Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Awards $420K Grant to Veterans Recovery Resources Team

MOBILE, Ala., Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The nation's largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), has recognized a new Mobile-area mental wellness non-profit for its unique plans to serve Veterans.

Clinical practitioners serving at Veterans Recovery Resources (VRR) have been selected to participate in Clinical Scholars, one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's leadership development programs that equip and connect leaders across the country?in every sector and field, and from all backgrounds and perspectives?to collaborate in addressing systemic inequities and finding new solutions to the nation's most entrenched health challenges. RWJF's vision is to build a Culture of Health in every community across America so that every person has the opportunity to reach their best possible health and well-being.

Combining the expertise of a physical therapist, clinical psychologist, occupational therapist, and physician assistant, the Veterans Recovery Resources Clinical Scholars team is removing barriers to care and designing new ways to infuse peer support and vibrant community engagement into high-quality, compassionate, affordable mental health care for Veterans and their families.

The Veterans Recovery Resources Clinical Scholars team includes Jeremy Fletcher, PT, DPT, OCS (Major, U.S. Army Reserve); Joe Currier, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychologist); Erin McAdams, PA-C, MHS (Captain, U.S. Army Reserve); and Marjorie Scaffa, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, MS, ALC, all of whom are leaders in their respective fields and hold appointments at the University of South Alabama.

Dr. Jeremy Fletcher - PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Fletcher, the VRR Clinical Scholars team leader, is a Physical Therapist by trade and the first PT in the Clinical Scholars program. He is also an Assistant Professor at the University of South Alabama and a Veteran. Using a mind-body approach to reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life for all Service Members, Dr. Fletcher brings extensive experience working directly with Veterans through his active duty in the U.S. Army, which included one deployment to Afghanistan, and in the Army Reserves where he is currently a Major. He holds a number of degrees, including a Graduate Certificate from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of South Alabama.

Dr. Joseph Currier - Ph.D., Clinical Program Lead
Dr. Currier is leading the effort to develop a leading-edge, concurrent clinical approach to Veteran recovery and dual diagnosis. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor/Director of the Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program in Clinical/Counseling Psychology at the University of South Alabama. Dr. Currier has worked with military Veterans as a clinician and researcher for over a decade, both within the VA system and in the community, fueling a deep passion to enhance existing models and practices for supporting Veterans and their families.

Erin McAdams - PA-C, MHS
Erin McAdams is a Co-Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor at the University of South Alabama in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She joined the U.S. Army National Guard in 2008 and is currently a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. McAdams is dedicated to helping Veterans and their families improve their health and is passionate about breaking down the barriers of siloed healthcare in the community, leading the way toward a holistic approach to mental health care and chronic disease management.

Dr. Marjorie Scaffa -Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, MS, ALC
Dr. Scaffa serves as a Health & Wellness Counselor in the College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama. A Ph.D. with 35 years' experience as an Occupational Therapist, she holds a doctorate in Health Education and Community Health and a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She works with Veterans using a solution-focused, strengths-based approach to counseling with the ability to integrate other theoretical approaches to meet the needs of individual clients. She is focused on health promotion and prevention, family and relationship issues, and helping others overcome grief and trauma.

As a member of Clinical Scholars' 2018-2021 cohort, the team will focus on providing Veterans and their families a whole health approach to wellness. They will further benefit from high-caliber curricula and coaching from national leaders, collaborating with other cutting-edge thinkers to create greater impact and accelerate infusing a Culture of Health into the Mobile community and surrounding areas.

According to John Kilpatrick, Founder and Executive Director at Veterans Recovery Resources, "We are so honored that our team and organization have received this recognition and support. Three years ago, we began with a vision for Veteran mental health. I can't wait to see what this team will bring to our healthcare community to benefit Veterans over the next three years."

The Veterans Recovery Resources Outpatient Clinic is located at 1156 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 36604. To learn more about Veterans Recovery Resources, or to lend your support to its vital mission, please visit http://www.vetsrecover.org or call 866-648-7334.

About Clinical Scholars, A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Program
Clinical Scholars is one of several leadership development programs supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These programs continue RWJF's legacy of supporting the development of diverse leaders from across the nation. Initially focused on healthcare, the programs were expanded because the Foundation knows that building a Culture of Health requires every sector, profession, and discipline to work together. Additional information is available at http://www.rwjf.org/leadershipforbetterhealth.

About Veterans Recovery Resources
Veterans Recovery Resources is a non-profit, 501c3 community-based mental wellness program being developed specifically for Veterans, by Veterans. Founded and led by John Kilpatrick, a 31-year Army Reservist with expertise in hospital administration, John and his team understand the needs of our Veteran population. John's deepest passion is to accelerate Veteran well-being by removing the barriers to mental health care and providing a unique recovery program for Veterans and their families suffering from substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, and other mental wellness issues. More information is available at http://www.vetsrecover.org.

SOURCE Veterans Recovery Resources