University of Connecticut |
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Disability-Related Resources
Veteran Resources - GeneralCONNECTICUT 2-1-1, United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 is an integrated system of help via the telephone - a single source for information about community services, referrals to human services, and crisis intervention. It is acessed toll-free from anywhere in Connecticut by simply dialing 2-1-1. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Multilingual call specialists and TDD access is available. Access Veterans benefits and organizations via the above link.
The Connecticut Department of Labor's Office of Veterans' Workforce Development wishes to take the opportunity to assist you in acquiring the various benefits and services you might be entitled to receive and to make your transition from military to civilian life as seamless as possible. Please take time to browse through the various pages, which include information on employment assistance, unemployment insurance, veteran preferences and benefit options, training opportunities, women's issues, job fairs, career coaching, resume preparations, job search workshops, veteran's services, and legislature updates and current events relating to veterans. All of the Employment Specialists in the Veteran's Workforce Development office are themselves veterans.
Visit the Department of Veteran's Affairs website for a multitude of information on programs and services, a CT DVA E-Newsletter, and a sizeable list of veteran/military organizations.
In response to the needs of reserve component military personnel and their families, the Connecticut General Assembly developed legislation designed to support these individuals. Various state agencies collaboration with the Office of the Governor and the Connecticut Military Department to develop the Military Support Program that will address a range of problems facing reserve component military personnel and their families as they prepare for deployment or return to civilian life.
Disability.gov is all about connecting the disability community to information and opportunities. Visit the Connecticut section via the above link for a list of resources or visit their home page via disability.gov where you have the option to search a given state for information topics such as benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology, and transportation. Disability Resources is a nonprofit organization estaglished to promote and improve awareness, availability and accessibility of information that can help people with disabilities life, learn, love, work, and play independently. They serve thousands of individuals with disabilities through a multidisciplinary network of service providers and consumers. In order to reach as many people with disabilities as cost effectively as possible, they target their services and publications to libraries, disability organizations, independent living centers, rehabilitation facilities, educational institutions, and health and social service providers. Visit their site for Connecticut resources via the above link or visit their home page at www.disabilityresources.org.
Since its founding more than 80 years ago, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) has been dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for America's disabled veterans and their families. Fidelity to that mission has required DAV to respond creatively and flexibly to changing and sometimes unpredictable challenges faced by its constituency. Whether disabled veterans have needed a voice on Capitol Hill, a nationwide service program, a transportation network or unique rehabilitation opportunities, DAV has focused its attention and resources to meet those needs. Visit the DAV Unknown Soldier Chapter 12 (East Hartford) website by clicking here. Visit the National Disabled American Veterans website for detailed information about DAV.
The State of Connecticut provdies several veteran benefits. This section ofers a brief description of each of the following benefits: housing benefits, financial assistance benefits, emplyment benefits, education benefits, and other state veteran benefits. Veterans looking for ramps will find Handi-Ramp understands what they are looking for and that Handi-Ramp has been meeting the ramp needs of Veterans for over 50 years. Specific, cost-effective ramp solutions are designed by a knowledgeable, creative staff and then built by hand at their manufacturing facility in Illinois. Whether it's a simple ramp, a wheelchair lift, or a major undertaking, Handi-Ramp has the experience to handle your ramp project from start to finish. When your ramp is built, Handi-Ramp will personally make arrangements for shipment and installation, eliminating more hassles for you. Visit their home page via the above link and be sure to visit their Connecticut Veterans Resources page.
The DVA offers a wide variety of programs and services for the nation's 23.4 million veterans. Visit their website for up-to-date information.
Visit the VFW of Connecticut web site for an extensive list of resources on membership, forms, state and national resources, obtaining military records, and CT VFW web page contacts and links to Post web sites in Connecticut.
The Bettey Clooney Foundation for Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury has been serving th eneeds of persons with TBI since 1983. The Foundation was named in memeory of Betty Clooney, younger sister to Nick & Rosemary Clooney and aunt of George Clooney. Betty died of a brain trauma caused by an aneurysm. As a result of the family tragedy, the Clooney family decided to establish a rehabilitation and health information and community reentry program which addresses the needs of the survivors of cognitive disabilities caused by strokes, aneurisms, brain tumors, brain storms, brain cancer, and brain damage from trauma, age and other neurological injuries. Be sure to visit their page on Soldiers and TBI.
The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) is an organization of blinded veterans helping blinded veterans. Through their service programs, regional groups, resources, and advocacy before the legislative and executive branches of government, they hope to make life better for blinded veterans. They also hope to be there with encouragement and support. There is no charge for any BVA service and membership is not a prerequisite to obtain help. All legally blinded veterans are also eligible for BVA’s assistance whether they become blind during or after active duty military service. The Key to Career Success campaign connects veterans and transitioning service members with high quality career planning, training, and job search resources at local One-Stop Career Centers
The mission of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center is to serve active duty military, their dependents, and veterans with traumatic brain injury through state-of-the-art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs. Disability.gov is all about connecting the disability community to information and opportunities. Visit their home page via the above link where you have the option to search a given state for information on topics such as benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology, and transportation.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the nationa's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans o fthe wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the civilian supporters of those Troops and Veterans.
The Mesothelioma Cancer Center is committed to providing the latest up-to-date information to their visitors in the hopes of spreading awareness about the dangers of asbestos cancer. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are currently 25 million living individuals who have served in the United States' armed forces. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these living veterans were exposed to toxic asbestos-containing materials during military service. Asbestos.com offers a one-stop resource on all asbestos issues ranging from occupational exposure, to treatment options. The world's largest voluntary organization for the support of headache sufferers. This site is designed for three primary purposes: to provide people who struggle with frequent and extreme headaches with information that will lead to fewer, shorter, and more tolerable headaches; to provide health care providers and their patents with acess to resources which improve the treatment of headache disorders; and to make people aware of the many programs and services NHF ofers to enhance the healthcare of headache sufferers, including research, educatino, and public awareness. Are you a vet suffering from migraines, PTSD, or traumatic brain injury? Visit the War Veterans Health Resource Initiative within this site.
The National Mental Health Information Center was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy makers, providers, and the media. Center staff members are skilled at listening and responding to questions from the public and professionals, quickly directing callers to Federal, Stae, and local organizations dedicated to treating and preventing mental illness. The Center also has information on Federal grants, conferences, and other events. Visit their website for a section on Resources for Returning Veterans and Their Families.
Maintained by the Department of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, the NRD is an online tool for wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, their families, and those who support them. The NRD provides access to more than 11,000 services and resources at the natinoal, state, and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation, and community reintegration. You may also search for resources by specific state from the home page.
In 1946 the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) was formed by World War II spinal cord inured veterans and became a national organization through the unification of several independent organizations of paralyzed veterans throughout the United States. In August 1971, PVA received its Congressional Charter as a National Veterans Organization. At the same time, a small group of paralyzed veterans living in the local area formed the New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America (NEPVA). Although the organization's primary focus is veterans' sisues, NEPVA is interested in all issues affecting the lives of spinal cord injuries and dysfunction. See also United Spinal Association (formerly known as Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association) and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
In 1946 the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) was formed by World War II spinal cord inured veterans and became a national organization through the unification of several independent organizations of paralyzed veterans throughout the United States. In August 1971, PVA received its Congressional Charter as a National Veterans Organization. At the same time, a small group of paralyzed veterans living in the local area formed the New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America (NEPVA). Although the organization's primary focus is veterans' sisues, NEPVA is interested in all issues affecting the lives of spinal cord injuries and dysfunction. See also United Spinal Association (formerly known as Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association) and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to finding treatments for spinal cord injury and paralysis, including brain injury. The Foundation is also committed to improving the lives of people who are living with paralysis, through their Quality of Life grants, through information, and through advocacy. The Paralysis Resource Center, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, and the Brain Injury Association of America have resources and expertise to enhance the care and recovery of active military and veterans with paralysis and/or traumatic brain injury. PVA, a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of their members - veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. PVA will use that expertise to be the leading advocate for: quality health care for their members; research and education addressing spinal cord injury and dysfunction; benefits available as a result of our members' military service; and civil rights and opportunities which maximize the independence of their members. See also New England Paralyzed Veterans of America and United Spinal Association (formerly known as Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association). Veterans looking for ramps will find Handi-Ramp understands what they are looking for and that Handi-Ramp has been meeting the ramp needs of Veterans for over 50 years. Specific, cost-effective ramp solutions are designed by a knowledgeable, creative staff and then built by hand at their manufacturing facility in Illinois. Whether it's a simple ramp, a wheelchair lift, or a major undertaking, Handi-Ramp has the experience to handle your ramp project from start to finish. When your ramp is built, Handi-Ramp will personally make arrangements for shipment and installation, eliminating more hassles for you. Visit their home page via the above link and be sure to visit their Resources page where you can search for resources by specific state. U.S. Veterans Resource is dedicated to assisting veterans and their families in finding resources, assistance, and services available for veterans. Their home page includes Federal VA links, Department of Defense Links, links to Veteran Organization Service Officers, and a section on other veteran links. There is also a link to the home page of each branch of the military. The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Their purpose is: to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members. The WWP began when several individuals took small, inspired actions to help others in need. One night while watching the vening news, a grup of veterans and brothers were moved by the difficult stories of the first wounded service members returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. They realized then and there that something needed to be done for these brave individuals beyond the brass bands and ticker tape parades. The resulting objective was to provide tangible support for the severely wounded and thelp them on the road to healing, both physically and mentally. What had been initially viewed as a small contribution (compared with what the warriors had sacrified while serving our country) has become WWP's signature program: "WWP backpacks delivered to bedside to wounded warriors."
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