HISTORY

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History of Warrior to Soul Mate

We offer the very best services in our field. We never settle for second best, and always have your satisfaction as our top priority. It’s who we are, and we are proud of it. 

History of Warrior to Soul Mate

At the end of 2008, a multi-disciplinary team of chaplains, psychologists and social workers from the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia asked PAIRS Foundation to donate a relationship restoring 16 hour retreat for returning OEF/OIF combat Veterans and their spouses over Valentine’s Day weekend. Participants and team members agreed the experience was extraordinary. Over the weeks and months that followed, some shared how real their thoughts of suicide had been prior to the event. Nearly a decade later, members of that class continue to offer gratitude for the healing and happiness that began with our weekend together.

That experience led hundreds of VA chaplains and behavioral health professionals to participate in PAIRS accreditation training to be able to facilitate similar experiences. From San Diego to Hampton, Indianapolis and many places between, outcomes reported by professionals and most important, the Veterans they’ve served, have been overwhelmingly positive and profoundly meaningful.
 
In Washington, DC, a second chaplain adopted the model for conducting PAIRS events (e.g., weekend retreats), developed a user’s guide to implement these events, and managed the distribution of grant dollars. In 2012 San Diego’s collaboration with PAIRS Foundation was recognized with the Spirit of Planetree Award for the program’s impact on strengthening relationships between family, friends, and social supports as a central component of patient centered care. Subsequent national adoption of the W2SM by individual VA facilities was facilitated through grants awarded by OPCC&CT. 

In 2013 23 VA facilities receiving OPCC&CT innovation grant funding held W2SM events. These medical centers were located in 14 of the 23 administrative regions of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks, located across the United States. A total of 67 W2SM programs were held, serving 826 couples and 12 individuals. The OPCC&CT funded a collaborative evaluation of the program’s sustainability, including barriers to and facilitators of potential sustainability for the W2SM program. This evaluation was conducted by a multidisciplinary team from one of the VA Health Services Research & Development Centers of Innovation and the VA Mental Health and Chaplaincy program, in collaboration with representatives from the OPCC&CT, VA National Chaplain Center, national leadership of the W2SM program, and one of the VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers. 

In 2019 the National Chaplain Center awarded a PAIRS Foundation a fixed price contract for the unlimited use of the W2SM curriculum within the Veterans Administration. The program goal is to make W2SM available to every Veteran, at every VA facility. It is estimated the need is to train 7500 facilitators, and establish a training system to keep making W2SM available to every Veteran Today, the W2SM program has trained at total of 806 facilitators to promote and enable the provision of W2SM classes in multiple locations. There are currently 364 active Facilitators, 37 Trainers, and 8 Train-the-trainers active in xx number of VA facilities nationwide.

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