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Providing Care and Preventing Veteran Suicides
Healing Warriors Program was founded because of a gap in care available to our Service Members, and the need to interrupt the factors that lead to Service Member suicides.
Our story begins post 9/11 in the corporate sector.
Background
Co-founders Ana Yelen and Rochelle Poland met when Ana was still a senior manager at high-tech giant, Sun Microsystems and Rochelle was a product manager at another tech giant, Arrow Electronics. Since both were certified as Healing Touch practitioners, they recognized a need for non-narcotic care options for returning service members. The first annual Service day event was organized in 2007 as a privately-sponsored service event. The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space museum generously hosted the free clinic event which included 14 practitioners donating their time and skill to veteran and active duty service members and their families between 2007-2010. In 2010, Rochelle and Ana’s volunteer relationship with Lifespark Cancer Resources resulted in an opportunity to provide a Service Day of free clinic services at the Denver VA Medical center for Nurse’s day. The practitioner team provided free sessions from 8 am to 7 pm and with a high demand for services, the event was deemed a success.
The Denver VA requested the team back several years later. As headlines blazed with rising suicide rates among our service members, a national opioid crisis, and Veteran care delays, the need for care options was clear. Seeing the crisis, Shelley and Ana were joined by Jane Trexler, whose parents were both United States Marines, to determine how best to serve our Veteran community. In the fall of 2012, they established a 501c3 nonprofit clinic, Healing Warriors Program. In January 2013, a planning team was assembled to create the operating model and standards. In late June 2013, one of the planning team members, Jackie Cooper, offered free clinic space in her clinic, providing the fledgling Healing Warriors Program organization with a space to operate a pilot clinic. This clinic opened its doors in July 2013. Within 4 months, it was clear that more space was needed, and the Healing Warriors Program clinic moved to a 2-room treatment clinic with a private reception area and business office.
It was unclear whether the clinic would survive without funding to spread the word and relying on volunteer staff. But our veterans, having experienced results, stepped in and spread the word for us. It wasn’t long before word-of-mouth referrals grew, making it necessary for the clinic to move again in 2014, this time to a 4-room treatment clinic open five days a week for services.
In March 2019, having outgrown our space again, we moved to our current headquarters clinic at 1044 West Drake Road. This new space has increased our capacity by adding another treatment room and a Client Care Services office assisting with case management and resourcing. From our opening in July 2013 to present, the Healing Warriors Program clinic in Fort Collins Clinic has delivered over 40,000 sessions.
With approximately 377,000 veterans in Colorado, approximately 55,000 of which reside in northern Colorado and with climbing numbers of returning service members with Post Traumatic Stress, pain issues, and traumatic brain injuries, we have much work to do.
Today: 2024
We are staying so busy at our Fort Collins clinic that the only way for us to grow and expand is through our outreach efforts with pop-up clinics and events. Aside from our regular pop-up clinics in Longmont, Denver, and Colorado Springs, the Healing Warriors Program purchased a van and provides care up and down the Front Range at various events with the goal of reaching more Veterans in need.
Tax Id: 45-5093751
Combined Federal Campaign: #14114
Combined Colorado Campaign: #1401
Numbers at a Glance
Colorado Veterans
There are 377,000 veterans in the state of Colorado alone, many of whom requiring services and care.
Reported Traumatic Brain Injuries
The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) reported nearly 414,000 TBIs among U.S. service members worldwide between 2000 and late 2019.
Suicide Rate per 100K Personnel
The National suicide rate amongst our Veteran community is 24 per 100,000 personnel – and it’s not getting better.
of Veterans Suffer from PTSD
Missions expose our Veterans to horrible and life-threatening experiences. These types of events can lead to PTSD.
What We Do
Acupuncture
One of our most popular healing therapies, acupuncture can ease types of chronic pain and reduce the frequency of tension headaches.
CranioSacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on method of releasing restrictions in the cranio-sacral system to improve the function of the central nervous system.
Healing Touch
Healing Touch uses light touch on the body to help rebalance the body and alleviate pain. Clients have also experience improved sleep.
Non-Narcotic Treatment Series
Our treatment series focus on treating sleep, Post Traumatic Stress and Interpersonal Trauma. Service Members, their parents and spouses/partners also eligible for these treatment series.
With Your Help, We Can Put Service Members on a Path to Relief
We can focus on healing by rekindling hope, healing trauma, and restoring a good quality of life.
Healing Warriors Program Clinics
Sessions Delivered
Since launching in a one-room clinic in 2013, we have grown our annual sessions by over 2200%
%
Reduction in Anxiety
Clients are asked to report their levels of anxiety prior to, and post treatment.
States Served
We serve Veterans from 21 different states.
%
Reduction in Pain
Clients are asked to report their levels of pain prior to, and post treatment.
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