VOA标准英语2008年-National Hotline is Lifeline for Troubled Veter

Studies indicate that American war veterans are far more likely to commit suicide than non-veterans. Until recently, getting emergency help and counseling services has been difficult or impossible for many vets¹. But the situation may be improving, thanks to a national suicide prevention hotline put in place last year by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, or V.A. VOA's Adam Phillips reports.
　
Counselors² at the National Suicide Prevention Hotline are working around the clock to help veterans in distress³

Since it opened in August 2007, counselors at the National Suicide Prevention Hotline have fielded about 55,000 telephone calls from vets in trouble or their loved ones.
　
Janet Kemp coordinates⁴ the suicide prevention hotline and trains counselors throughout the U.S.

"We hear from a lot of veterans who have stress disorders⁶ of some type what we call 'readjustment' issues, mostly to do with employment issues, relationship issues and anger issues," says Janet Kemp, who coordinates the program and travels the country training counselors at V.A. facilities. "They're not fitting back into society, their jobs, or their families. They're feeling somewhat worthless, and they need some help."

A RAND Corporation study estimates that about 20 percent of American soldiers returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder⁵, placing them at higher risk for suicide.

"If someone calls and they are in extreme distress or have immediate⁷ plans to hurt themselves, we… keep them on the phone, and try to keep them talking to us and safe until we can get them immediate help," says Kemp. The hotline director estimates that, so far, the service has sent about 4600 calls out to local suicide prevention coordinators, resulting in the actual prevention of at least 720 imminent⁹ suicides.

Many non-governmental veterans groups, such as Iraq-Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), applaud the hotline; they say returning veterans have needed an efficient round-the-clock resource like this for a long time.
　
Patrick Campbell is legislative¹⁰ director of Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America, which is pushing for greater responsiveness by the V.A.

Before the hotline, most veterans were asked to call a referral service called the Army One Source. "I had a friend of mine call [Army One Source] (to) say he was having suicidal thoughts," says Patrick Campbell, IAVA's legislative director. "They told him to go online and take a personality test, and call back with the results of that personality test! That's unacceptable."

But the VA's national suicide hotline can only help those who do know about it. That's why veterans groups also support a related V.A. program dedicated¹¹ to contacting every one of the nation's estimated half million-plus veterans to tell them about the hotline.

Not all the help provided by the hotline comes over the telephone. Local suicide prevention coordinators often meet people at the door of their facility and actually walk them to the people who can help them enroll¹² and stay there while they complete the paperwork. "This is a compassionate¹³ answer to bureaucratic¹⁴ problems," says hotline coordinator⁸ Janet Kemp.

Veterans are sometimes embarrassed to seek mental health counseling upon returning home, seeing it as a sign of weakness to reach out. In recognition of this fact, several veterans groups have called for mandatory¹⁵ mental health screening upon discharge. Until such a program is in place, the hotline must rely mostly on word of mouth and advertising¹⁶.
　
The V.A. has posters in Washington Metro¹⁷ trains promoting the hotline that read "It takes the courage and strength of a warrior¹⁸ to ask for help"

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline has launched a national campaign to convey the idea that calling the hotline is a sign of strength.

"We are really approaching it from the perspective of 'it takes a lot of courage to do this," says Kemp. "'You've shown us you've got courage by your participation¹⁹ in the military. You need to take that a step further now and get the help you need and you deserve.'"

Even with the hotline, there is plenty of work to be done to make sure that the psychological wounds of war are addressed when veterans come home. According to a recent class-action lawsuit²⁰ brought by Veterans For Common Sense and other activist²¹ groups, 18 U.S. veterans commit suicide on an average day – more than typically die on the battlefield during a 24-hour period. Still, most experts agree the hotline is a good start.

 

1 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

2 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

3 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

4 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

6 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

9 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

10 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

11 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

12 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

13 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。

14 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

15 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

16 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

17 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

18 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

19 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

20 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

21 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。