Virginia is for Heroes

For Immediate Release
Contact: Katherine McCary
October 10, 2007
Phone: 804-343-9571
Katherine.McCary@suntrust.com

Richmond, VA (October 10, 2007) -- The Virginia Business Leadership Network is pleased to announced the Virginia is for Heroes conference, held October 17, 2007 beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. The VABLN encourages its members to attend this exciting event that will develop a state level action plan for addressing the needs of Virginia´s "wounded warriors" and their families. The conference will focus on the effects of combat stress and polytrauma, particularly for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The conference will be opened by the Secretary of Public Safety, John Marshall and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Gail Jaspen. There will be workshops in specific subject areas where services are needed for veterans and their families. Victoria Huber-Cochran, Chairman, State MHMRSAS Board, has agreed to be the expert presenter for the workshop on the Criminal Justice System.

Dr. Reinhard and Vince Burgess will present a call to action and outline next steps based on the recommendations that are generated by the day-long discussions and the workshops. Recommendations may emerge that could be advanced through joint policy development by the two state boards. Governor Kaine will join the conference at approximately 4 pm and provide a charge to the conferees.

Dr. Harold Kudler, Director of the VISN 6 Post Deployment Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, at Duke University in North Carolina, will be a keynote speaker. Dr. Kudler was instrumental in the statewide conference held in NC last year that sought to develop partnerships of state and federal agencies, localities, community providers and others to create a network of services to address the many needs that veterans have, particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. As the conference materials indicate, estimates are that from one-fourth to one-third of the men and women returning from the Global War on Terror will need behavioral healthcare services. Dr. Kudler has been working with us to also begin to partner with the Community Services Boards and other community partners.

Please check the web site for the conference and register as early as possible if you plan to attend. The web address is http://www.virginiaisforheroes.org.

The VABLN hopes that you can attend this conference, as well as the many upcoming disability events, throughout the Commonwealth.

Learn more at www.vabln.org.

BLN Chapters are business organizations headed by a Lead Business who exemplifies these practices and shares experiences with other members-employers-within the state or region. These activities include career fairs, disability mentoring and internship programs, and training programs including disability business etiquette, accommodation, and other disability issues deemed significant to employers. Businesses join BLN chapters to learn how to expand their diversity recruiting efforts to include individuals with disabilities- not as a social model but as a business case to recruit talent and better serve their customers. BLN successes serve the workplace, the marketplace, the community and the economy. The USBLN® Vision is that every employer recognizes and benefits from the best practice of including people with disabilities in their workforce and marketplace.

For additional information, please contact Katherine McCary by phone at 804-343-9571 or email at Katherine.McCary@suntrust.com.