Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative (VMHTI)

The Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative (VMHTI) is a multi-year, comprehensive training project developed by the National Association of Social Workers–New York Chapter (NASW–NY). VMHTI increases the number of community health and mental health professionals clinically trained to assess and treat veteran-specific mental health concerns.

Supported by a grant from the New York State Legislature, VMHTI addresses unmet mental health needs among veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other service eras, as well as their families. Training topics include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), suicide prevention, substance use disorders, military culture, and family systems.

Through free conferences, panels, and educational programming, VMHTI strengthens the capacity of New York State’s mental health workforce to better serve veterans and their families.

NY State Dwyer Coalition's Veteran Suicide Intervention Conference

Featured Event

NY State Dwyer Coalition's Veteran Suicide Intervention Conference

Monday, April 20, 2026 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Join the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Program’s First Annual Veteran Suicide Intervention Conference, an in-person, one-day gathering focused on prevention, collaboration, and community-driven solutions. Free and open to the public (registration required; limited capacity).

Register

CE Programs Since January 2020

  • Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Assessment and Treatment for Veterans
  • Military Mental Health Counseling, Moral Injury, and Guidelines for Earning the Circle of Trust
  • Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Veterans
  • A Closer Look at Moral Injury: Existential Challenges Faced by Returning Veterans
  • Addiction Trends Among Veterans
  • Female Veteran Experience Panel
  • Screening and Treatment for PTSD in Veterans
  • Suicide Prevention Theory and Practice with Veterans and Military Members
  • Incorporating Peer Support into Social Work Practice with Veterans
  • Veteran and Military Service Family Members Panel
  • Minority Experiences in the Military Panel
  • Moral Injury of Military Servicemembers
  • Spirituality and Service: How to Make Meaning and Connect it for Healing
  • Understanding Substance Use Disorder and Veterans
  • The Relationship Between Military Culture and Social Work Practice
  • Supporting Military Families
  • Veterans Healthcare Training
  • Cultural Humility: Working with Military Members & Veterans
  • 2021 VMHTI Conference: Voices of Veterans
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Military Culture
  • Working with LGBTQ+ Veterans
  • Veterans’ Day Panel: An Exploration of Coming Home
  • 2022 VMHTI Conference
  • Bridging Generational Gaps with Aging Veterans
  • Veterans Strengthening our Communities through Continued Service
  • Voice of Veterans: Military Mothers Face Their Own Battles
  • Supporting Military Families as a Tool to Strengthen Veteran Wellness
  • Voices of Veterans: MST (Military Sexual Trauma) Panel Discussion
  • Using Progressive Practices to Promote Wellness & Recovery for Veterans
  • 2023 Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative Conference
  • 2024 Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative Conference

Voices of Veterans

Voices of Veterans VMHTI banner

VMHTI introduced Voices of Veterans in 2020 to give social workers and allied mental health professionals an in-depth opportunity to hear directly from veterans about lived experiences before, during, and after service.

Panel topics include LGBTQIA+, women veterans, BIPOC experiences, 9/11, moral injury, peer support, the veteran family unit, and more. These recordings do not provide CE credit and are intended for cultural humility and informational purposes.

Veteran and Military Service Family Members Panel

Military family experience, deployments, reintegration, and the impact of PTSD/TBI on family systems.

Watch on YouTube →

Peer Support Panel

County Dwyer programs across New York and how peer support models serve veterans statewide.

Watch on YouTube →

9/11 Experience Panels (Two Parts)

Veterans discuss what 9/11 meant across different service experiences and life stages.

Female Veteran Experience Panel

Experiences of women veterans and service members, addressing stigma and bias.

Watch recording →

Minority Experiences in the Military Panel

Focus on what it means to be Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the military.

Watch on YouTube →

Veterans’ Day Panel: An Exploration of Coming Home

Veterans share successes and challenges transitioning from military to civilian life and processing recent events.

Watch on YouTube →

One Team VMHTI Listserv

One Team VMHTI Listserv banner

In July 2020, NASW–NYS launched the One Team VMHTI Listserv. One Team connects clinical providers and students in a peer network to share knowledge, discuss emerging needs, and exchange resources focused on military service members, veterans, and their families.

Members can

  • Share best practices and relevant issues in clinical work with military members, veterans, and their families
  • Serve as a source for referrals
  • Strengthen cultural competence
  • Share relevant community resources
  • Support communication among practitioners and help identify emerging needs for advocacy priorities
  • Explore bi-weekly or monthly topics identified by the Listserv Moderator and/or Veteran Advisory Committee

One Team Listserv is free and open to anyone committed to meeting the needs of veterans and military family members.

The One Team Listserv is moderated by Alyssa Gibbons, LCSW-R, BCD, LCDR, US Navy Medical Service Corps (2009–2016) and members of the VMHTI Advisory Committee.

Meet the VMHTI Advisory Committee

The VMHTI advisory committee is comprised of veteran experts, representatives from veterans service programs, relevant federal, state and local agencies, as well as current and retired members of the military, military family members, and other stakeholder organizations in collaboration with Chapter staff. The advisory committee oversees all programming and curriculum development of the VMHTI.

Melanie Corinne

Melanie Corinne

Marine Corps Veteran (2013–2018) • Levantine Arabic Linguist

Marine Corps Veteran with experience in veteran peer support, media, and statewide initiatives.

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Melanie Corinne served as a Levantine Arabic Linguist in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2013 to 2018, deploying with SPMAGTF CR-AF 18.1 and supporting anti-ISIS operations stateside. She earned a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Fordham University and led the Student Veterans of America chapter.

Her work includes veteran peer support, media strategy, and statewide initiatives. She was honored as a 2023 Woman Veteran of Distinction and inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame.

Abdul-Rahman Sakr

Abdul-Rahman Sakr

Army Veteran • Storyteller and Veteran Filmmaker

Filmmaker focused on cultural identity and belonging.

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AR Sakr is an Arab American filmmaker and Army veteran who operates Falcon Films and volunteers with the Writer’s Guild Foundation Veteran Writing Project.

Alyssa Gibbons

Alyssa Gibbons

LCSW-R, BCD • US Navy Veteran

Clinical social worker specializing in substance use recovery.

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Alyssa Gibbons served six years as a Navy Medical Service Corps Officer and currently works at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center in outpatient substance abuse treatment.

Amanda L. Matteson

Amanda L. Matteson

PhD, MSW • Army National Guard Veteran

VA researcher focused on women veteran peer support.

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Amanda Matteson served in the Army National Guard and now conducts research at the VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center to improve veteran healthcare.

Anthony Rabasca, LT. Col., USAF, Retired, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Anthony Rabasca

Lt. Col., USAF (Ret.) • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Retired USAF officer with deep experience in training, curriculum development, and behavioral health systems.

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Brent Russell, LMSW, Army Veteran

Brent Russell

LMSW • Army Veteran (Desert Storm)

Director of Veterans Services in Nassau County, supporting peer groups and wellness resource connections.

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Dani Koulermos, US Army Disabled Veteran, LCAT-P

Dani Koulermos

US Army Disabled Veteran • LCAT-P

Creative arts therapist specializing in trauma processing, MST education, and veterans recovery supports.

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Danielle Bernae Wright, LMSW

Danielle Bernae Wright, LMSW

Monitoring Social Worker • World Trade Center Health Program • Retired Air Force Veteran

Air Force veteran and clinical social worker with over two decades of experience in mental health, substance use treatment, and veteran advocacy.

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Danielle Bernae Wright is a retired Air Force Veteran, Licensed Master of Social Work, and dedicated advocate with over two decades of experience in mental health counseling and support. After retiring from the Air Force in 2019, Danielle returned to her hometown of New York City and earned her Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University.

She has held pivotal roles including Substance Abuse Clinician at the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai, specializing in individual and group therapy using motivational interviewing with strengths-based and goal-focused approaches. She also worked at Pace University in the Office of Student Disability assisting students with academic accommodations, and served as an inpatient medical and surgical social worker concentrating on discharge planning and community resource coordination. Her work centers on helping individuals navigate complex challenges such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety through evidence-based practices.

Currently, Danielle serves as a Monitoring Social Worker at the World Trade Center Health Program, a meaningful continuation of service given that much of her military career was shaped by the events of September 11. She is also an adjunct Professor at Fordham University, teaching Clinical Social Work Practice with LGBTQI+ Individuals.

Committed to giving back, Danielle volunteered through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Mount Sinai mentorship program, guiding high school students in career and college readiness. She was selected to participate in a roundtable with the Under Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, contributing insight on the unique challenges faced by women veterans. She also honors fallen service members each March by reading the names of over 1,700 New Yorkers lost in the Vietnam War in partnership with the United War Veterans Council.

A lifelong learner, Danielle actively pursues professional development through workshops and continuing education. Outside of work, she embraces art, nature, new challenges, and staying connected to the vibrant city she calls home.

Dylan Damboise, Marine Veteran

Dylan Damboise

Marine Corps Veteran • Cyber Network Operator (Former)

Paralegal supporting veterans benefits and a strong advocate for peer support’s impact.

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Eleanor McIntire

Eleanor McIntire

U.S. Army Veteran • Infantry Officer • Writer

Army veteran and writer with 17 years of service across active duty and reserve capacities.

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Eleanor McIntire is a U.S. Army veteran and writer with seventeen years of service in both active duty and traditional reserve capacities. She previously worked for Fortune 100 companies, mentoring cohorts of veterans transitioning from military service into corporate managerial roles.

Eleanor currently serves in the California Army National Guard as an infantry officer and is completing a Master of Fine Arts in Writing at the University of San Francisco.

She resides beside the beach with her wife Kathryn, their dog Thor, and cats Sawyer Sweetheart and Supreme Leader Snoke.

Gavin T. Walters Sr, MSW-USAF, Program Director of Vet2Vet of Ulster County and NY State Dwyer Coalition Facilitator

Gavin T. Walters Sr.

MSW • USAF Veteran • Vet2Vet Program Director

Leads Vet2Vet in Ulster County and facilitates statewide coalition work supporting veterans.

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Jeremy Duers, Marine Corps Veteran

Jeremy Duers

Marine Corps Veteran (1999–2004) • Dwyer Program Coordinator

Former Marine Corps Field Band NCO; now coordinates peer-to-peer support in multiple counties.

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John Bourges, Captain US Army Reserves, NYPD Retired, RN Retired, County Coroner

John Bourges

Captain, US Army Reserves • NYPD (Ret.) • RN (Ret.) • County Coroner

Combat-zone ER/ICU nurse and veteran outreach coordinator supporting county-level prevention work.

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Karl Rohde, Army Combat Vietnam Veteran, Silver Star Recipient

Karl Rohde

Army Combat Vietnam Veteran • Silver Star Recipient

Director of Veterans Services in Putnam County; long-time leader in veterans advocacy and claims support.

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MAJ Robin MacHattie, Behavioral Health Officer and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Army National Guard

MAJ Robin MacHattie

Behavioral Health Officer • Sexual Assault Response Coordinator • Army National Guard

Leads psychoeducation and support efforts, with a focus on wellness and sexual assault prevention resources.

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Mary Jo Gibson

Mary Jo Gibson

LCSW • Retired Military Spouse

Educator and clinician with extensive experience supporting military families and suicide prevention initiatives.

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Michael Shurmatz, LCSW, US Army

Michael Shurmatz

LCSW • US Army (2007–2011)

Vet Center counselor specializing in trauma, moral injury, and integrative modalities including ACT, DBT, CPT, and EMDR.

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Tim Scott, Army Veteran, LICSW

Tim Scott

Army Veteran • LICSW

Clinical social worker and educator focused on social justice education, organizing, and veteran solidarity work.

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