Save the Date!

Virtual VetResources Community Network (VRCN) Community of Practice 
Feb 22, 2024, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST 
Join Online 
Dial In: +1 872-701-0185, Pass Code 919234661#

Events & Important Dates

Jan 25, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST: Virtual VA Homeless Veteran Outreach Symposium
Jan 25, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST: Register Now Using the Rural Health Information Hub to Support Community Health and Wellbeing Webinar
Jan 29 - 30: California Veteran Partners - Regional VRCN Convening (Los Angeles – Bob Hope Patriotic Hall) Registration Closed
Jan 31, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST: Virtual Federal Interagency Military Spouse Career Expo
Jan 31 - Feb 2: Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Federal Advisory Committee Meeting (Los Angeles)
Feb 10 - 13: 2024 National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference Washington, DC
Feb 18 - 21: National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) Midwinter Conference Arlington, VA 
Feb 21, 12:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. EST: Virtual Financial Literacy Wellness Wednesday Fundamentals of Wills, Trust and Power of Attorney 
Feb 22, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. EST: VRCN Quarterly Community of Practice Join Here +1 872-701-0185, 919234661#
Mar 7, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST: VRCN Gaming Partner War Room Join Here +1 872-701-0185, 746685244#
Apr 18, 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. EST: VRCN Quarterly Employer Collaborative Session Join Here +1 872-701-0185, 976700934#
May 13 - 17: National Association County Veterans Services Officers (NACVSO) - Annual Conference Denver, CO

Reminder! Send us your no-cost Veteran events and resources or submit a blog to vaveocommunications@va.gov.

Calling all Partners! Use this Outreach Kit!
Disability Awareness

We will be providing monthly themed outreach kits with communications and social media content to distribute to your networks. Please share these kits on your website and in your newsletters, email communications, and facilities to generate awareness about disability compensation. SHARE NOW

Sign up for VSAFE Listening Tour

VA’s Veterans Experience Office is gathering insights and experiences from Veterans and their  caregivers/survivors who have experienced fraud. We are conducting a series of listening sessions with more vulnerable groups of Veterans to better understand the landscape and develop fraud prevention tools. Learn more about Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) and access VSAFE tips here. 

Please help us and share these opportunities with your networks of Veterans who've experienced fraud to participate in an upcoming listening session:

• LGBTQ+ Veterans - Sign up now for the virtual LGBTQ+ Veteran Fraud Listening Session January 30th at 1:00 p.m. to share your insights. Sign up using this link: LGBTQ+ Veteran Fraud Listening Session

Partner Highlights and Opportunities

2,500 Student Veterans attend 2024 Student Veterans of America National Conference

VA has taken a "One VA" approach by coming together to provide side-by-side outreach at the Student Veterans of America Campus Expo--staffing an entire VA alley comprised of over 20 VA program offices and more than 150 staff. LEARN MORE

Hope For The Warriors Coordinates Ft. Campbell Tornado Relief Efforts Collaborating with the Armed Services YMCA and the Gary Sinise Foundation, Hope For The Warriors successfully distributed 4,300 boxes of non-perishable food and over $25,000 in gift cards. WATCH NOW

• Elizabeth Dole Foundation recently elects Secretary Bob McDonald as their next Board Chairman
• The American Legion at SVA NATCON – 'The shared journey that forges our bond'
• One-Year Anniversary of Veteran Small Business Certification Program
• SAMSHA Strategic Prevention Framework Grant – Apply by Feb 21
• Indian Health Service Scholarship Programs – Apply by Feb 28
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Integration Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program – Apply by Mar 22

Apply Now! Staff Sergeant Fox Grant

VA to Award $52.5 Million in Grants to Local Organizations Working to Prevent Suicide. These grants will be awarded through VA’s Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. The Notice of Funding Opportunity provides information about the program, eligibility, and award process. Applications are due by 11:59 pm ET on May 19, 2023 and awards will be granted to eligible entities by Sept. 30, 2023. 

LEARN MORE

Homelessness Grant Opportunities

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Grants: Within the coming year, VA will award hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to organizations that help rapidly rehouse Veterans and their families, prevent the imminent loss of a Veteran’s home, or identify new, more suitable housing situations for Veterans and their families. 

Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk for Homelessness Grants: Within the coming year, VA will award more than $26 million in funds to organizations that help homeless Veterans with legal representation, assistance with court proceedings, defense in criminal cases related to homelessness, and more.

Apply Now! VA Adaptive Sport Grant is Open

The Adaptive Sports Grant Program is facilitated and managed by the National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events Office (NVSP&SE). The mission of the NVSP&SE office is to provide opportunities for Veterans to improve their independence, well-being, and quality of life through adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs. Applications are open through March 27, 2024.

CHECK IT OUT

VA/DOD Suicide Prevention Conference July 16-18, 2024 The call for abstracts is now open! This year’s conference theme is Reimagining Suicide Prevention: Evolving and Innovating to Meet Diverse Needs, and special consideration will be given to presentations that #IncreaseTheReach of suicide prevention and further explore these issues. We encourage all experts within the field of U.S. service member and Veteran suicide prevention to submit abstract proposals through the Conference Platform. LEARN MORE

Veteran Community Partnerships – Connect now! Veteran Community Partnerships (VCP) are organized partnerships helping VA facilities connect with state and local community services and agencies to: Develop and foster strong relationships Enhance and improve access to care, services, and benefits Promote seamless transitions Educate community agencies and VA providers Support caregivers and families Measure results through shared reporting To find a VCP in your area, view the VCP Roster. LEARN MORE

VA Amends Educational Assistance VA is amending its educational assistance regulations by eliminating the four 85/15 rule calculation exemptions for students in receipt of certain types of institutional aid. LEARN MORE

Top 10 #VetResources What were the Top 10 resources in VA's weekly #VetResources newsletter in 2023? Leading the list were Veterans Day retail discounts, free meals and other offers; a cost-of-living adjustment for Veterans in 2024; and free U.S. National Park passes for Veterans and Gold Star families. Did you know about all of these #VetResources? READ MORE

VA Pathfinder - Learn How to Innovate or Sell to VA Does your organization have a problem you want to solve, a budding idea for an innovation, or a solution that’s ready to go to market? Whether you’d like to innovate with or sell to VA, Pathfinder can show you what your next steps should be by helping you: Understand the process Explore Opportunities Submit your interest Engage with VA Together we can transform care for Veteran communities. LEARN MORE

Partnerships Empower Military Spouses with Successful Careers That’s where VA’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) comes in, working collaboratively to bring partnerships and health care innovations to Veterans and their spouses. HAP facilitates the partnership between VHA and Salesforce, which offers free training, exams, certifications and career opportunities for high-paying tech jobs. LEARN MORE

VA to Fund Studies on New Therapies for Treating Mental Health Conditions

VA issued a request for applications for proposals from its network of VA researchers (in collaboration with academic institutions) to study the use of certain psychedelic compounds in treating posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.

LEARN MORE

Spread The Word!

Help us get the word out about Veterans Experience Action Center (VEAC) and Veterans Experience Live (VetXL) events. These events bring together representatives from VA, state, and community partners to connect Service members, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors across the country to services, resources, and information. You can also request the media kit by emailing ActionCenter@va.gov. Learn more about VEAC and VetXL upcoming events.

CLICK HERE

Important Updates for VA Partners:

• Veteran organizations’ support for the Million Veteran Program
• VA provides free emergency suicide prevention care to nearly 50,000 Veterans and former service members in first year of new policy

• Safe settings and trusted care for women Veterans

• VA announces hundreds of millions in grant funding to help homeless Veterans

• Embrace the new year with the Caregiver Support Program

• Veterans Benefits Banking Program integrates with VetCenters to improve Veterans' financial health
• Iron Mountain VA fights homelessness in rural community 
• VA emergency departments ready for growing population of older Veterans

VA is here for you.

1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number

Veterans Crisis Line: 988 and press 1, Chat, or Text 838255
Vet Centers: 1-877-927-8387
Homeless Veteran Resources: 1-877-424-3838 or Chat

Disclaimer: The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products or services on the part of VA.

Have a Veteran resource to share? Tweet it to @VetsExperience or tag it #VetResources

If you are having thoughts of suicide, dial 988, then PRESS 1 or visit http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/.

Please remember the only secure way to ask personal questions is at VA.gov/contact-us/. 

Manage your subscriptions preferences