Open to ALL Veterans, Active Duty Service Members,
their families, and the communities that support Veterans.
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS:
David "Dave" Sprouse(BIO)
LMHC and LPC
Assistant Director, Xplor Counseling, LLC
Chief Laura M. Puza (BIO)
Paralegal MAJCOM Functional Manager
HQs, Pacific Air Force (PACAF)
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
Cynthia Scheib (BIO)
Certified Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nurse
Tripler Army Medical Center
Chief Valerie Nededog (BIO)
Senior Enlisted Leader
8th Intelligence Squadron
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
Chief April Lapetoda (BIO)
Chief Enlisted Manager
Public Affairs, PACAF
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
Thipmalay Lynn (CIV, USA)(BIO)
Transition Services Specialist
Hawaii - Transition Assistance Program Military Personnel Division
Chief Sharla Kostielney (BIO)
Senior Enlisted Leader
647th Force Support Squadron
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
Doris Edwards (BIO)
President, Leeward Pilot Club of Hawaii; Retired Educator
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Denise Koutrouba, MS, PHN, WHNP-BC (BIO)
Women Veteran Program Manager
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
Honolulu, Hawaii
Schoen U. Safotu (BIO)
Chief, Center for Development & Civic Engagement, VA Pacific Island Health Care
Dr. Kathryn Ryder M.D., M.S. (BIO)
Chief of Staff (2019-2021)
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
Honolulu, Hawaii
Donald Rost Banik (BIO)
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, Psychiatrist, Program Manager of the PTSD Program
HEAL PROGRAM
Healthcare
Care for
Veterans
A team of clinicians and licensed Registered Nurses who are responsible for ensuring the quality of complex care for veterans through active healthcare system monitoring and working in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs and community providers who are Veterans.
Evaluation
Refining the
System
By continuously measuring the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services provided by VHA, to include services at VA Polytrauma/TBI centers and mental health clinics. Solution-oriented approach to identifying needs that are specific to Veterans.
Advocacy
Ensuring timely
Assistance
Directly engaging and working in collaboration with the VA healthcare professionals at all levels to accommodate the needs of current and future AMVETS members. Utilizing a helpline to troubleshoot, report issues and provide timely assistance for Veterans and family members to find appropriate healthcare solutions.
Legislation
Catalyst for
Change
Championing laws and policies that benefits AMVETS members. We will be staunch advocates in legislative and policy efforts that focus on the provision of comprehensive healthcare benefits with the intent to enhance quality and access to healthcare for Veterans.
Contact the helpline: 1-833-VET-HEAL (1-833-838-4325)
Email: VETHEAL@amvets.org
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Vet HEAL Summit Contact Information
Donovan Lazarus
(USA, Retired)
Chrystie Brandt
(USA, Veteran)
Vet HEAL Summit, Public Affairs Officer, AMVETS Hawaii
Annisa Budiman
(Army Spouse)
Outreach Coordinator, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Child & Family Service
Direct: 808-342-5625
AGENDA
Join us @
AMVETS West Oahu Veterans Center
Friday, 24 June 2022
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​0930-0945 Presentation of Colors/Invocation
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0945-1015 Keynote Speaker: Chief Valerie Nededog
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1015-1030 Break
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1030-1130 Women's Leadership Panel: Chief Valerie Nededog, Chief Sharla Kostielney, Chief Laura M. Puza, Chief April Lapetoda
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1130-1230 Lunch
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1230-1245 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kathryn Ryder
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1245-1300 Break
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1300-1400 Health & Family Panel: Dr. Kathryn Ryder, Denise Koutrouba, Doris Edwards, Dr. Donald Banik, Schoen Safotu
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1400-1430 Keynote Speaker: Leian Harosky
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1430-1500 Break
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1500-1600 Military Life Transition Panel: Leian Harosky, Thipmalay Lynn, David Partin, Schoen Safotu, Commander Donovan A. Lazarus
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Saturday, 25 June 2022
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0930-1000 Registration
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1000-1015 Welcome remarks by Dr. Anthony Hassan, President & CEO, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN)
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1015-1045 CVN Presentation by Annisa Budiman
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1045-1100 Break
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1100-1200 Communications Skill Presentation by Ms. Janet Covington, Director, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Child & Family Service
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1200-1300 Lunch
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1300-1330 Value of Group Counseling by Tatiana Abasolo
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1330-1445 Military Mental Health Panel with Behavioral Health Providers for the veteran/military community: Janet Covington (Moderator), Tatiana Abasolo (CVN Cohen Clinic), Patrick DeBusca (Honolulu Vet Center), Cindy Schieb (TAMC), Yumi Panui (HIANG), Dave Sprouse (Xplor Counseling)
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1445-1500 Break
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1500-1545 Keynote Remarks by BG Braden Sakai (USA, Ret.)
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1545-1600 Closing Remarks by Commander Donovan A. Lazarus (USA, Ret.), AMVETS Department of Hawaii & Senator Mike Gabbard
Sunday, 26 June 2022
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0700-0715 5k Runner’s Registration/Check in
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0715-0725 Welcome Remarks/Conduct 22 Pushups
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0725-0730 Brief Run/Walk Route
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0730-0830 Run/Walk Starts/Ends
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0830-0900 Awards Presentation (1st, 2nd, 3rd Place)
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Schoen U Safotu, Chief, CDCE (Center for Development & Civic Engagement): recruiting volunteers and veterans for Creative Arts Festival.
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Marcus Harris (USA, Veteran): Assist Schoen U Safotu, and share his Mental Health Journey.
24, 25, and 26 June 2022
Physical health and mental health go hand-in-hand to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is key to a better mental health. Suicide is not just a Veteran epidemic, but a community issue that we can all combat together.
EXECUTIVE SPONSOR ($5,000):
PROUD PARTNERS:
PRODUCER SPONSORS ($2,500):
SILVER SPONSORS ($1,000):
DONATE!
All donations go towards the AMVETS HEAL Program and the AMVETS HEAL Summit.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Marcus Harris from the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade performed an original spoken word titled "So, what is bothering you?" based on his own experiences.
About Us
Vet HEAL Summit:
Healthcare, Education, Advocacy, Legislation
American Veterans (AMVETS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement in furtherance of their ongoing efforts to eliminate risk factors that contribute to veteran suicide and establish programs and practices that offer at-risk veterans the interventions necessary to avert potential suicide risk. The agreement enhances cooperation between the AMVETS HEAL Program and the VA, through the VHA Office of Suicide Prevention. Together, AMVETS and the VA will identify and eliminate the barriers veterans face in accessing healthcare, enroll more at-risk veterans into the VA healthcare system, and providing training for those who work with veterans so that intervention begins once red flags are identified.
“Suicide prevention remains VA’s top clinical priority, and I’m pleased to join with AMVETS and other partners to do all we can to help our Veterans in need.”
- VA Secretary Robert Wilkie
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The HEAL Mission:
To ensure veterans with medical needs receive the help they have earned to access the best quality healthcare, including mental health and specialized services (traumatic brain injury, polytrauma, post-traumatic stress) and live longer, healthier lives. These services are free. You served and now it is our turn to serve you.
The AMVETS VET HEAL Suicide Prevention Training Course
The purpose of this training course is to equip you with the tools necessary to deal with at-risk Veterans whose problems fall outside the reach of government policies and Veterans Service Organization (VSO) programs.