Centerstone’s Military Services on Wednesday announced that it had been awarded a $75,000 grant from Boeing to support free mental health care services provided to past and present Alabama servicemembers.

Boeing’s financial contribution will allow Centerstone’s Military Services to provide free counseling and related mental health services to veterans, active duty military personnel and military families in Alabama.

According to Centerstone’s Military Services, the state of Alabama had been identified as an area of need. The organization advised that 66 out of the state’s 67 counties met criteria deeming them as being “medically underserved,” as the areas hold a shortage of mental health care providers.

Tina Watts, Boeing Global Engagement community investor, spoke to the company’s goal of offering financial support for resources to be provided to the military community.

“Boeing is proud to provide veterans with essential workforce transition support, rehabilitation and recovery programs that address visible and invisible wounds,” advised Watts. “Our goal is to increase service access and utilization rates among veterans and their families, who are some of the most important members of our communities.”

The announcement noted that while mental health issues facing the military community can mirror those within the civilian population, servicemembers’ mental health struggles can be more prevalent due to events they are exposed to while serving the nation.

Centerstone noted that conditions facing the military community can include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and suicide. Also cited was the fact that a veteran is 12 times more likely to die from their own actions upon exiting the military than they are to be killed while on active duty service at the hands of an enemy combatant.

Centerstone actively partners with military-service organizations which include the Wounded Warrior Project and the Alabama National Guard. Additionally, the organization collaborates with mental health professionals trained in the field of issues facing the military population.

Boeing, known for its prominent role in being an active corporate citizen, holds a strong presence in the Yellowhammer State. For more than 50 years, the aerospace giant has been a major player in Alabama’s defense industry supporting an array of vital United States space and defense programs.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL