SAN DIEGO COUNTY–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 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.
The effort is another step toward the network meeting the $275 million commitment set forth by financier philanthropist Steven 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. More 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.
Cohen Veterans Network’s partner for these clinics is Veterans Village of San Diego, which is its current partner at the Cohen Clinic in Mission Valley. Veterans Village has served veterans since 1981 and is dedicated to “Leave No One Behind.” Each year, Veterans Village 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 and CEO of Cohen Veterans Network. “We are expanding on our proven success in San Diego and scaling up to 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. Cohen Veterans Network 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 Veterans Village of San Diego. “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 Veterans Village of San Diego 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. in 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.
The clinic 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.
Since its inception in April 2016, the network 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.