Irvine Health Foundation is working with our partners to eliminate the barriers facing veterans, including transitioning from military to civilian life, and to integrate solutions that address the unique needs of former service members so all veterans in the county flourish.
Orange County is home to one of the largest veterans populations in the nation. However there is no hub of veteran services in this region, making it challenging for vets to find and access resources. A pressing issue in the county is assisting separating service members as they transition into community life, especially related to psychological health, homelessness, and employment.
Together with our partners and investments we are:
- Researching the pressing issues and challenges of the generational cohorts of veterans in Orange County, along with the region’s readiness to address them.
- Convening veterans, leaders in the military, public sector, support organizations, and other experts in collaborations to identify and implement initiatives that help veterans thrive.
- Partnering and investing in veterans’ initiatives that address health, economic, crisis support, community connections, employment, and family life.
- Equipping veterans with innovative technology-enabled solutions that address prevention and early intervention for their unique physical or psychological needs, or that fill gaps in services and connections.
IHF is working to ensure veterans in Orange County find the avenues and resources needed to ensure their health and well-being.
MakeTheConnection is an online resource designed to connect Veterans, family members, friends and supporters with information, stories of strength and recovery and solutions to issues affecting their lives.
Orange County Veterans Study
A must-read for anybody interested in the state of veterans in Orange County, this document offers data-driven recommendations on how to better serve our veterans.
The Combat Veteran Paradox: Paradoxes and Dilemmas Encountered With Reintegrating Combat Veterans and the Agencies That Support Them
Written by Carl A. Castro, Sara Kintzle, and Anthony M. Hassan of the University of Southern California, this paper discusses the impact of combat on veterans, and offers suggestions for counseling, prevention and early intervention approaches to attenuate negative outcomes.