Day 10- Good Idea

I was glad to be back at work after attending orientation. I think it's different when you attend training after you've already started working. It kind of takes away the excitement because you've already met the people you're going to work with and you know what you'll be doing.

I began my day in a meeting with my supervisor, and two veterans. We were discussing the project that I have been assgined and the improvements it could use. My job is to collect information about the services various community partners of EP MHMR offer to veterans and family members of veterans. The meeting was very informative and I really felt like I was helping out the agency in a huge way. After all, the information that I collect and organize will be sent of to the state of Texas and hopefully through that data, EP MHMR will receive more funding since that is always an issue.

Anyhow, since I am the person who is in charge of having this data ready by June 14the latest, the veteran Mike, who is also EP MHMR's military liasion was very efficeint in explaining what various agencies do or do NOT do for veterans and what they "say" they do, when they REALLY do. It was interesting and a bit shocking to see how many gaps actually existed for veterans and the family of veterans, especially since there is such a huge population of them here in El Paso. And that is why it is so important to receive this funding from the government because many veterans still are not getting the services they should be given.

At one point in the meeting when the two veterans were discussing a place to hold their "Peer-to- Peer" sessions for veterans with PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, I proposed a place and they discussed that place for a minute or two. Mike concluded, "That's a very good idea. We should hold it there." I felt so honored that he said that especially because I suck at directions and I just presented a place that I had never been to, only researched and it "was a very good idea."

I'm beginning to realize the amount of time and effort is needed for health to actually be provided to people. It's not as easy as "whoever wants to help can help." Obstacles such as laws and funding and even people at times all need to be dealt with. But its worth the fight. Big time.