NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - Apr 12, 2011) - Centerstone, the nation's largest provider of community-based behavioral healthcare, today announced that Not Alone, which provides confidential, no-cost support and mental health services to service members, combat veterans and their loved ones, has become part of its organization. Centerstone and Not Alone have been partners in providing mental health services to members of the military and their families since 2009. As a combined organization, they enhance their ability to reach military families and individuals in need across the nation and raise awareness of the far-reaching impact of combat stress, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It has been estimated that more than 300,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from combat stress, and 225,000 of these men and women will not receive adequate treatment. For each of the combat veterans needing help, there are parents, siblings, significant others and children -- an estimated 1.5 million people -- being crippled by the aftermath of war.
"Substance abuse, unemployment, troubled relationships and suicide are all potential consequences of untreated or under-treated combat trauma, PTSD and depression," said David C. Guth, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone of America. "Centerstone has been honored to provide services and support to service members, combat veterans and their loved ones for more than five decades. Not Alone is an ideal addition to the Centerstone family. Together, we will be able to build a national infrastructure that allows us to reach more men, women and children who are suffering the effects of war."
Centerstone provides a variety of mental health, addiction and educational services, including counseling, crisis intervention services, and prevention and wellness programs. The not-for-profit organization also conducts research to advance its mission of preventing and curing mental illness and addiction.
Not Alone was founded in 2008 by former members of the U.S. military who saw a significant deficit in the government's capacity to help soldiers and their families deal with the complexities of returning home after combat. It provides a range of confidential, no-cost resources and services to help combat veterans and families deal with life after war. These include online self-help resources, information, community-based counseling services and peer mentoring. Its website, notalone.com, is home to a community of soldiers, veterans, significant others and family members who share their experiences and support one another.
Centerstone and Not Alone have collaborated to expand and enhance the support and mental health services available to members of the military and their families. As part of their partnership, the organizations have established a national network of more than 300 healthcare providers who have been specially trained to work with soldiers and their loved ones. These professionals can provide face-to-face counseling to individuals and families in 17 states. They also facilitate online group seminars and interactive meetings for people around the world.
As Not Alone becomes part of Centerstone, the organizations will leverage their combined strengths to grow their network of providers and further advance the mental health services and resources available to active-duty soldiers, veterans and their friends and families.
"Not Alone was founded to empower military families and give soldiers, veterans and those who love them a central resource for free, confidential information, support and access to healthcare professionals," said Mike Jones, Executive Director of Not Alone. "In joining Centerstone, we have an opportunity not only to serve an even greater number of soldiers, veterans and family members across the nation, but also to significantly enhance the services provided to this population through research and the creation of new programs."
Not Alone will continue to be headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.
To find out if you or a loved one qualifies for services from Not Alone, call 866-781-8010.
About Not Alone
Not Alone is dedicated to empowering warriors and families by providing free, confidential support, programs and resources that help them face the challenges of life after war. The national not-for-profit organization offers information and a range of support services including self-assessment tools, a supportive online community, anonymous forums, eGroups, face-to-face counseling and a 24-hour crisis line. For more information, please call 888.497.0379 or visit www.notalone.com.
About Centerstone
Centerstone, a not-for-profit organization, is the nation's largest provider of community-based behavioral healthcare. It provides a full range of mental health, addiction and related educational services to more than 75,000 individuals of all ages each year. The organization has nearly 130 facilities and 220 partnership locations throughout Indiana and Tennessee. It also operates the Centerstone Foundation, the Centerstone Research Institute (CRI), which is improving mental healthcare through innovative research and information technology, and Advantage Behavioral Health, a behavioral health administrative management organization. For more information about Centerstone, please visit www.centerstone.org.