The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), Employment Security Department (ESD) and Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) are proud to host the 7th Annual “Serving Those Who Served” Conference August 28 and 29.
This year’s event, being held at the Spokane Convention Center, brings together veterans, service providers and community leaders to discuss and address the pressing issues facing our veteran community.
The conference features a series of insightful presentations and workshops, including:
- Behavioral Health and Suicide Prevention: Strategies for engaging veterans and supporting their mental health.
- Legal Aid for Veterans: Identifying and addressing legal issues affecting veterans.
- Trauma-Informed Care: Approaches to behavioral healthcare that consider the impact of trauma.
- Veterans Benefits and the PACT Act: Updates on benefits and legislative changes.
- Employment Support: Connecting veterans with job opportunities and resources.
- Women Veterans: Addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by women veterans.
WDVA Director David Puente shared that this year’s theme is “Partners for Supporting Veterans and their Families”. “It’s exciting to see such support and enthusiasm for this conference and we are honored to have the opportunity to share best practices with veteran advocates from around the state,” said Puente. “This will be the first time that we are joined by additional partners, and we are excited to join together to increase our reach in Serving Those Who Served”.
The conference breakout sessions are broken into four tracks:
- Employment, hosted by ESD,
- Veteran services, hosted by ESD
- Mental health services, hosted by WDVA, and
- Creative therapy though art, hosted by ArtsWA.
“We’re thrilled to be co-hosts of the Serving Those Who Served Conference with ArtsWA and the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Employment Security Commissioner Cami Feek. “This conference is about partnerships. We couldn’t perform one of our most important duties – serving veterans – without our many state and local partners. This event provides the ability to deepen our learning about the needs of veterans and build our connections with those who provide that support.”
"Art has the remarkable ability to unite communities and nurture empathy through shared experiences” said Karen Hanan. “ArtsWA is proud to partner with WDVA, ESD, and others to address the distinctive challenges faced by Veterans, Active-Duty military personnel, and their families – including stress, deployment, separation, and reintegration – through the power of creativity."
Interested media or for more information about the conference and future events, please visit WDVA Website or contact communications@dva.wa.gov.