Werber Laura, Derose Kathryn Pitkin, Rudnick Mollie, Harrell Margaret C, Naranjo Diana
Rand Health Q. 2015 Nov 30;5(2):15.
Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are an important community-based resource for veterans as they readjust to civilian life. Through interviews with both national-level and smaller, local FBOs, the authors sought to understand better the current and potential roles for FBOs in veteran reintegration. Interviewees suggested that veterans may look to FBOs for support because they offer privacy and confidentiality, two features that may be especially critical when a potential stigma is involved. Some FBOs have also developed a reputation as safe places for veterans, providing supportive, judgment-free environments. FBOs not only help veterans with spiritual matters but address diverse areas of veteran health and wellness, including vocation, education, financial and legal stability, shelter, access to goods and services, mental health, access to health care, physical health, family, and social networks. In some cases, the support is offered to veterans directly; in other instances, the support is indirect, via training individuals to help veterans or educating the public about them. In the process of providing support, FBOs interact with varied organizations, including government entities, private nonprofits, and one another, for training, outreach, referrals, information exchange, obtaining donations, and collaboration. Yet challenges exist, including insufficient connections with chaplains working in different settings and others in the web of support, resource and capacity constraints, lack of awareness of experience with veterans, issues related to religious philosophy or orientation, and characteristics of veterans themselves. To move forward, the authors offer recommendations for policymakers, organizations that interact with FBOs, and FBOs themselves to help FBOs engage fully in the web of reintegration support.
基于信仰的组织（FBOs）是退伍军人重新适应平民生活的重要社区资源。通过对国家级和较小的地方FBOs进行访谈，作者试图更好地了解FBOs在退伍军人重新融入方面当前和潜在的作用。受访者表示，退伍军人可能会寻求FBOs的支持，因为它们提供隐私和保密服务，在可能涉及潜在污名的情况下，这两个特点可能尤为关键。一些FBOs还树立了作为退伍军人安全场所的声誉，提供支持性、无评判的环境。FBOs不仅在精神事务上帮助退伍军人，还涉及退伍军人健康和福祉的多个领域，包括职业、教育、财务和法律稳定、住房、商品和服务获取、心理健康、医疗保健获取、身体健康、家庭和社交网络。在某些情况下，直接向退伍军人提供支持；在其他情况下，支持是间接的，通过培训个人帮助退伍军人或向公众宣传他们。在提供支持的过程中，FBOs与各种组织互动，包括政府实体、私人非营利组织以及彼此，以进行培训、外展、转介、信息交流、获取捐赠和开展合作。然而，挑战依然存在，包括与在不同环境中工作的牧师以及支持网络中的其他人员联系不足、资源和能力限制、对与退伍军人相关经验缺乏认识、与宗教哲学或取向相关的问题以及退伍军人自身的特点。为了取得进展，作者为政策制定者、与FBOs互动的组织以及FBOs自身提供了建议，以帮助FBOs充分参与到重新融入支持网络中。
