ENABLE AMERICA HOSTS PROGRAM MENTORS FOR INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR - 2nd VetConnect Mentor Training Session

Enable America (www.enableamerica.org), located in Tampa, Florida is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to work with all members of the community – including individuals with disabilities, service providers, government agencies, advocacy groups, existing organizations and employers – to eliminate barriers to employment and bridge the gap between job seekers with disabilities and the employers who want to hire them.

On Saturday, December 8, 2007, Enable America held its second VetConnect Mentor Training Session. The meeting focused on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which has been called the signature injury of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wounded warrior mentors and family members heard from a variety of speakers including experts from Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) and Quality Living, Inc. (QLI), an Omaha-based rehabilitation center for people with TBI.

VetConnect (http://www.enableamerica.org/vetconnect.asp) is an Enable America program designed to enhance existing rehabilitation programs for wounded warriors and to actively engage local civic, business and community leaders in the reorientation of disabled veterans to their communities.

Scott Heintz, VetConnect Director:
Thousands of returning wounded warriors receive treatment and rehabilitative services and are sent on their way. Our goal is to improve their recovery outcome through the early introduction of mentors with similar injuries who are completing or have completed the recovery process and wellness activities that boost the wounded warrior’s confidence and self esteem.

Enable America works closely with the USSOCOM Care Coalition, whose vision is to support Special Operations Forces (SOF) wounded warriors and their families for life. The USSOCOM Care Coalition strengthens the readiness of Special Operations by advocating for SOF wounded warriors, supporting SOF component family programs and partnering with both government and non-government organizations to ensure existing support and benefits are provided to SOF wounded warriors who have led the fight on the Global War on Terrorism.

Enable America provides support at a variety of locations including: Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Washington, DC); Brooke Army Medical Center (Fort Sam Houston, TX); Naval Medical Center San Diego (San Diego, CA); and Veterans’ Affairs Hospitals in Tampa, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Palo Alto, California.