The Veteran Community Navigator Program: Filling Gaps for Veterans in Transition

Tackling complex problems within communities requires collaborative actions and interventions. This study examines the collaborative actions of a United States (U.S.), Texas community to develop a new community-based initiative. Using the Collective Impact approach to address gaps in services for veterans, a navigator model provided a culturally sensitive method for addressing veteran mental health and related needs. The objective of this qualitative, case-study research was to explore the potential replication of a Veteran Community Navigator (VCN) program by examining the development and implementation of program processes within the community. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups with 14 participants, content analysis of 25 records, and field notes of veteran work groups and veteran housing meetings. Relevant findings indicated factors critical to program success and replication included collaboration and outreach, developing program processes from the ground up, military and community cultural knowledge among program staff, and the integration of agency services with other community social services. Future research should focus on comparative studies examining differences between veteran-serving navigator programs that utilize clinical staff and those that do not, military cohorts that are more likely to access and use navigator services, and factors that predict long-term sustainability of veteran navigator programs.