

Divide between invisible and visible

Discuss social model of disability “Universally” designed space

Physical accessAssistive technology

Integrate disability into community

Partner with DRC events DRC/Mental Health marketing in Student Vets Center

Incorporate student feedback

Committee to discuss veterans on campus, including students, administrators, staff and faculty

Marketing and outreach re: language

Meet veterans where they are at related to their interest in vets’ identity

Strong relationship with VA re: mental health and benefits

Adaptive/wheelchair athletics

Open gym to vets (P90X)

Healing Touch

The social model of disability promotes The social model of disability promotes disability as a sociopolitical construct, not an disability as a sociopolitical construct, not an individual impairment. individual impairment.

What challenges do the DOD disability What challenges do the DOD disability statistics and the VA disability rating system statistics and the VA disability rating system pose to operationalizing the social model of pose to operationalizing the social model of disability? Disability identity?disability? Disability identity?

Reflect on how students makeReflect on how students makemeaning of disability? Whatmeaning of disability? Whatimplications might this have implications might this have for service provision?for service provision?

Disabled Veterans Reintegration and Education Disabled Veterans Reintegration and Education ProjectProject

drc.arizona.edu/veterans/ drc.arizona.edu/veterans/

UA V.E.T.S. UA V.E.T.S. vets.arizona.edu vets.arizona.edu Radford, A. W. (2009). Military service members and Radford, A. W. (2009). Military service members and

veterans in higher education: What the new GI bill may veterans in higher education: What the new GI bill may mean for postsecondary institutions. Washington, D.C.: mean for postsecondary institutions. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education.American Council on Education.

US Department of Defense US Department of Defense ((http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdfhttp://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf).).

Tanielian, T., & Jaycox, L. H. (2008). Invisible wounds of war : Tanielian, T., & Jaycox, L. H. (2008). Invisible wounds of war : Psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, Psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services to assist recovery. Santa Monica: Center for and services to assist recovery. Santa Monica: Center for Military Health Policy Research, RAND.Military Health Policy Research, RAND.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey.Survey.