Easter Seals Disability Services

Our Mission:

Easter Seals Veterans Count and the Deployment Cycle Support Program ensures New Hampshire's veterans, service members and their families receive exceptional services maximizing their quality of life in recognition of their service and sacrifice for the community.

To watch a short video about the Easter Seals Veterans Count program, please click here.

Our Unique Approach: The Deployment Cycle Support Program is a one-of-a-kind New Hampshire pilot program that provides comprehensive, free, and confidential support designed to meet the unique needs of Guard/Reserves members and their families. The program works in conjunction with existing military, VA and community programs, and is an important part of the full range of Service Member/family support services available to you and your family.

How does the program work?

Service members/families enrolled in the program get their own Care Coordinator - an experienced counselor - your “one-stop” source for a wide range of support. 

The Care Coordinator will meet with you and help you establish a plan tailor-made for your unique situation. That same Care Coordinator will be there for you and your loved ones to help you deal with problems or concerns as they arise before, during, and after the deployment.

Some of the things your Care Coordinator can help with:

- Planning to have wide range of family & personal needs met during deployment

- Identifying and accessing all kinds of supports and services before,during, and after deployment, including (but not limited to):

• Counseling (individual, couples, children)
• Employment assistance (resumes, career counseling, job placement)
• Childcare and respite resources
• Helping children deal with adjustment issues at home and in school; advocating at school
• Helping navigate and access the healthcare system (civilian and VA) and cut some of the RED TAPE! 
• Budgeting and financial management
• Emergency financial assistance

- Helping service member and family through the reunion and reintegration process

“I wanted to be able to handle it all and do it all without needing any help whatsoever. So having a Care Coordinator come into my home was very unexpected. We sat down that first time and kind of mapped out exactly what I was having problems with, what was overwhelming for me, and they really worked to ease that 100%. The extra help eases a lot of stress on my husband’s end too, knowing that we are OK here.”  —Carolyn, mother of three, husband Bill is serving in Iraq

Is there any cost to us?

Care Coordination is free and confidential to deploying Service Members and their families, supported by a grant from the Department of Defense and through funds raised locally through the Veterans Count philanthropic program.

Where are the services provided?

The Care Coordinator will come to you - meet with you in your home or in your local community, and will establish a schedule that works for you.

Who is eligible?

Deploying service members and their families/loved ones. We work with service members and their families before, during and after deployment.

Who provides the Care Coordination?

Care Coordination services are provided by experienced counselors who are familiar with a wide range of programs and services and have experience navigating "the system." They are civilians who have received specialized training in military culture and deployment-related issues. They are honored to serve you!

Care Coordination is managed by Easter Seals New Hampshire.

Life is busy for the Mariello’s and they couldn’t imagine it any other way. But a lot changed in October 2010 when Richard, an Army Reserve Specialist, learned he was being deployed to Afghanistan for a year. Read their story and experience with Easter Seals New Hampshire's Veterans Services Program here. Easter Seals National has named him as the national adult representative for the next year. He will travel the country telling his story about the help he has received from Easter Seals NH. Watch his story here! Thank you to the Mariello family! Thank you to all of our brave veterans!

For More Information Contact:

Chrystn Pitt, Intake Coordinator
Cpitt@eastersealsnh.org
(603) 315-4354
 
Daisy Wojewoda, Project Director
Dwojewoda@eastersealsnh.org
(603) 621-3579