Transforming space at Home Base to support even more veterans

Reimaging a former law office to treat our nation's heroes

Reimaging a former law office to treat our nation's heroes

THAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN CHARLESTOWN EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE HERE IS GOING TO BE GOING AWAY. LAURA LARKIN IS HELPING OVERSEE A NEW PROJECT THAT WILL RENOVATE AN OLD LAW OFFICE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CLINICAL SPACE HOME BASE CURRENTLY WORKS OUT OF IN THE CHARLESTOWN NAVY YARD. WE GOT A WHOLE SUITE OF EXAM ROOMS OVER HERE, COGNITIVE TREATMENT ROOMS, A REALLY WELCOMING PATIENT LOUNGE. 5000 ADDITIONAL SQUARE FEET TO HELP TREAT THE PHYSICAL AND INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF THE MILITARY’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS MEMBERS. THESE ARE OUR MOST ELITE WARRIORS. THEY ARE THE TIP OF THE SPEAR DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. AND THEY’VE PROBABLY SEEN THE MOST COMBAT OF ANY OTHER CONVENTIONAL WARFARE FORCE. HOME BASE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER MICHAEL ALLARD SAYS BACK IN 2018, THE NUMBERS OF SUICIDE AMONG SPECIAL OPS MEMBERS STARTED SKYROCKET, OUTING THE NAVY SEAL COMMUNITY ALONE SUSTAINED A 300% INCREASE IN THE SUICIDES ON THE ACTIVE DUTY COMPONENT. SO HOME BASE DESIGNED A LAYERED CLINICAL PROGRAM THAT COULD MATCH THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. SINCE 2019, HOME BASE HAS SERVED ABOUT 800 MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMUNITY. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE ABOUT 250 ADDITIONAL SPECIAL OPS CLIENTS WHO ARE SEEKING CARE. THIS NEW SPACE WILL HELP ACCOMMODATE THEIR NEEDS. THESE ARE RENDERINGS CREATED BY SUFFOLK DESIGN SUFFOLK CONSTRUCTION AND ITS CONTRACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION IN IN-KIND DONATION SERVICES AND MATERIALS FOR LARKIN, A MAJOR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. THIS PROJECT IS PERSONAL. I PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT HOME BASE FOR EIGHT YEARS, SO I GOT TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE LIFE CHANGING CARE THAT THEY DELIVER TO THEIR PATIENTS. AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF BRING THAT PASSION OVER TO MY NEW EMPLOYER, SUFFOLK. MOST OF THE RENOVATIONS WILL BE DONE OVER THE WINTER. THE SPACE WILL BE UP AND RUNNING BY APRIL. WE REALLY ARE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY THEIR INVISIBLE WOUNDS, BOTH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, BUT THE WHOLE BODY. YOU KNOW, FOR MANY IT’S ONE OF THE HARDEST AND DARKEST PARTS OF THEIR LIFE. AND WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY LEAVE WITH HOPE. IN CHARLESTO

Transforming space at Home Base to support even more veterans

Reimaging a former law office to treat our nation's heroes

For Laura Lakin, a major in the Army National Guard, the project is personal."I previously worked at Home Base for eight years, so I got to see first-hand the life-changing care that they deliver to their patients," Lakin said. "Then I was kind of able to bring that passion over toe my knew employer, Suffolk (Construction)." Lakin is helping oversee a new project that will double the clinical space Home Base currently works out of in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Suffolk Construction is transforming the 5,000-square-foot space into exam and cognitive treatment rooms to help treat special operations members of the military. "These are our most elite warriors," said Michael Allard, chief operating 0fficer at Home Base. "They are the top of the spear and deployed throughout the world. They've probably seen the most combat of any other convention warfare force." Allard said in 2018, the number of suicides among special operations members skyrocketed. "The Navy Seal community alone sustained a 300% increase in suicides on the active duty component," Allard said. Home Base has designed a clinical program to match those needs. Since 2019, Home Base has served about 800 members of the special operations community. Right now, there are roughly 250 additional special operations clients seeking care. This new space will accommodate their needs."You really are looking at not only their invisible wounds, either post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, but the whole body," Allard said. "You know, for many, it's one of the hardest and darkest parts of their life, and when they leave, they leave with hope." Most of the renovations will be done during the winter. The space will be up and running by April.WCVB is partnering with the Home Base Program ahead of Veterans Day to raise money to help heal the invisible wounds of war. Click here to donate.

BOSTON —

For Laura Lakin, a major in the Army National Guard, the project is personal.

"I previously worked at Home Base for eight years, so I got to see first-hand the life-changing care that they deliver to their patients," Lakin said. "Then I was kind of able to bring that passion over toe my knew employer, Suffolk (Construction)."

Lakin is helping oversee a new project that will double the clinical space Home Base currently works out of in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Suffolk Construction is transforming the 5,000-square-foot space into exam and cognitive treatment rooms to help treat special operations members of the military.

"These are our most elite warriors," said Michael Allard, chief operating 0fficer at Home Base. "They are the top of the spear and deployed throughout the world. They've probably seen the most combat of any other convention warfare force."

Allard said in 2018, the number of suicides among special operations members skyrocketed.

"The Navy Seal community alone sustained a 300% increase in suicides on the active duty component," Allard said.

Home Base has designed a clinical program to match those needs. Since 2019, Home Base has served about 800 members of the special operations community. Right now, there are roughly 250 additional special operations clients seeking care. This new space will accommodate their needs.

"You really are looking at not only their invisible wounds, either post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, but the whole body," Allard said. "You know, for many, it's one of the hardest and darkest parts of their life, and when they leave, they leave with hope."

Most of the renovations will be done during the winter. The space will be up and running by April.

WCVB is partnering with the Home Base Program ahead of Veterans Day to raise money to help heal the invisible wounds of war. Click here to donate.

Transforming space at Home Base to support even more veterans

Reimaging a former law office to treat our nation's heroes

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