Submitted by: Jay Wylie, Operations Manager at Confidential Recovery

Confidential Recovery, our addiction treatment center in San Diego, just celebrated its 10 year anniversary in October. This was a meaningful event for our staff and their families as our program was recognized by local leaders and granted several proclamations - including one by Live Well San Diego, of whom we’ve been a partner organization with for years.

As the Operations Manager of Confidential Recovery, the most poignant part of the evening was hearing our alumni share their stories of how our program had changed their lives. And, as a veteran-in-recovery, hearing other sober vets talk about climbing out of the deep pit of depression and addiction with our help has stayed with me ever since.

But along the way to this momentous milestone, we have seen firsthand that the veteran population of San Diego needs so much more. That is why we used our 10th Anniversary Celebration to raise donations for our new nonprofit The Veterans Navigation Center.

Veterans Navigation Center – A Necessary Next Step to Serving our Vets 

Last year, I was honored to participate in launching The Veterans Navigation Center. We created this organization to help connect veterans with critically needed services. Here are a few examples of why:

• Veterans account for 9% of San Diegans without shelter and 7% of individuals in shelters. 
• Nationally, 44 veterans die daily by self-injury; 24 due to suicide and 20 due to overdose
• Younger San Diego veterans ages 18-34 have an unemployment rate of 8.9%

The Veterans Navigation Center connects San Diego veterans with Veteran Peer Navigators (VPNs) who can help them find services they need to manage the transition to civilian life.  These services include:

• Acquiring benefits
• Employment/Work/Life Skills Training
• Treatment for Substance Use
• Mental Health Counseling for Depression, Anxiety, or Trauma/PTSD
• Family and Marriage Counseling
• Veteran Legal Services
• Housing assistance programs

Through the VNC website, veterans have the option of calling in or filling out a form to get contacted via text, phone call, or email. A VPN, who has also served, will be in touch to see how we can help them.

 Hearing from Other Veterans Makes a Great Difference

I can tell you from fielding these calls and forms firsthand that veterans respond positively to hearing from other veterans. There is a bond and trust formed between those who have served in the armed forces. I'd like to think the day of the veteran who contacts us in need of help gets a little bit better after hearing back from a fellow vet.

So far, we have two Veteran Peer Navigators who are volunteering to help me field these incoming queries and help vets find direly needed services. 

Make A Donation or Get Involved and Change a Veteran’s Life Today 

If you want to give back to those who have given so much to our country, you can make a donation on The Veterans Navigation Center donation page. We’d love to get more assistance with responding to the calls and forms we receive, and you certainly need not be a veteran to make a difference. Feel free to call us or fill out a contact form on our website if you want to get involved.

About The Author 

Jay Wylie is a Southern California native who served as a Naval Officer for 22 years. Jay is the Operations Manager at Confidential Recovery in San Diego, California, where he helps Veterans, first responders, and other adults get sober and stay that way. Jay is also a founder and on the board of the Veterans Navigation Center, a non-profit that helps Veterans access their benefits and manage some of the challenges that come up during their transition to civilian life.