Social services for Vietnam veterans and their families : current programs and future directions : hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress,

298 Pages·1995·10.3 MB·English

by  United States. Congress. House. Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

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(V)SOCIAL SERVICES FOR VIETNAM VETERANS AND
\/
THEIR FAMILIES: CURRENT PROGRAMS AND
\
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Y 4. V 64/3: 103-48
Social Services for Vietnan Veteran.
.
HEARING
[SUBCOMMITBETFOREETHEE
ON
OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS
OFTHE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
MAY 18, 1994
Printed for the use ofthe Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Serial No. 103^8
mm
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U.S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1995
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice.Washington,DC 20402
ISBN 0-16-047634-8

(V)SOCIAL SERVICES FOR VIETNAM VETERANS AND
\\/ THEIR FAMILIES: CURRENT PROGRAMS AND
\ FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Y 4. V 64/3: 103-48
Social Services for Vietnan Veteran...
HEARING
BEFORETHE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS
OFTHE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
MAY 18, 1994
Printed for the use ofthe Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Serial No. 103^8
NOV
2
©ft
U.S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1995
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments.CongressionalSalesOffice.Washington.DC20402
ISBN 0-16-047634-8
COMMITTEE ONVETERANS'AFFAIRS
G.V.(SONNY)MONTGOMERY,Mississippi,Chairman
DONEDWARDS, California BOBSTUMP,Arizona
DOUGLASAPPLEGATE, Ohio CHRISTOPHERH. SMITH,NewJersey
LANEEVANS, Illinois DANBURTON, Indiana
TIMOTHYJ. PENNY,Minnesota MICHAELBILIRAKIS, Florida
J. ROYROWLAND,Georgia THOMASJ. RIDGE,Pennsylvania
JIMSLATTERY,Kansas FLOYDSPENCE,SouthCarolina
JOSEPHP. KENNEDY,II,Massachusetts TIMHUTCHINSON,Arkansas
GEORGE E. SANGMEISTER, Illinois TERRYEVERETT,Alabama
JILLL. LONG, Indiana STEVEBUYER, Indiana
CHETEDWARDS,Texas JACKQUINN,NewYork
MAXINEWATERS,California SPENCERBACHUS,Alabama
BOBCLEMENT,Tennessee JOHNLINDER, Georgia
BOBFILNER, California CLIFFSTEARNS,Florida
FRANKTEJEDA,Texas PETERT. KING,NewYork
LUISV. GUTIERREZ, Illinois
SCOTTYBAESLER,Kentucky
SANFORDBISHOP,Georgia
JAMESE. CLYBURN,SouthCarolina
MIKEKREIDLER,Washington
CORRINE BROWN,Florida
MackG. Fleming,StaffDirectorandChiefCounsel
SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHTAND INVESTIGATIONS
LANEEVANS, Illinois,Chairman
MAXINEWATERS,California THOMASJ. RIDGE,Pennsylvania
BOBFILNER, California SPENCERBACHUS,Alabama
LUISV. GUTIERREZ,Illinois TERRYEVERETT,Alabama
JAMESE. CLYBURN,SouthCarolina JACKQUINN,NewYork
MIKE KREIDLER,Washington
JILLLONG, Indiana
(II)
CONTENTS
Page
OPENING STATEMENTS
ChairmanEvans 1
Hon.ThomasJ.Ridge 2
WITNESSES
Calkins, Carl, Professor of Psychology, University of Missouri at Kansas
City 38
PreparedstatementofDr.Calkins 129
Felton,Leslie 29
PreparedstatementofMs.Felton 110
Figley, Dr. Charles R., Professor and Director, Psychosocial Stress Research
ProgramandFamilyTherapyCenter,FloridaStateUniversity 6
PreparedstatementofDr.Figley 71
Harkness,Dr.Laurie,ChiefofthePsychiatristRehabilitationProgram,Social
WorkService,VAMedicalCenter,WestHaven,Ct 48
James, Thomas, Managing Director, Community Outreach to Vietnam Era
Returnees 20
PreparedstatementofMr.James 95
LaCount, Peter, Project Coordinator, Vietnam Veterans Family Support
Project,Kennedy-KriegerInstitute,accompaniedbyLeslieFelton 28
PreparedstatementofMr.La-Count Ill
Law, Dr. DavidH.,ActingAssociateDeputyChiefMedicalDirectorforClini-
calPrograms,DepartmentofVeteransAffairs 47
PreparedstatementofDr.Law 151
McCarthy,Frank,President,VietnamVeteransAgentOrangeVictims,Inc. ... 43
PreparedstatementofFrankMcCarthy 145
McKelroy, Michael, Project Coordinator, Veterans Assistance Project, Term
ofAdvocatesforSpecialKids 24
PreparedstatementofMr.McKelroy 105
Pencer,Eileen,VicePresident,ChiefProgramOfficer,LowerEastsideService
Center 11
PreparedstatementofMs.Pencer 78
Peterson,Hon.Pete,aRepresentativeinCongressfromtheStateofFlorida... 3
Reaves,Milton,Vietnamveteran 22
PreparedstatementofMr.Reaves 102
Reiss, John, Associate Director, Institute for Child Health Policy, University
ofFlorida 41
PreparedstatementofDr.Reiss 135
Rhoades, Dennis K, Executive Director, Agent Orange Class Assistance
Program 4
PreparedstatementofMr.Rhoades 65
Schroeder,Thomas,ExecutiveDirector,RockIslandCountyCouncilonAddic-
tions, accompanied byTonyGonzalez, ProgramSupervisor,VietnamVeter-
ansandFamiliesAssistanceProgram 13
PreparedstatementofMr.Schroeder 87
St.Clair,Peggy,ServiceCoordinator,ProjectAccess,UniversityofArkansas .. 30
PreparedstatementofMs.St.Clair 115
(HI)
Page
IV
Smith, Bryan C, Director, National Information System, UniversityofSouth
Carolina 32
PreparedstatementofDr.Smith 121
Swope, Raymond, Deputy Executive Director, Universal Family Connection,
Inc 14
PreparedstatementofMr.Swope 91
MATERIAL SUBMITTED FORTHE RECORD
Manual:
"ExtractfromVetCenters'DirectServiceOperationsManual,"submitted
byDr.Figley 77
Study:
Families ofVietnam Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome:
Child Social Competence and Behavior," submitted by Chairman
Evans 53
Written committee questions submitted by Chairman Evans and their re-
sponses:
DepartmentofVeteransAffairs 155
Thomas Schroeder, Rock Island County Council On Addictions, East
Moine,IL — 251
CarlCalkins,UniversityofMissouri KansasCity 253
CharlesR.Figley,Ph.D.,FloridaStateUniversity 257
MiltonReaves,veteran 261
DennisK.Rhoades,AgentOrangeClassAssistanceProgram 262
EileenPencer,LowerEastsideServiceCenter,Inc.,NewYork,NY 267
Thomas James, Community Outreach to Vietnam Era Returnees, Char-
lottesville,VA 271
RaymondSwope,UniversalFamilyConnection,Inc.,Chicago,IL 272
PeggySt.Clair,ProjectAccess,UniversityofArkansas 273
BryanC.Smith,Ed.D,NationaLInformationSystem,UniversityofSouth
Carolina 275
John Reiss, Ph.D., Institute for Child Health Policy, University ofFlor-
ida 279
Peter LaCount, Vietnam Veterans Family Support Project, Kennedy-
KriegerInstitute,Baltimore,MD 285
SOCIAL SERVICES FOR VIETNAM VETERANS
AND THEIR FAMILIES: CURRENT PRO-
GRAMS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1994
House ofRepresentatives,
Subcommittee on Oversightand Investigations,
Committee onVeteransAffairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 8:30 a.m. in room
334, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Lane Evans [chairman of
the subcommittee,] presiding.
Present: Representatives Evans, Long, Ridge, and Quinn.
Also Present: Representatives Peterson andVelazquez.
OPENINGSTATEMENTOFCHAIRMANEVANS
Mr. Evans. Today, the subcommittee expects to receive some
veryimportanttestimonyonthe provisionofsocial services toViet-
nam veterans and their families. We will hear from those who
know best about this subject. Well hear from those who provide
these services, from those who support these services and from
thosewho receive them. We expect to learn much aboutwhatis oc-
curring today, what has already been accomplished and what re-
mainstobe done.
VAhas traditionallyviewed veterans as individuals and the care
and services ithas provided toveteranshas generallybeen individ-
ual in nature. VA has treated veterans for their individual needs.
As a result, VA has not always recognized that veterans can also
be fathers or mothers, sons or daughters, sisters or brothers, aunts
or uncles, husbands or wives, or workers or bosses. Veterans have
been viewed generally as men and women who don't have signifi-
cantpersonal relationshipswithotherpeople.
Fortunately, this incomplete view of veterans has begun to
change and much ofthis change has been brought about by veter-
ans themselves. Veterans know they can both influence and be in-
fluenced by those with whom they have important relationships.
Veterans arenot one dimensional.
ManyVet Centers, for example, provide services to veterans and
to other individuals with whom veterans have important relation-
ships. These important services provided to spouses, significant
others andthe children ofveterans also serveveterans.
Since its inception, the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program
has been instrumental in focusing attention on the reality of the
lives ofVietnam veterans and theirfamilies. Byproviding critically
(l)
needed support and encouragement to service providers, Agent Or-
ange Class Assistance Program has made possible the delivery of
services importantto bothveterans and theirfamilies.
The history ofthe Agent Orange Class Assistance Program is not
yet complete; its legacy not yet written. But its positive impact on
the provision of services to veterans and their families is already
well established.
Today we want to learn about projects and programs that have
been supported and encouraged to serve our veterans and their
families. We want to identify some ofthese services and we want
to hearfrom thosewhohave received them. Wehope to learn much
from thosewhowilltestifytoday.
Most ofthose who will testify today have never appeared before
a committee of the Congress. To each of you we extend an espe-
cially warm welcome. You are truly the most important people in
this hearing room this morning. With you, there would be no con-
gressional hearing. Today we are here to listen. If an occasional
question is asked, its purpose will be to clarify statements or to
gathermoreinformation.
If anyone should be nervous about testifying, please keep in
mindthatyou're amongfriends. Everyman andwomanwho serves
on this subcommittee has chosen to do so because oftheir commit-
ment to our Nation's veterans. We certainly appreciate the sac-
rifices you made when you put on the uniform ofour country. We
also recognize the sacrifices made by family members ofthose who
wore theuniform.
The prepared statement of each witness will be included in its
entirety in the written record, without objection. Each witness is
again requested to observe the 5-minute rule andto limittheir oral
remarks to 5 minutes. The redlighton thetablewill signal the end
ofthe 5-minute period.
Before calling the members of our first witness panel, I would
like to recognize the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the Ranking
MinorityMember, for anycommentshewouldliketo make.
OPENINGSTATEMENTOFHON.THOMASJ.RIDGE
Mr. Ridge. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have a brief state-
ment.
Let me first ofall thank you for scheduling today's hearing and
thank the witnesses for their very important and valuable testi-
mony.
In reading through your written testimony, I'm reminded ofthe
fjhrase, and I must paraphrase it now, no man or woman is an is-
and. AVietnam veteran cannot separate problems he or she expe-
riences because of the war from their relationship with their
family.
We will have compelling testimony today as to how problems as-
sociated with service in Vietnam lingers and dramatically affects
the soldier and the family. I believe that the members ofthis com-
mittee, Republicans and Democrats alike, recognize that when an
individual puts on a uniform, when he or she returns home from
faraway places having served their country, that individual and
that experience is often carried into the family relationship and
that individual's spouse and/or children sometimes have to endure
and live with that experience in a lot ofdifferent ways. That's why
yourtestimonytodayisveryimportant andveryhelpful tous.
I commend theAgent Orange ClassAssistance Program, not only
for their recognition of the necessity for family-centered services,
but also for making available grants that place a special emphasis
on service to families with children with developmental or other
chronic disabilities. I also commend the recipients of these funds
for their dedication in meeting the social service needs ofVietnam
veterans andtheirfamilies.
I look forward to hearing the oral testimony ofour distinguished
witnesses, Mr. Chairman, and I thank them for appearinghere be-
fore us today.
Mr. Evans. Thank you. We always appreciate the assistance of
Congressman Ridge, whois a combatveteran ofVietnam.
I'd like toyield ofthe gentleman from NewYorkfor anyremarks
he mightlike to make.
Mr. Quinn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have prepared remarks
that I'll enter into the record, butwant to welcome all ofour panel
members here today and thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ridge
for openingremarks andforcallingthehearing.
You said just a minute ago not to be nervous, that you're here
with family members—you're here for family members. But we
view our Committee as family members as well, and we look for-
ward to all the testimony and appreciate the time they're spending
here today.
Mr. Evans. Thankyou forbeingwithus.
Members of our first witness panel this morning are Dennis
Rhoades and Dr. Charles Figley. Please come forward to the wit-
nesstable atthistime.
Before formallyintroducing Dennis, I am pleased and honored to
recognize a good friend and colleague, a former member of this
committee and subcommittee, Congressman Pete Peterson to intro-
duce Dr. Figley.
STATEMENTOFHON.PETEPETERSON,AREPRESENTATIVE
INCONGRESSFROMTHE STATEOFFLORIDA
Mr. Peterson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a real pleasure
to be back here before my old subcommittee. I would like to say
that having worked with this staff, I think they demonstrate the
height ofstaffprofessionalism here, and I miss this committeevery
much.
But I'm here today to introduce a good friend and real pioneer
in the issue ofPTSD and the family relationships crucial to the re-
adjustment of Vietnam veterans. I could actually testify here as
well as perform the introduction of my good friend Charles Figley
from FSU, which is in my district. I personally have suffered
through some ofthe things that will be discussed today. My family
very definitely has. What you're going to hear, I think, is that the
family unit is the best source ofrehabilitative services that we can
provide andthatwe musthelpthemhelptheirmembers.
Dr. Figley is a renowned author and probably the first person to
have identified the problems of PTSD. He and I talked several
years ago when I first got involved in the study ofthis issue, and
I was amazed at the depth of his knowledge. He's carried that
through his work on this important issue of how we deal with
stress within the family element. I am more than pleased to intro-
duce him to this panel who, I know will give him the privilege of
presenting to you information that you'll be able to use and dis-
seminatethroughthe United States.
Thankyou.
Mr. Evans. I thank the gentleman from Florida for that intro-
duction. For people who don't know, Pete Peterson served over 6
years in the Hanoi Hilton and is veryhelpful to this committee on
a continuing basis as we explore issues such as this one, not only
fortheveterans themselves, buttheirfamilies aswell.
The other member ofthis panel is Dennis Rhoades who is Execu-
tive Director of the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program here
in Washington, DC. Both Dennis and Michael Leaveck, who have
assisted this subcommittee in its preparation for today's hearing,
have servedinVietnam beyondthe call ofduty.
We recognize your contributions on behalfofall Vietnam eravet-
erans and thankyou for your compassionate and dedicated service.
We understand, Dennis, thatyou and Dr. Figley both have other
commitments this morning. We thank you for your participation
and you will not be detained any longer than is necessary this
morning. As I said earlier, your entire statements will be made
part ofthe record, without objection, and you may summarize your
remarks.
STATEMENTSOFDENNISK.RHOADES,EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR,
AGENT ORANGE CLASS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; AND DR.
CHARLES R. FIGLEY, PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR,
PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS RESEARCH PROGRAM AND FAMILY
THERAPYCENTER,FLORIDASTATEUNIVERSITY
STATEMENTOFDENNISK.RHOADES
Mr. Rhoades. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the sub-
committee's invitation to appear today to discuss alternative mod-
els for providing needed social services to Vietnam veterans and
theirfamilies.
As you are well aware, the Agent Orange Class Assistance Pro-
gram is a network of 72 programs which operates nationwide, in
all 50 States plus the District ofColumbia and Puerto Rico. In the
course ofour 5V2 years ofoperation, we have provided services to
over 150,000—persons.
This week a—nd that is the commitment to which you referred,
Mr. Chairman we are conducting a national symposium which
will permit us to assess and distill the experience of our network
in providing services to Vietnam veterans and their families, as
well as to assess the public policy implications. We're holding this
event precisely because the problems of clients we serve neces-
sitated the development ofservice methodologies which differ con-
siderablyfrom thetraditionalveteranprogram service models.
Mywrittentestimonyoutlines the course ofthe litigation andthe
development of the subsequent settlement and I'd like briefly to
highlight afewpoints inthattestimony.
First ofall, we faced several constraints in developing the Agent
Orange Program. The first constraint was that no program could