vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
Depression Treatment For Veterans | Veterans Affairs
Depression Treatment For Veterans | Veterans Affairs

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Depression treatment for Veterans

Depression is a serious illness, but this common mental health problem is also highly treatable. Find out how to access depression health services through VA.

 How do I talk to someone right now?
 

 Find out how to get support anytime, day or night.
 
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, connect with our caring, qualified Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans themselves. This service is private, free, and available 24/7.To connect with a Veterans Crisis Line responder anytime day or night:Dial 988 then select 1.Start a confidential chat.Text 838255.If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 800-799-4889.You can also:Call 911.Go to the nearest emergency room.Go directly to your nearest VA medical center. It doesn’t matter what your discharge status is or if you’re enrolled in VA health care.Find your nearest VA medical center

 What services does VA provide for depression?
 

We offer treatments such as:
Medicine proven to help treat depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and other related problems
Psychotherapy (also called “talk therapy”) to help treat depression. These sessions may include learning new behaviors (like exercise and relaxation), help resolving relationship problems, and more.
See our Guide to VA Mental Health Services (PDF)

 How do I access VA services for depression?
Whole Health | VA Portland Health Care | Veterans Affairs
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Mindfulness Community for a Guided Practice and Announcements.
Tuesdays at 11.30 a.m. 

To register for Mindfullness call 503-220-8262, ext. 51177 

Whole Health Coaching
Whole Health Coaches work with Veterans one-on-one and in group settings to empower the Veteran to develop and achieve self-determined goals related to health and wellness. Coaches support Veterans in mobilizing internal strengths and external resources, and in developing self-management strategies for making sustainable, healthy lifestyle, behavior changes. As partners and facilitators, coaches support Veterans in achieving health goals and behavioral goals, while collaborating with the Veteran’s healthcare team. Coaches assist Veterans to use their insight, personal strengths and resources, goal setting, action steps and accountability toward whole health changes.

 Whole Health Coaching Agreement form (PDF)
 

 Whole Health Coaching trifold brochure (PDF)
 

Whole Health Coaching Process
Stage 1: Veteran and coach explore Mission Aspirations Purpose (MAP). They create vision, and explore values and value conflicts.
Stage 2: Veteran and coach reflect, assess and focus on what really matters in Veterans life. They will conduct PHI, define the Veteran’s Health Focus, and assess Veteran’s readiness.
Stage 3: Veteran and coach make plan for action as part of a Personal Health Plan (PHP). They set goals and actions, explore barriers to achieving goals, and determine training, support, and accountability.
Stage 4: Veteran and coach execute plan. Veteran takes action to achieve goals. Veteran learns lessons and works with coach to assess actions and re-plan.

The Veteran and Coach sign an agreement before starting the process lining out the steps both will take to ensure the Veteran has the best chance of accomplishing the Veteran's whole health goals.

Well Being Programs & Resources
Components of Proactive Health and Well-Being
The Components of Proactive Health and Well-Being picture will help you think about your whole health. All of the areas in the circle are important. They are all connected.
The 2024-25 Budget: CalFire—Implementation of a 66-Hour Workweek
This is in part because—as discussed in the nearby box—the nature of the health and wellness challenges facing firefighters is not fully understood, and thus the most effective strategies for addressing these issues are not particularly clear. Additionally, the proposal would not affect many of the underlying challenges associated with being a firefighter. Specifically, under this proposal, firefighters still would have to deal with the various inherent strains of the job, including doing physically and emotionally strenuous work. Moreover, even with a shorter workweek firefighters still would be expected to work regular 72‑hour shifts and still would have to be available to serve potentially much longer periods during severe wildfire events. 

Lack of Clarity Regarding Nature of Problem With Firefighter Welfare
A general recognition exists that the health and wellness of firefighters is a concern—particularly in light of recent severe and destructive wildfire seasons. However, the scope of the issues facing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CalFire’s) firefighters still is unclear, as data on key metrics such as the incidence of post‑traumatic stress disorder, other mental health issues, and suicides are limited. Additionally, despite the increasing concerns about the health and wellness of firefighters, CalFire reports that its employee retention rates have remained largely stable over time and firefighting positions appear to continue to be very attractive to new employees. To date, CalFire has not provided evidence that it has faced challenges attracting firefighters to work at the department. For example, CalFire reports that it currently has three times more applicants for entry‑level Fire Fighter Is than available positions, suggesting that health and wellness concerns are not dissuading people from pursuing this profession.

Most Cost‑Effective Way to Address These Firefighter Wellness Concerns Is Unclear. Given the lack of clarity around the strains affecting firefighters and the best ways to address them, the Legislature could consider alternatives besides changing the workweek. For example, the Legislature could expand the existing health and wellness programs at CalFire to ensure that firefighters have access to robust support for mental and physical health concerns.
2001 Budget Analysis Trial Court Funding (0450)
between courts and counties require the courts to pay for services that may be more expensive than if purchased elsewhere. To the
extent possible these kind of arrangements should be avoided in the future. It also may be appropriate for the state to identify a role
for the Judicial Council and the courts in negotiation processes that determine state costs of county-provided services which the
state is obligated to pay.
Reward Efficiencies Through Trial Court Funding Allocations. The Judicial Council is responsible for distributing funds
appropriated for courts. In determining the amount of funds to be allocated to individual courts, the Judicial Council does not have a
formal procedure for recognizing operational efficiencies or developing incentives for cost containment measures by courts. A
number of cases exist in which trial courts have found ways to save funds, but they have had no incentive to report these savings to
the AOC. By developing a funding allocation system which rewards courts for efficiency, courts are encouraged to look for and
report savings.
The Judicial Council indicates that under the state's former block grant approach to trial court funding, encouraging efficiency
through the allocation formula made sense. The council points out that currently trial courts submit their budget proposals to the
AOC, which in turn compiles and submits them to the administration and Legislature. Currently individual trial court allocations are
based upon approved requests rather than a formula. The Judicial Council seems to believe this new process precludes the AOC
from rewarding efficiency.
We disagree and instead argue that the AOC could incorporate incentives for efficiency early in its review of court requests. Each
individual court request that comes to the AOC must have adequate justification in order for the AOC to approve and forward that
request. At this stage, the AOC could take into account ways in which individual courts have reduced costs and/or used more
efficient procedures.
Analyst's Recommendation. We recommend the Legislature direct the Judicial Council to examine ways to control the escalating
costs of state-funded trial court services. To achieve this, we recommend the Legislature adopt the following supplemental report
language:
My App List | VA Mobile
Information about PTSD and how it affects those who care about someone with PTSDTips to help families better support a loved one with PTSD, and themselvesInformation on how to find counselingFacts about counseling for individuals or couples managing PTSD in a relationshipTools to help family members manage stress

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	Mindfulness Coach
	 
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 Learn how to practice mindfulness to reduce stress and improve emotional balance.

 
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Education about the benefits of mindfulnessMindfulness exercises to practice on your own or with guidanceStrategies to help overcome challenges to mindfulness practiceLog of mindfulness exercises to track your progressReminders to support your mindfulness practice

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	STAIR Coach
	 
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 Improve your emotional well-being and relationships with interactive tools for understanding and relieving trauma symptoms.

 
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In-depth information about Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)Interactive tools for emotion and behavior managementMood journal and symptom assessments to track emotions, mood, and PTSD symptomsCustomizable remindersQuick links to support

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	AIMS for Anger Management
	 
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 Track, address, and manage anger to reduce frustration and feel in control.

 
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Proposition 47 Grant Program: Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act Cohort 4 - California Grants Portal
Applicants must submit proposals through the BSCC Submittable portal by 5:00 P.M. (PDT) on June 10, 2024
Any technical questions concerning the RFP, the proposal process or programmatic issues must be submitted by email to: Prop47Cohort4@bscc.ca.gov
A virtual grant information session will be held on Tuesday, April 30th, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. to provide clarity on RFP instructions and answer technical questions from prospective applicants. See the BSCC website for more information.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR BSCC’s PROPOSITION 47 GRANT•Incorporate community partnerships and collaborations.•Encourage culturally competent services and approaches that foster the principles of restorative justice.•Define target populations, especially those populations that are:-traditionally underserved or inappropriately served through mental health and substance use disorder service providers, or-overrepresented within the criminal justice system, or-experiencing or at risk for homelessness•Expand access to culturally congruent quality mental health and substance use disorder services, including services for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder needs and the use of evidence-based or community defined practices.•Identify and address known barriers to serving target populations, such as:-lack of jobs, housing, or employment•Prioritize client-focused/client-centered holistic programs and approaches, including healing strategies and trauma-informed care.•Expand and improve on efforts to divert individuals away from criminal justice involvement through increased diversion programs and improved behavioral health services or community supports.•Include community-based organizations with diverse staffing, including those who are system-impacted individuals, or who have varying educational levels and life experiences.•Demonstrate capacity building for service providers at every level.•Be mindful of regional equity and geographic diversity, including smaller and rural counties.•Collect program data and measure/evaluate outcomes and publish and share information.•Encourage community engagement, where members of the community participate in the identifying, informing, and shaping of policies, goals, services, and solutions.
Services and programs proposed in response to this RFP must be designed to serve people who have been arrested, charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense and have a history of mental health or substance use disorders.
Eligible applicants are public agencies located in the State of California.
2001 Budget Analysis: Longer Middle School Year
In our view, the administration has not made the case that (1) the problems facing middle schools are so widespread as to justify a universal solution, or (2) that
the longer school year is the best solution to middle school problems. We have identified the following key drawbacks to the Governor's proposal:

Research Does Not Support Longer School Year. As discussed above, research findings indicate that extending the school year has limited or no effect on
student achievement. If an educational program uses existing time ineffectively, or is seriously deficient in quality, simply adding days can be futile. The
administration cites a recent pilot project, Oxnard Union High School District, to support its proposal. The pilot project, however, provided inconclusive
results, which we discuss in the nearby shaded box. 
High-Opportunity Costs. The proposal would commit the state to spending as much as $1 billion (or more) annually for one improvement strategy in up to
four grades. Under the administration's proposed approach, this very large share of new Proposition 98 funds would not be available for any other strategies
for improvement, including additional teacher preparation time, selective class size reduction, expanded requirements in core academic subjects, distance
learning, or more and better counseling. 
Optional Participation Only in Most Limited Sense. School district participation is optional, but only in the most limited sense. The amount of funding
provided in the incentive is too high as a practical matter for districts to easily pass up. Districts are not given the option to access funds for any other
possible strategies to improve achievement of middle school students. 
Proposal Misses Pockets of Failure. The proposal does not target "pockets" of educational failure. The proposal assumes nearly universal participation by
eligible schools, regardless of the fact that many schools and students are doing a relatively good job, while other schools and students face severe
challenges. Moreover, many of the lowest-performing schools in the state operate on a multitrack year-round schedule because of lack of facilities.
Multitrack year-round schools would not be able to implement the extended year proposal, and may have difficulty extending the school day as well. 
 Misses High Schools.
California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities
As noted in the previous section of this report, developing guidance around a community pathway option—that is, a mechanism to refer families to prevention services provided by a community‑based organization without substantial child welfare agency involvement—is a current focal area for CWC and the administration. While many details around community pathway implementation have yet to be determined, mandated reporters potentially could have a significant role to play in referring families to community‑based supports. The state’s mandated reporting statute likely will need to be updated to provide legislative guidance around when it is appropriate for mandated reporters to refer families via the community pathway. An important question will be how to ensure child safety continues to be prioritized and cases that truly need child welfare system‑level intervention are not diverted. Accordingly, careful legislative language, including oversight and accountability measures, will be needed in tandem with any reforms.
Mitigating Bias
Implement Measures to Mitigate Implicit Bias Within Child Welfare Decision‑Making. The Legislature could consider measures to help mitigate implicit biases that may be impacting individuals working with children and social workers’ decision‑making within the child welfare system. 

Training. DSS currently is working to develop a racial equity and implicit bias training curriculum for CalWORKs social workers and anticipates the training initiative will launch by June 2024. If the training is found to be effective once it is implemented, the Legislature could consider the merits of expanding this training for child welfare social workers. In tandem, the Legislature could review the variety of trainings related to implicit bias and uniform decision‑making currently available to child welfare social workers (described above under Decision‑Making Tools and Training for Social Workers) to determine the strengths and any gaps across current training options. 
Blind Removal. In 2022, the Legislature approved AB 2665 (Carrillo), which required DSS to establish a three‑year blind removal pilot program in up to five counties. However, the bill was vetoed by the Governor, citing General Fund cost pressures and the need for additional time to consider any potential impacts on ICWA compliance. As described in the box above titled "'Blind' Review and Decision-Making," Los Angeles County recently piloted blind removal practices in two local offices.
Remote court hearings | California Courts | Self Help Guide
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VA News
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Stressed or in pain? Acupressure can help! Learn how even a simple practice can relieve tension and support well-being in this week's #LiveWholeHealth video.

<p>When I hear phrases like “being under pressure” in a negative context, I tend to think of it in the reverse, about how some pressure can be good for us and to help motivate or get us going.</p>

<p>If you&#8217;ve ever had a headache or found yourself in a stressful situation, you may have rubbed your temples or the space between your eyes, applying pressure. When your muscles are sore, you may apply pressure to help them feel better. Those are examples of naturally placing our hands on specific areas of our body for relief.</p>

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Acupressure is used in health care settings</h2>

<p>The practice of acupressure can help relieve tension and pain and support our well-being. Acupressure is the applying of pressure to specific points on the body, and it has been used for thousands of years to support health and well-being. It’s also a specific type of massage therapy technique based on the meridian system, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine and other ancient healing systems.</p>

<p>Acupressure is used in health care settings by a variety of trained professionals: acupuncturists, massage therapists and nurses, for example. And, it&#8217;s easy to learn specific acupressure points as a self-care method that we can use anytime. When several points are grouped together to increase the effectiveness of the treatment, it is called an “acupressure prescription.” These acupressure prescriptions can help with specific health issues, like headaches and lower back pain; they can also be used to support increases in energy, finding calm during stressful situations, or finding relaxation.</p>
2001 Budget Analysis: Longer Middle School Year
The proposal assumes nearly universal participation by
eligible schools, regardless of the fact that many schools and students are doing a relatively good job, while other schools and students face severe
challenges. Moreover, many of the lowest-performing schools in the state operate on a multitrack year-round schedule because of lack of facilities.
Multitrack year-round schools would not be able to implement the extended year proposal, and may have difficulty extending the school day as well. 
 Misses High Schools. The proposal fails to address the fact that achievement problems persist through high school. 
Conflicts With Remedial Summer School. Remedial summer school is an opportunity for students who struggled to understand concepts during the regular
school year to review those concepts in greater depth, in a more focused environment. A school's participation in the extended school year could impinge on
available time for necessary summer school remediation. 

Results From Oxnard Longer
School Year Pilot Inconclusive 
In the 1996-97 Budget Act, the Legislature initiated an extended school year pilot project in Oxnard Union High School District, and provided $1.75 million to
extend the school year to 187 days. In fiscal years
1997-98 through 1999-00, the Legislature provided funding to increase the school year to 195 days. The implementing legislation for the project required an
independent evaluation be completed and delivered to the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) in fall 2000. The independent evaluator did issue an interim
report in 1999, and the school district has informed us that the findings in the final report are similar to the interim report. However, at the time of this
analysis, the final report had not been provided to our office. 
The evaluation addresses five areas and the preliminary findings
include: 
 Teacher Perceptions. Some teachers reported that the extra time allowed them to cover topics in more depth, and others were able to cover more topics. 
Student Perceptions. Students perceived a greater amount of work being assigned, and that teachers explained topics in greater depth. 
Student and Teacher Absences. The implementation of the
15-day extended year led to an increase in the number of days absent for both students and teachers.