Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawn Moore.
Hi Shawn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was a police officer for Kansas City, MO, when I met my husband, who is a 23-year Army Veteran. He is a 100% disabled veteran who served seven tours to Afghanistan. We met in 2013 when he was medically discharged. I quickly realized I did not know enough about helping him through his mental health challenges. Six weeks after we started dating, he had a flashback and thought he was being deployed. He was trying to find his gear and couldn’t because it had either been packed up or turned in. I knew I needed to find the right support to learn how to support him best.
I first started a support group for those like me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any in our local area. There were plenty of resources for the veteran but not the family. After being in the space for a bit, I realized gaps in services for the family members. Not all organizations supported all eras of veterans, and mental health support for the family was nearly non-existent. That is when I decided to start Caregivers on the Homefront, a non-profit that supports the mental health and well-being of the family members of our veterans and first responders. That same year, 2017, specifically on August 9th, my husband attempted suicide. More than ever, I saw why we need to ensure we provide this crucial support to the family members.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It has been a challenging road. When I started talking about veteran caregivers in our area, I got the deer in the headlights look. People didn’t understand that family members cared for wounded, ill, and injured veterans at home. I have gotten the “you don’t support the veteran” statements from people. In a nutshell, our communities don’t understand that offering support to a veteran needs to be done from a holistic approach that includes family in the treatment plan. Our community is not a “military city, ” so I think people don’t understand. The challenges our veterans face, both physical and mental, affect the entire family unit. Funding and by it has been hard to come by locally. We get more support nationally than locally, yet we have two large Veteran’s Health Administrations in our metro area. Slowly but surely, we are making our way here to Kansas City.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Caregivers on the Homefront?
COH supports the mental health and well-being of veteran and first responder families and caregivers. We do this through trauma and support groups, peer mentorship, art workshops, mental health and wellness weekends, advocacy, and local, state, and national speaking. Reduce veteran suicide, homelessness, divorce, and generational trauma; it cannot be just about the veteran. We must support those around the veteran, specifically their family members. 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers and 2.3 million children live in veteran caregiving homes. We are the only organization in Kansas City and the surrounding area supporting these family members, including the children. 23.6% of veteran spouses have had suicidal ideation after becoming a caregiver to their veteran. We are most proud of our organization because our staff and board are caregivers, veterans, or loved ones of first responders. Our staff is veteran caregivers who are mental health professionals. We can relate on a personal level because we live it every day.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
What has helped us is presenting to local businesses, conferences, and civic groups, educating our communities on suicide prevention and mental health first aid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caregivers-homefront.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caregivers.homefront/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregiversonthehomefront/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caregivers-on-the-homefront/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CHomefront
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5epOeSNtLxOcfqU1BsZGkA
- Other: https://www.kmbc.com/article/community-day-caregivers-on-the-homefront/41880772
