Cohen Veterans Network to Add Mental Health Clinics in California to Reach More Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, and Military Families

STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To meet the increasing mental health needs for post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members, and military families throughout the nation, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) just announced that it will open two additional clinics in California in 2022, one in Oceanside and another in Los Angeles. These will be the second and third Cohen Clinics in the state; a San Diego clinic opened in 2019.

This effort is another step toward CVN meeting the $275M commitment set forth by financier-philanthropist Steven A. Cohen to help reduce veteran suicide and increase care for active duty service members and military families throughout the country.

More than 33,000 post-9/11 veterans, nearly 40,000 active duty service members, and more than 31,000 military family members will be eligible for care at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Oceanside.  Greater than 52,000 post-9/11 veterans, 6,000 active duty service members, and 10,000 military family members will be eligible for care at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Los Angeles.

CVN's partner for these clinics is Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD), which is its current partner at the Cohen Clinic in San Diego, located in Mission Valley. VVSD has served veterans since 1981 and is dedicated to "Leave No One Behind." Each year, VVSD provides services to more than 3,000 military veterans throughout San Diego County.

"There are many factors in play these days which are negatively impacting our mental health, including the continued challenges of COVID-19 and the possibilities of future deployments. We are here to serve veterans, active duty and families throughout the entire state of California," said Dr. Anthony Hassan, President & CEO of CVN. "We are expanding on our proven success in San Diego and scaling up to the meet the additional need."

In addition to providing care to those within reach of the Oceanside and Los Angeles locations, the new Cohen Clinics will also offer telehealth services state-wide to more than 655,000 potential clients. CVN Telehealth  is face-to-face video therapy where the client can receive treatment from the privacy and comfort of their own home.

"The ability to provide telehealth services is critical and a game changer, especially in southern California where we have seen the number of COVID-19 cases rise significantly in recent months," said Akilah Templeton, CEO of VVSD. "Telehealth provides a great option for veterans, service members and their families who want to stay connected to a trusted provider, regardless of location. Our partnership with CVN has helped to expand our reach and build out VVSD's continuum of care so that the entire military family has access to high-quality outpatient mental health services and supports for years to come."

The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD in Oceanside will begin serving clients virtually in March and Los Angeles will begin offering telehealth by the summer, with physical locations set to open later in the year. The Oceanside Cohen Clinic will be located at: 3609 Ocean Ranch Blvd, Suite 120, while the Los Angeles location will be unveiled in the coming months.  Each location has begun hiring staff members, with open positions available.

CVN offers brief, client-centered therapy for a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, adjustment issues, anger, grief and loss, family issues, transition challenges, relationship problems, and children's behavioral problems. Learn more about how the network cares for clients here. 

Since its inception in April 2016, CVN has built 19 Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics across the country and has treated more than 27,000 clients. In addition to the two California locations, the network plans to open at least two other clinics in 2022.

About Cohen Veterans Network: Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. There are currently 19 Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics nationwide. Learn more about CVN.

About VVSD: Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) has served all veterans since 1981 and is dedicated to "Leave No One Behind." Each year, VVSD provides services to more than 3,000 military veterans throughout San Diego County. For more information, please visit our website at www.VVSD.net.                                                                             

SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network