The International Nurses Society on Addictions Joins White House in National Health Care Initiative Serving Military Service Members, Veterans, and their Families

With First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, “Joining Forces” calls attention to the critical role of nurses in caring for military service members, Veterans and their families. 

Dr. Deborah S. Finnell, President of the International Addictions Nurses Society (IntNSA), today joined First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden at a press conference to unveil Joining Forces – a coordinated effort of more than 150 state and national organizations, as well as over 500 universities, designed to meet the unique health needs of service members, Veterans and their families.    

As First Lady Michelle Obama said today, “Whether we’re in a hospital, a doctor’s office or a community health center, nurses are often the first people we see when we walk through the door. Because of their expertise, they are trusted to be the frontline of America’s health care system. That’s why Jill and I knew we could turn to America’s nurses and nursing students to help our Veterans and military families get the world-class care that they’ve earned. It’s clear from today’s announcement that the nursing community is well on its way to serving our men and women in uniform and their families.”

With a strong cadre of nurses who are experts in caring for patients across the continuum of substance use, IntNSA is honored to be part of Joining Forces.  This initiative is keenly aligned with IntNSA’s mission to advance excellence in nursing care for the prevention and treatment of substance use and other addictions for diverse populations across all practice settings. IntNSA will direct efforts toward advocacy, education, research, and policy development in a commitment to

• Educate America’s future nurses to care for our nation's Veterans, service members, and their families impacted by substance use and addictions, singly or in combination with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and other clinical issues;
• Enrich nursing education to ensure that current and future nurses are educated and trained in the unique clinical challenges and best practices associated with caring for military service members, Veterans, and their families;
• Disseminate the most up-to-date information as it relates to prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance abuse and addictions for Veterans;
• Grow the body of knowledge leading to improvements in health care and wellness for our military service members, Veterans, and their families; and

Lead and advance the supportive community of nurses, institutions, and health care providers dedicated to improving the health of military service members, Veterans, and their families.