FAQ
Who qualifies to receive mental health services?
Any military service member who served or will serve in OIF and/or OEF. This includes active-duty or members of activated Reserve or Guard units from any uniformed branch as well as veterans of these units. We also treat spouses, girlfriends/boyfriends, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, and other loved ones.
What kind of treatment is available?
We are flexible in what we provide. We offer consultation and treatment, including individual, couple, and family. If requested, we can facilitate a support group for loved ones of deployed service members. Call or email to inquire. If you feel the need for support during these difficult times or just have some things you’d like to talk over, we are available.
How do I make contact?
Call (818) 761-7438 or TOLL-FREE (877) 576-5343. Email info@thesoldiersproject.org or if in Chicago area kschecht@uchicago.edu.
How do you assign therapists?
We consider your needs, your location, and available clinician before assigning someone for you to call for your first appointment. It sometimes happens that a person may feel that the therapist to whom he has been referred is not a "good match" for one reason or another. We encourage you to call again and get another referral.
Does it cost? Will anyone know I am getting therapy?
Our clinicians volunteer their time and expertise. All sessions are free. The Soldiers Project does not report to any governmental agency, as it is a private, independent, non-profit group. No one will be told you are receiving therapy.
Where are the sessions held?
Your sessions are held in the private offices of the clinicians.
How many sessions can I have?
You can have as many sessions as you will need to help you deal with your unique issues.
What types of therapists are available? Are they trained to deal with war trauma?
Our volunteers are all fully trained and licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. They have participated in special training related to combat stress, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, as well as the issues of deployment, combat, homecoming, and re-entry to civilian life.
Can I get treatment when I am in Iraq or Afghanistan or on short-term leave at home?
Yes, therapists will make themselves available via email for continued contact while you are on mission. When you are on leave at home, you can also have as many sessions as you would like, given the availability of the therapist.
Do you offer treatment to Viet Nam vets?
Not at this time. Since our resources are limited, we are trying to address the immediate needs of the growing number of service men and women from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and their families.
Are there Soldiers Projects all over the US?
We started in Los Angeles. Today, there are chapters in Chicago, New York, and Seattle. We are hoping that other mental health professionals will be inspired to start similar free mental health treatment groups so that we can reach soldiers and their families all over the US.
How do you get your funding?
100% of our funding is from private foundations, individuals and groups.
Are you a charitable organization?
Yes. The Soldiers Project is a program of the Ernest S. Lawrence Trauma Center, a component program of the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies, a non-profit educational institution as well as an IRS designated 501 (c) (3) entity.
How can I make a donation?
You can send a tax-deductible donation to The Soldiers Project, c/o LAISPS, 12011 San Vicente Boulevard, Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90049. You can also donate online, by clicking here.
