A review of extension programs serving military Veterans and their families

Abstract

To better understand the availability and quality of current Extension programming for Veterans and their families, the researchers reviewed the academic literature (yielding 12 publications) and conducted an online scan of Extension programs (yielding 112 resources). Programs discovered fell across nine areas: occupational training/support, mental health support, service to Veterans, family support, livelihood support, holistic support, life quality, healthcare access/quality, and community development. This study revealed that, while Extension programs exist for Veterans and their families, program coordination, needs assessments from Veteran populations, and better program evaluations are needed to maximize efficacy of Extension programs serving Veteran populations.