Talking circles expand care for Native veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its support for a culturally grounded mental health program designed specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. Televeda, a nonprofit organization, received a follow-on contract from VA in 2025 to grow its Hero's Story Project, which brings peer-led talking circles to Native veterans who face significant barriers to accessing traditional VA mental health services. This expansion builds on Televeda's earlier success winning first place and $3 million in VA's Mission Daybreak suicide prevention challenge in 2023.
American Indian and Alaska Native veterans serve at one of the highest rates among all ethnic groups, yet they also face some of the highest suicide risks according to VA's 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. Despite these alarming statistics, more than two-thirds of Native veterans do not use VA mental health services. The barriers are substantial: many veterans living on reservations must drive three to four hours to reach VA facilities, numerous communities lack broadband access or home computers needed for telehealth, and deep-seated pride combined with generational stigma creates additional resistance to seeking formal mental health care.
The Hero's Story Project addresses these challenges by offering free, culturally grounded talking circles led by peers rather than clinicians. These circles open with ceremony and allow veterans to set their own pace, with no clinical labels attached. The program currently serves veterans in Arizona and New Mexico, with dedicated circles available for women veterans and those who have experienced military sexual trauma. Any American Indian or Alaska Native veteran can participate at no cost.
The approach recognizes that trust looks different across tribal communities and must be earned through relationships rather than imposed through programs. On the Navajo Nation, chapter veterans organizations already provide regular gathering spaces, while in many Pueblo communities, veterans may know one another but lack established groups, requiring more time to build trust. Facilitators work within each community's traditions, understanding that relationships must come before formal programming.
Early results demonstrate the program's potential to serve as a bridge to broader VA care. In a pilot program with the Navajo Nation, Televeda connected 285 veterans to its platform, with all participants reporting feeling happier and more connected. Significantly, 60 percent of those participants later scheduled appointments with state veteran benefits counselors, showing that peer circles can reduce isolation while also connecting veterans to the formal benefits and services they have earned.
For disabled veterans, particularly those in Native communities who may feel disconnected from VA services, this program matters because it offers a culturally appropriate entry point to care that does not require a diagnosis, a long drive, or immediate engagement with the clinical system. The talking circles can stand alone as peer support or serve as a first step toward accessing disability compensation, healthcare enrollment, or other VA benefits. The program's expansion with direct VA funding signals growing recognition that one-size-fits-all approaches to veteran mental health leave too many behind.
Veterans interested in this program should visit the Hero's Story Project page to find virtual talking circles or connect with local partners in Arizona and New Mexico. Facilitators can also provide guidance on VA enrollment, benefits applications, and medical records if veterans choose to pursue formal services. For Native veterans who have avoided VA care due to distance, stigma, or mistrust, these peer-led circles offer a no-pressure way to reconnect with community support and explore whether additional VA resources might be helpful.