The HEAL Mission
To ensure veterans with medical needs receive the help they have earned to access the best quality healthcare, including mental health and specialized services (traumatic brain injury, polytrauma, post-traumatic stress) and live longer, healthier lives. These services are free. You served and now it is our turn to serve you.
To accomplish the mission, AMVETS hired a team of clinical experts with experience in eliminating barriers to access in healthcare for veterans nationwide. HEAL, which stands for healthcare, evaluation, advocacy, legislation, encompasses all necessary steps the team will take to intervene directly on behalf of veterans, service members, families, and caregivers to reduce veteran suicide, unemployment, homelessness, and hopelessness as it relates to mental and physical wellness, particularly for those who are affiliated with AMVETS and utilize Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) centers and mental health services within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and community healthcare facilities.
The Four Pillars of the HEAL Approach
Healthcare
A team of clinicians are licensed Registered Nurses who are responsible for ensuring the quality of complex care for veterans through active healthcare system monitoring and working in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs and community providers who serve veterans. Their work entails identifying necessary resources to improve the efficiency of healthcare services, to include quality of care and coordination, which is critical to delivering effective, lifelong comprehensive healthcare to the veteran population.
Evaluation
By continuously measuring the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services provided by VHA, to include services at VA Polytrauma/TBI centers and mental health clinics, the HEAL Team seeks opportunities to promote the enhancement of those services through a solution-oriented approach to identifying needs that are specific to issues and concerns related to healthcare for AMVETS members. These assessment and recommendations for improvement will be shared with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Advocacy
Directly engaging and working in collaboration with VA healthcare professionals at all levels is a critical component of the HEAL mission, particularly as it relates to mental health, Polytrauma/TBI and related issues. To accommodate the needs of current and future AMVETS members, the HEAL Program has established a helpline to troubleshoot and report issues and provide timely assistance in order to navigate for veterans and family members to find the appropriate healthcare solutions.
Legislation
Championing laws and policies that benefits AMVETS members is a significant component of the HEAL mission. We will be staunch advocates in legislative and policy efforts that focus on the provision of comprehensive/complex healthcare and benefits for AMVETS members. These efforts will be carried out through direct engagement and collaboration with Congressional members and their designees with the intent to enhance quality and access to healthcare for veterans who desire to be heard on Capitol Hill.
Click below to read and/or download the AMVETS HEAL Program Strategic Plan.
Contact the helpline
Veterans, service members and family members who need immediate assistance with a VA-related healthcare issues can contact the helpline by phone toll-free at 1-833-VET-HEAL (1-833-838-4325) from 8AM to 8PM ET Monday-Friday or any time by email at VETHEAL@amvets.org.