By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Bowen Health is launching a new pilot program in Warsaw directed toward veterans and will host monthly meetings at the American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw beginning in December.
On Thursday, the legion distributed Thanksgiving dinners with all the fixings to veterans and representatives of Bowen, then took the opportunity to promote the new group counseling sessions that will be held at the post.
Bowen Health’s director of community engagement, Michael Murphy, talked about the program.
“We definitely know veterans need some services, and they are very proud and sometimes don’t often seek the help,” Murphy said. “So we thought it would be appropriate to (use) a neutral site to just engage veterans in a place where they don’t have to worry about paying for the service, they don’t have to worry about being a patient. They can then come and talk freely and we can hopefully lighten their load a little.”
Three Kosciusko County Council members — Tony Ciriello, Dave Wolkins and Joe Irwin — helped with the distribution on Thursday.
Also there was Sheriff Jim Smith, a veteran himself, who sits on the Bowen Health board of directors.
“Bottom line is … it’s OK to not be OK and even if you think you’re OK, they may have something to offer that we might not even know that we need,” Smith said.
“It’s for you and there’s no cost to it, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of it?” Smith added.
The new program, known as Reboot Thursday, will happen on the second Thursday of each month beginning in December.
Also attending the Thursday meeting was licensed therapist Amy Jo Voirol, who will join in the future group sessions.
I am basically here to listen, to encourage, to educate … I’m just very honored to be here and be a part of this,” she said.
Murphy expressed appreciation for the cooperation from Post 49.
He said Bowen will consider expanding the program to its other counties, depending o how it goes.
