Resources and Reports

The Massachusetts Hospice-Veteran Partnership, in affiliation with the Hospice & Palliative Care Federation, provides educational opportunities for hospice staff to increase their understanding of important Veteran's issues.

• VA Fact Sheet (03.04,2020)
  

• Military History Checklist Guide

• Veteran Recognition Certificates

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• We Honor Veterans

For more detailed information, select any of the links below

Military History Checklist Guide

The Military History Checklist is designed to help community hospices identify their veteran patients, evaluate the impact of the experience and determine if there are benefits to which the veteran and surviving dependents may be entitled.  This Guide provides a quick overview of the questions and implications for each. Additional information can be found in the Military History Toolkit and on the Department of Veterans Affairs website. (more)

Military History Checklist VETERAN RECOGNITION CERTIFICATES

Hospice programs may wish to download and customize these certificates to present to patients who are veterans in recognition of their military service.

(Select the service branch below, to download Veteran Recognition Certificates)

• Air force
• Army
• Coast Guard
• Marines
• Navy

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A hospice may consider using these resources when caring for a hospice patient with PTSD symptoms:

• Several screening tools can be used to help assess PTSD (see attached for one example). Please note that such tools may not be useful in the case of veterans who are confused or unable to report on their own emotional state

• The National Center for PTSD has a website with many resources regarding assessment, patient and family education, and treatment: www.ptsd.va.gov/

• According to a VA clinician with expertise in treating PTSD, veterans who receive a terminal diagnosis often want to:

  • Make sure their story has been heard.

  • Put the traumatic events into some sort of perspective in their lives.

  • Deal with the effects that PTSD has had on their lives, such as mending relationships, giving and accepting closeness and affection, and getting affairs in order.

• Veterans who are enrolled in the VA Health Care System may be referred to their primary care provider for assessment and possible referral for PTSD mental health services. Eligible but un-enrolled veterans who remain ambulatory and are interested in outpatient mental health services may enroll at any VA Medical Center and request needed services. Veterans may also access supportive services at community Vet Centers (see contact numbers below).

• Hospice providers may contact VA PTSD clinics, or community Vet Centers, for information and consultation. Such consultation may be particularly helpful in the case of veterans who are homebound or otherwise too ill to access outpatient services

(PCL-M) PTSD Checklist - Military Version (PTSD screening tool) PTSD Services - Contact Numbers

VA Bedford

• For enrolled veterans:
  Dr. Karen Ryabchenko
  Coordinator for PTSD and Returning Veterans
  Bedford VA. 781-687-3189

• If not enrolled:
  Jacob Remo, Ph.D.
  Lowell Veteran Center, 978-453-1151

VA Boston

• PTSD Clinic, Jamaica Plain Campus, 857-364-4143

• PTSD Clinic, Brockton Campus, 774-826-1306

• Boston Vet Center, 617-424-0665

• Brockton Vet Center, 508-580-2730

VA Northampton

• Northampton Primary Mental Health Clinic , 413-582-3010

We Honor Veterans - www.wehonorveterans.org/