U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Experience Office

4th Quarter 2018 Community Engagement News!

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Experience Office sent this bulletin at 10/02/2018 02:34 PM EDT

"Improve the culture - offer world class customer service." Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert Wilkie

Community Engagement Director's Corner

Jim Wartski, Executive Director, Community Engagement Directorate

VA is listening to the voice of Veterans and their families across communities through various outreach and engagement efforts in addition to data, tools, and technology that enable a modernized approach to improve how we do business here at VA. Through the VA’s Veterans Experience Office, VA is working to synchronize community engagement efforts and outreach offices to create an integrated feedback loop with initiatives that are data driven, deliberate, and intentional to improve customer service. VA not only conducts outreach but focuses on the engagement element in which we foster 2-way communication from Veterans and their families at the community-local level.Our goal is to then close that feedback loop with local VA facilities to improve service delivery. One method to listen and share that feedback is through our community networks, partners, boards, and initiatives that create communication channels to the Veteran community. One of our goals is to make every community a Veteran-friendly Community and currently we have 149 community boards in our network. Our community partners are key to our success and that includes our panelists today from state/county VA, the reserve, and national guard. We are a united front and using collective impact we create a force multiplier to meet the needs of Veterans and their families where they live. VA relies on strategic community based partnerships to augment VA services to do what VA cannot do alone. Thank you for all you do in your local community.

CVEB Spotlight!

Community Veterans Engagement Boards Added to the Network

Since our last publication, we are pleased to announce we have 149 CVEBs in the network. As CVEBs across the country continue to impact communities; it is our goal to ensure CVEBs are accessible to Veterans and community partners. CVEB interactive map located here. This site has information on CVEBs VA is engaged in throughout the US and its territories.

MISSION UNITED - Past, Present, and Future - Broward County, Florida

Where we started…

United Way of Broward County and community stakeholders began by identifying issues facing Veterans in our County. Among these issues were:

Increase in returning Post - 9/11 Veterans to South Florida
Service and resource gaps in the Veteran Administration (VA) system
Current human service delivery system unintentionally not Veteran engaging and responsive
Existing and newly launch nonprofits attempting to offer specialized support to veterans and their families
Veterans and their families experiencing difficulty navigating and negotiating existing services, supports, and resources
Disconnected system of care for veterans and their families
Lack of clear information and knowledge on available services, supports, and resource
Veteran households with unresolved financial, employment, housing, health, and legal issues
Increase in Veteran homelessness
High Veteran suicide rate
Community stakeholders interested in assisting, but not sure how
United Way recognizing need for convening role

To address these challenges, MISSION UNITED focused on:

Funding and Development, and Staffing and Client Services

MISSION UNITED started by improving community engagement. Community stakeholders continued to grow and so did support from large organizations such as JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Southeast Toyota Distributors, and AutoNation. A council was formed to help figure out the direction MISSION UNITED would take and how it would serve veterans. Members of the committee discovered 6 main areas of concern for transitioning Veterans. These areas include: Employment Assistance, Legal Assistance, Education, Financial Support, Health, and Housing Support. The Advisory Council invited the VA to be a partner in identifying how MISSION UNITED could assist veterans in transition and to fill cracks where the VA had historically been deficient.

On the staffing and client services front, original models for staffing included the American Red Cross as well as other agencies. But, case management services were lacking and found to ultimately not provide the level of services envisioned. Staffing models shifted to “in house” as United Way of Broward County's MISSION UNITED took on this responsibility. The staff and volunteers had to develop relationships with the agencies that were already serving Veterans and agencies that were serving veterans, as well as those who served veterans but were not capturing Veteran specific data.

Where we are now…

Case Management

MISSION UNITED case management staff helps Veterans empower themselves by performing comprehensive intakes and promoting collaborative wellness through motivational interviewing and guidance. Case management refers out as needed.

MISSION UNITED funds various agencies that assist Veterans experiencing hardships. Veterans Legal Aid services employs three full time staff to assist Veterans without legal criminal issues and refer veterans who do not qualify to pro bono attorneys. The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant allows MISSION UNITED to contract with two agencies providing assistance to those who are homeless or facing homelessness.

MISSION UNITED uses all of the known local, state, and national resources to assist its Veterans and their families. Case management conducts outreach at the VA, American Legion, VFW, homeless shelters and more. In addition, staff attend job fairs and Veteran resource fairs to identify and assist those seeking services and job opportunities.

Financial burden relief is facilitated in several ways: hosting of educational opportunities to prepare Veterans to be financially resilient, and providing Veterans with financial burden relieving opportunities such as holiday meal baskets, toys for the holidays, and back to school backpacks.

Jean and David Colker Center

The Jean and David Colker Center houses MISSION UNITED case management staff who provide direct services to Veteran clients. All case management staff meet with Veteran clients and their families on a day-to-day basis in the Colker Center. The operational support team is housed in the United Way of Broward County's Ansin Building. The staff members are: MISSION UNITED Director, who oversees all operations; the Engagement Manager, who coordinates activities enhancing the positive perception and awareness of MISSION UNITED services; and the SSVF/ Housing Director who oversees our grants including the $2.1 million SSVF grant.

Where we are going…

National Expansion

MISSION UNITED is in many markets, with 21 United Ways in the Country and growing. MISSION UNITED is working with the local VA in those markets - We have been sharing our relationship success with MISSION UNITED programs nationwide and have offered to help them contact their local VA, helping to identify the needs of each community and taking on programs where they believe they can be successful.

MISSION UNITED is working with area stakeholders to identify Veteran leaders in the community, hosting Veteran's entrepreneur and Veterans networking events. In addition, we are identifying Veteran business owners and asking them to be part of our collective success

One concept we employ is “letting the ladder down” for other Veterans - identifying Veterans in transition and using professional Veterans resources as a springboard for success. Mentoring, contributing, and growing opportunities for Veterans is a big part of this effort. Putting transitioning Veterans in front of successful Veterans so that they can share, learn, and grow is part of the process.

Development and Community Integration

MISSION UNITED is coordinating with local governmental resources to expand Veterans programs (county libraries, parks, municipalities); and identifying resources already being made available, helping expand those resources, and identifying new areas of growth. These efforts are coordinated with local service providers to better track Veteran clients using software designed to track clients through the continuum of care and allowing service providers to share outcomes on our platform.

CVEB Support Division - Supporting CVEBs Across the Nation

VETERANS HUB:

Public–private partnerships help meet new, urgent, and emergent Veterans’ needs by allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand access to care and services and are critical to improving Veterans’ health and well-being.

The VA joined forces in 2015 with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to form the Veterans Hub, a part of the 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative. The Veterans Hub is working to empower Veterans to be the healthiest they can be, focusing on the social determinants of health. The Veterans Hub goal is to have 20 million Veterans living healthier lives by 2020 through unprecedented collaboration.

To support these efforts to promote unprecedented collaboration, the VHA Office of Community Engagement (OCE) is reaching out to all Veterans Hub members to encourage them to become engaged in their community’s efforts to support Veterans and expand collaboration by connecting with their local Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB).

If you have inquiries about how to partner with the VA, please contact OCE.

BUILDING HEALTHY MILITARY COMMUNITIES:

The Community Engagement (CE) Directorate partnered with the Building Healthy Military Communities (BHMC) Initiative to identify gaps in resources/services in support of Guard and Reserve service members in selected rural areas. CE representatives from Mississippi, Indiana, Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota, Maryland and New Mexico participated in the initiative by linking the BHMC team with active and engaged community leaders that could provide insight on the specifics states identified.

The risk needs assessment conducted in 2018 has led the BHMC to reorganize around six themes: Community/Coordination; Family Support; Transportation & Geographic Dispersion; Jobs and Employment; Mental Health Care and Substance Abuse; Adverse Health Behavior and, they added and additional element of commute time.

AMVETS Extends HEAL Helpline Hours to Meet the Growing Demand for Services

AMVETS is extending its HEAL Helpline service hours in response to feedback from Veterans around the country through recent town hall meetings and the HEAL Helpline itself.

The HEAL Program has assisted over 300 Veterans with clinical, benefits, and financial issues since its inception through direct intervention and in coordination with other resources, such as Objective Zero, Veterans Crisis Line, VA Office of Mental Health, Cohen Veterans Network, and VA Veterans Experience Office.

AMVETS also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Veterans Affairs in August as part of a commitment to partner on the healthcare access and quality issues many Veterans face.

The HEAL Program helpline will now be available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The toll-free helpline is 1-833-VET-HEAL. The HEAL Program can also be accessed via email.

AMVETS is the nation’s most inclusive Congressionally-chartered Veterans service organization. It is open to and fights for all Veterans who served honorably, including reservists & guardsmen. AMVETS has been a nonpartisan advocate for Veterans and their families for more than 70 years. amvets.org.

AWP - 5th Annual Warrior Community Integration Symposium

Dr. Lynda Davis providing remarks at the 5th Annual Warrior Community Integration Symposium

The 5th Annual Warrior Community Integration Symposium conducted over 3-days set in motion for 560 community groups, Veteran-serving leaders to connect, educate, advocate and collaborate with one common purpose-to improve/impact Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. This forum allowed for voices to be heard with a profound impact on how we collectively engage at all levels. The work performed by VEO touches every aspect of this symposium’s discussions from emerging trends to community integration best practices. Many messages where delivered over the course of these 3-days; however, engaging with CVEBs is one that resonated loudly by Dr. Davis to the audience. Together our impact will have a holistic outcome addressing customer service, improved navigation capabilities, improved access to care, resources, and information using evidenced based data, tools, technology and engagement to make significant changes in the business practice of our past.

Panel presented CVEB Task Force Findings

CVEB Task Force Results

The results of the CVEB Task Force was introduced providing recommendations for CVEBs to consider and use as a foundation for a refined CVEB strategy. A strategy that includes more consistent objectives, measures and collaborative operating procedures. The Task Force recommended that all CVEBs monitor a common set of outcomes and commit to being data-driven in efforts to monitor and measure impact of communities.

On 6 September 2018, during the AWP - 5th Annual Warrior Community Integration Symposium audience in Atlanta, GA, members of the CVEB Task Force, Denton Knapp, Jr., Tierney Center for Veteran Services, Goodwill of Orange County; Donald Carter, Coastal Carolina Community Veterans Engagement Group; Jacob Allen, Partner and Managing Director, Cicero Social Impact along with Jim Wartski, Community Engagement Director introduced the Task Force results. The CVEB Task Force’s Resource Guide 1.0 and Strategy Briefing will be disseminated to the CVEB network in the coming weeks.

Veteran-Friendly Community (VFC) Appreciation Events Continue: Coming Soon to a Community Near You!

VFC Division continues to conduct appreciation events for each of the 149 CVEBs in the VA’s Veteran-friendly communities network. These appreciation events are designed to thank boards, on behalf of the Secretary of VA, for the collective impact they are having in their local communities and for partnering with VA in their efforts. Events that have occurred since the newsletter’s last publication include:

Iowa CVEB appreciated at their quarterly meeting on 7/11/2018 in Johnston, IA.

The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum at Camp Dodge in Johnston, IA provided an appropriate backdrop for appreciating the Iowa CVEB. The CVEB is a partnership between the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs, Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa Veterans Home, Central Iowa VA Health Care System, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Des Moines Regional Benefits Office, Keokuk National Cemetery, and congressional and community stakeholders. They collaborate to host town hall meetings, claims clinics, Vietnam Veterans recognition events, and other outreach events for the 230,000 Veterans residing in Iowa- the majority of whom are Veterans of the Vietnam era.

Five Maine Military Community Networks (MMCNs) appreciated at their annual conference on 7/19/2018 in Augusta, ME.

Held in conjunction with VetTalkX (Veteran storytelling), the Maine Military Community Network (MMCN) hosted its 8th annual statewide Veteran’s conference; the topic this year was “Resiliency & Reintegration – Life in Transition”. The afternoon consisted of a multitude of breakout sessions to include moral injury, how to start a business, and a rural transportation working group. In partnership with the boards, the day ended with the first VetTalkX event since rebranding of the program. Six collaborating MMCN chapters in Maine have joined the VFC network as CVEBs since 2015, and five of them were in attendance to receive their certificates of appreciation.

Five CVEBs appreciated at the Florida Veteran Symposium on 8/2/2018 - 8/3/2018 in Orlando, FL.

The first statewide Veteran symposium in Florida, hosted by Mission United, brought together federal, state, and local Veterans groups to engage in improving outcomes for Veterans in local communities. Leading up to this event VA leader Peter O’Rourke gave opening remarks and presented six CVEBs with certificates of appreciation for fostering Veteran-Friendly Communities.

Each of these CVEBs collaborates to address the unique needs of the Veterans residing in their respective area. Additional appreciation events are being planned in the near future for CVEBs in Fresno, CA; Poplar Bluff, MO; Helena, MT; Charlotte, NC; Winston-Salem, NC; Reno, NV; Charleston, SC; and Johnson City, TN, with plans to show appreciation to even more boards in 2019.

Vet-Friendly Community Mailbox

We want to hear from CVEBs and community partners and encourage all to send updates on your community boards, events held in your communities, and send questions and inquires to the Vet-Friendly Community mailbox. Our goal is to respond to your emails in a timely manner providing you the best customer service.

Outreach and Navigation - Reaching Out to Our Communities

CE Team Hosted Final CVEB Networking Event of 2018

The Veterans Experience Office, Community Engagement Directorate, hosted the fifth and final CVEB Networking Event of 2018 on September 12th. These events were regionally-executed, national-level opportunities to promote local community collaboration and share success stories, lessons learned, and collaboration ideas among the local community Veteran engagement boards established throughout the nation.

These five events ran from 13 June to 12 September, 2018 and were hosted from “HUB locations” in New York, NY; Bloomington, MN; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Spokane, WA; and San Antonio, TX.

To maximize scale, scope, and impact, a hybrid physical / virtual concept was utilized in which those who were willing and able, participated at one of the 5 HUBs or 9 other Cisco locations, or 20 VA VTEL sites. All other participants joined via WebEx or telephone.

Approximately 800 total attendees for these events were comprised of Community Veterans Engagement Board members and co-chairs, VA leaders, non-profit organizations, and other interested stakeholders. The goal is to share the unique perspectives, best practices, advice, and networking tips based on a wide array of experience in the areas covered by the CVEB or community activities.

Topics covered and presenters during these events included:

Keynote Address from Dr. Lynda Davis, Chief Veterans Experience Officer; and Veterans Experience Office Overview presented by Jim Wartski
CVEB Best Practices Panel Discussions (North Atlantic, Midwest, Southeast, Pacific, and Continental)
America’s Warrior Partnership CVEB Task Force
National Veterans Intermediary Resources for CVEBs
Military Family Research Institute Data Tools for Veterans
VHA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
VBA Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP)
Center for Women Veterans and Veterans Experience Office Women Veterans HCD Design Project

Community Engagement Represents the Veterans Experience Office at the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) conference

Jim Wartski, Cajun Comeau, and Tony Davis represented the Veterans Experience Office at the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) conference in Boston, MA from 13 to 15 August.

This was a tremendous opportunity to strengthen relationships, make new community connections, and share the word about how the Veterans Experience Office is bringing communities together nationally to improve outcomes for Veterans and their families.

Not least among the outcomes of this event, are the follow up engagements that were agreed upon with a number of the State Directors of Veterans Affairs. In addition to the personal connections, Jim, Cajun, and Tony spread the word about the efforts of those members of the Community Engagement team who could not be present at this conference.

Master Plan to Revitalize West LA Campus

The Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board (VCOEB) Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) chaired by John D. Hopper Jr. (Lieutenant General, USAF, Retired), a noted advocate for Veterans and their families, is scheduled to execute its fourth Full Committee meeting 12 – 13 September 2018.

The committee was established to coordinate locally with the Greater Los Angeles Community and the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify the goals of the community and Veteran partnership; provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary), to improve services and outcomes for Veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and the families of such Veterans and members; and provide advice and recommendations on the implementation of the Draft Master Plan approved by the Secretary on January 28, 2016, and on the creation and implementation of any other successor master plans.

The Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center is located on almost 400 acres of land in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. This land was deeded to the Federal Government in 1887, and was utilized as the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiersfor several decades. The land was eventually transferred to the Department of the VA. A lawsuit was filed against the VA in 2014 by homeless Veterans in Los Angeles and the descendants of the original deed holders regarding the use of the land and the settlement led to Public Law 114-226. This law established the Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board. There are high hopes to build and develop the enormous campus into a community for Veterans of all ages and needs beyond just supportive housing and medical care.

The Committee supports the VA’s integrated objective to educate and empower Veterans and their families, through proactive outreach and effective advocacy; supports the Department’s integrated strategy of timely and proactive outreach to Veterans and their families; and promotes Veteran engagement. It supports implementation of VA’s major initiatives and organization-specific initiatives presented in the VA Strategic Plan, which seeks to increase Veterans client satisfaction with health, education, training, counseling, financial, and burial benefits and service; and to coordinate and provide proactive and timely two-way communication.

Additional Resources and Information:

Forever GI Bill Important Information

The Harry W. Colmery Educational Assistance Act has become known as the “Forever GI Bill” because of its most recognized feature – the removal of the 15-year time limitation for Veterans who transitioned out of the military after January 1, 2013, and eligible dependents, to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. It also enhances access and availability to educational benefits for eligible Veterans through several technical adjustments, calls for investment in information technology (IT) systems, and fundamentally changes the way we view the GI Bill.

The VA has taken significant steps since enactment to implement provisions that were effective immediately including restoring entitlement in the event of a school closure, informing eligible Veterans and beneficiaries that they no longer have a delimiting date, and providing information on whether schools offer priority enrollment to Veterans. VA continues to conduct an extensive outreach campaign using all available outlets to maximize the promotion of the Forever GI Bill.

Twenty-two of the law’s thirty-four provisions require significant changes to IT systems at an estimated cost of $70 million including automation of both original and supplemental claims. OI&T is committed to providing a solution to the most pressing of these – Sections 107 and 501 – which change the way VA pays monthly housing stipends. Also, to support the additional workload VA has begun hiring 200 temporary employees in the field.
OI&T and Education Service are currently testing and resolving issues through additional development work on the IT solution for Sections 107 and 501. OIT adjusted the target completion date from July 16th to July 28th.

The VA successfully implemented 13 provisions that were effective the date of the law’s enactment. VA is preparing to implement 17 provisions that go into effect on August 1st - a significant collaboration with the Department of Defense on making additional data available for processing claims - Purple Heart, expanded service eligibility periods, and changes to Transfer of Benefits using milConnect. VA developed workarounds and jobs aids for provisions where IT fixes are pending to ensure beneficiaries claims are processed including prorating housing for Reservists and entitlement charge for test fees and is executing a significant multimodal communications plan – videos, blogs, infographics, Twitter and Facebook posts – informing beneficiaries of changes.

AmericaServes

National sharing and convening, regional professional development and capacity building, and local performance coaching are the key activities at the heart of the AmericaServes practice. As we work to remain responsive to our partners and to reinforce success we recognize the need to spend some time explaining new roles and responsibilities assigned across the team. We recognize that every good team – every great team – constantly reinvents itself to reinforce its own success. As most of our supporters recognize, AmericaServes strives to remain both a responsive and participatory effort, ensuring that as opportunities arise and are recognized, we respond – in acute fashion – to not only take advantage of the opportunity, but to fully exploit it in reinforcing success fashion. Read more here.

VA Mission Act - Key Elements

Vet-Friendly Community Mailbox

CVEB Toolkit

A playbook and other tools are available to VA and community leaders that provide a model framework and philosophy for sparking these community movements.CVEB Toolkit

VA WELCOME KIT

The VA Welcome Kit is now live and available. It’s a great resource with very simple steps of how to enroll and find points of contact. Direct links to the printable versions of the Welcome Kit are located here.

White House/VA Hotline - 1-855-948-2311

Most Hotline agents (about 94%) are Veterans or Veteran family members, who can directly relate to their callers. Since the launch of the White House/VA Hotline (Oct 2017), more than 50,000 Veterans and their families have called in for help

For more information: Veterans listening to Veterans

No-Cost Flu Vaccines Available to Veterans at Walgreens

The annual Walgreens and VA Retail Immunization Care Coordination Program that provides no-cost flu vaccinations to Veterans through 8200 Walgreens locations is now active and giving vaccinations. Please help get the word out about this vital, no-cost solution to receiving a flu vaccination.

Please feel free to use or distribute the fact sheet below or visit the VA Community Care website for additional information.

You may also contact the VHA Office of Community Care Chief of Healthcare Media with any questions you may have.

Keep updated & let us know how we're doing.

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