Lester Weiss. Photo by Patrick Waksmunski of the Altoona Mirror.

Cheers to the Altoona Mirror for this article on National Association of Social Workers member Lester Weiss, who specializes in helping veterans overcome post traumatic stress disorder.

“It is a challenge every day. You don’t know what you are going to face. Emergencies come in. You have to be very flexible,” said Weiss, MSW, LCSW.

Weiss, who works at Van Zandt VA Medical Center, tries to contact service men and women within days after they return from Iraq and Afghanistan. However, he said incidents such as a traffic accident or the death of a loved one can trigger PTSD symptoms in veterans who served decades ago in Vietnam and other wars.

Veterans hospitals employ more master’s degree level social workers than any other sector. To learn more about how social workers such as Weiss help veterans visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Veterans Affairs Web page by clicking here.