A new not-for-profit organization, Honor Vet, is aiming to link veterans and active-duty service members with mental health professionals online through social networking technology, the Bergen Record reports.
The website, HonorVet.org, was developed by veteran Jesse Canella and Jim McCain, son of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Once launched, the website will allow users to access mental health professionals at any time of day through online video conferencing, instant messaging chat rooms or phone. Users will be able to speak to someone immediately or schedule an appointment.
Service members will be able to choose from several options for mental health treatment, and the website will link users with experts in the selected area.
Honor Vet COO Richard Moore said the service will provide mental health professionals with a secure case file about a soldier or veteran.
Moore said the organization is seeking to have the website up and running by next spring (Lipman, Bergen Record, 11/13).
Tool Simulates Doctor-Patient Conversation
In related news, Military Pathways — a voluntary mental health and alcohol screening program for members of the military and their families — recently launched Video Doctor, a Web-based counseling tool that simulates conversations with physicians, Modern Healthcare reports.
An actor portraying a doctor guides tool users through questions meant to assess risk for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The tool also suggests treatment options and provides information on where to seek care (McKinney, Modern Healthcare, 11/12).
