Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen Named One of TIME Magazine's TIME 100

TIME's Annual List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- TIME named Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour, a national nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to members of the military, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, their loved ones and their communities to the 2012 TIME 100, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.  Dr. Van Dahlen is one of the nation's leading experts on the mental health needs of the military and veteran communities.

The list, now in its ninth year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world's most influential individuals. As TIME Managing Editor Richard Stengel has said of the list in the past, "The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world, it's not a list of the smartest people in the world, it's a list of the most influential people in the world. They're scientists, they're thinkers, they're philosophers, they're leaders, they're icons, they're artists, they're visionaries.  People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people."

The full list and related tributes appear in the April 30 issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Thursday, April 19, and now at time.com/time100.  Dr. Van Dahlen's written profile can be found http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2111964,00.html and a link to a video profile can be found http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1567464500001_2112246,00.html.

"This award is a tremendous honor. And it is an opportunity to demonstrate the potential for collective impact that exists within communities across our nation when citizens step forward to address a need," said Dr. Van Dahlen.  "I've been fortunate to work with our returning troops, our veterans and their family members for nearly seven years, helping them receive the critical and confidential mental health support they need and deserve. I hope that as a result of this recognition, I will be able to further our efforts and educate the public about the importance of harnessing the goodwill and resources within our communities so that we are able to create a truly integrated and comprehensive system of care for those who have given so much to our country." 

Concerned about the mental health implications of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and lack of community resources for returning service members, Dr. Van Dahlen, a licensed clinical psychologist who has been practicing in the Washington, D.C. area for 20 years, founded Give an Hour in 2005.  Since Give an Hour's inception, the organization has created a national network of mental health professionals who are providing free services to U.S. troops, veterans, their loved ones, and their communities. Currently, the network has over 6,100 providers, who have collectively given nearly $5 million worth of services.  In April 2012, Give an Hour was chosen as one of the five winners of the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge, sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden.

In addition to her work at Give an Hour, Dr. Van Dahlen currently serves on Habitat for Humanity International's Military and Veterans Advisory Committee and the Advisory Counsel for the Community Blueprint Network – an initiative of the Points of Light Institute that provides communities with tools and guidance to assist with their efforts to support our military families.  Further, Dr. Van Dahlen has participated in numerous discussions at the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and the White House. She has also testified before Congress on the issues that affect our service members and their families.  

For more information on Dr. Van Dahlen and Give an Hour, follow on Facebook and Twitter. Follow @TIME for updates about the list on Twitter and at Facebook.com/TIME.  Hashtag is #TIME100

About Give an Hour™
Give an Hour is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization's mission is to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. Currently, Give an Hour is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of military personnel, their families, and the communities affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of February 2012, Give an Hour has more than 6,100 providers across the nation—in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam—with more volunteer mental health professionals joining its network every day. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. Give an Hour has already provided nearly 50,000 hours of free service, valued at approximately $5 million. To learn more, visit http://www.giveanhour.org or http://connected.giveanhour.org.

About TIME
TIME is a global multimedia brand that reaches more than 50 million people and includes the domestic and international magazine editions, tablet versions for iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Kindle Fire and Nook Color, TIME for Kids, TIME.com and mobile. TIME.com draws 11 million unique visitors a month and has more than 3.3 million Twitter followers. TIME leads the mobile app space with more than 4.2 million total app downloads across all platforms, including iPhone, Blackberry and Android.

SOURCE Give an Hour