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November 7, 2024, 1:00pm – 2:30pm EST

The Mental Health Impact on Veterans Living with Kidney Disease

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration to increase awareness of kidney disease among U.S. veterans and to support veterans who have been diagnosed with kidney disease.

The Mental Health Impact on Veterans Living with Kidney Disease

As part of this partnership, AKF and the VA are hosting this webinar on common mental health challenges veterans with kidney disease may experience, social drivers impacting access to care, and resources that can ease challenges experiences through transplant and dialysis.

Join us for this event by registering today!

Agenda

Living with a chronic illness can impact your mental health, as you navigate balancing the many appointments and medications, sharing the news with loved ones, and adjusting to your "new normal." Mental health disorders are common among veterans, with about 43% of veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety. Living with a chronic illness, such as chronic kidney disease, veterans have an increased likelihood of experiencing mental health conditions. Through AKF's partnership with the Veterans Health Administration, this webinar will shed light on common mental health challenges veterans with kidney disease may experience, highlight social drivers that may impact their access to care, and provide resources that can alleviate some of the mental health burdens experienced during dialysis and transplant.

Speakers

Mike Spigler

Michael Spigler, MCHES

Mike Spigler has served as vice president of Patient Services and Kidney Disease Education for the American Kidney Fund (AKF) since July 2015. Mr. Spigler oversees a spectrum of programs and services: prevention activities, top-rated health educational resources, clinical research and direct financial assistance that enables kidney patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation.

Mr. Spigler has more than 20 years of experience in creating and managing health education programs for a multitude of chronic health conditions, including kidney disease, cancer, food allergies and anxiety disorders.

Anne Schmitt, LCSW

Anne Schmitt, LCSW

Anne Schmitt is a licensed clinical social worker and has been in the field of social work for 18 years. She has worked as a transplant social worker for 17 years of these. She previously worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Transplant Center with the heart and lung transplant programs. She has now been working at the Nashville, TN VA’s transplant center for almost 10 years.

At the VA, she has served as the social worker for the kidney transplant, heart transplant, LVAD, liver transplant, and living kidney donor programs. She has found working with veterans and their caregivers throughout their pre-transplant and post-transplant experiences to be incredibly rewarding.

Debbie Rafael Shanley, LCSW

Debbie Rafael Shanley, LCSW

Ms. Rafael Shanley has over 17 years of experience in social work, clinical practice, field teaching, and community engagement at large urban health care facilities. In her current role as the Minority Veteran Program Coordinator, she outreaches to minority veteran communities to assess the barriers and ensure equitable access to care and benefits. Ms. Rafael Shanley specializes in helping veterans navigate the complex emotional, social, and financial challenges associated with chronic kidney conditions and dialysis.

Ms. Rafael Shanley also worked as the renal transplant social work coordinator at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments, emotional support, and advocacy for patients awaiting or recovering from kidney transplantation.

Angela Giles, DBH, LCSW

Angela Giles, DBH, LCSW

Dr. Giles has over 26 years of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, including 17 years of service in the VA. She is a Workflow Coordinator and a Behavioral Health Consultant for the El Paso Healthcare System. Dr. Giles works in the primary care mental integration program and serves as a subject expert in diabetes, providing screening, assessment and interventions for veterans, caregivers, and their family members.

Dr. Giles has been a faculty member in the Doctor Behavioral program at Arizona State University for 9 years. She is also a clinical consultant for students in this program. Dr. Giles is a member of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a provider on the ADA Mental Health Provider Directory.