Veterans
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The Department of Veterans Affairs recently completed a media campaign for its call center “Coaching Into Care,” a telephone service which provides assistance to family members and friends trying to encourage their veteran to seek health care for possible readjustment and mental health issues.
“Coaching Into Care is a valuable service for family members and friends of veterans who might be reluctant to seek mental health care,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “In the last three years, VA has devoted more people, programs, and resources toward mental health services to serve the growing number of veterans seeking mental health care and this marketing effort is designed to expand our reach to those who need our services the most.”
The “Coaching Into Care” service offers free coaching to callers, with no limit to the number of calls they can make.
The goal of these sessions is to connect a veteran with VA care in his or her community with the help and encouragement of family members or friends.
Callers will be coached on solving specific logistical problems and ways to encourage the veteran to seek care while respecting his or her right to make personal decisions.
The service is available toll-free at 1-888-823-7458, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, and online at http://www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching/ .
If a veteran is experiencing an acute crisis, callers should contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 for immediate help.
“Coaching Into Care” works directly with the Veterans Crisis Line and the Caregiver Support Line to provide guidance and referrals.
The department is a pioneer in mental health research, high-quality, evidence-based treatment and access to high-quality care.
VA has many entry points to care through the use of 300 Vet Centers, the Veterans Crisis Line, and integration of mental health services in the primary care setting.
This campaign is part of VA’s overall mental health program. Last year, VA provided quality, specialty mental health services to 1.3 million veterans. Since 2009, VA has increased the mental health care budget by 39 percent. Since 2007, VA has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of veterans receiving mental health services, and a 41 percent increase in mental health staff.
In April, as part of an ongoing review of mental health operations, Secretary Shinseki announced VA would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff to help meet the increased demand for mental health services.
The “Coaching Into Care” advertisements ran on cable TV and radio stations in media markets throughout the U.S.
The ads featured three scenarios that many veterans and their family members commonly experience following the veteran’s return from combat experiences.
Veterans were directly involved in the media campaign. VA launched the media campaign as part of its observation of June as “PTSD Awareness Month.”
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Thursday unveiled a new portal on their departments’ Web sites designed to help military veterans find jobs in the transportation industry.
“Our transportation industry needs pilots, controllers, mechanics and drivers – the very kinds of skills that our military is known for developing,” Secretary LaHood said. “This new Web link will help repay the debt we owe our veterans for their service to our country.”
“Veterans have the skills, knowledge and attributes that American businesses need to help rebuild an economy that will last," said Secretary Shinseki. "These men and women bring exceptional leadership to any position. They are uniquely qualified for jobs as pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, commercial drivers and emergency medical technicians because many of them have performed these roles in combat."
The portal on the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web sites will link to the Veterans Transportation Career Center, where former members of the armed forces can enter their specific military work experience and see how it translates to jobs in the civilian working world.
The site will guide veterans to jobs in five categories: aviation pilot, aviation maintenance technician, air traffic controller, commercial motor vehicle driver and emergency medical services.
Job seekers can find what training and certification is needed for civilian jobs, determine what career fits best with their background, and search for available jobs in their field.
The portals are available at www.dot.gov and www.va.gov .
Secretaries LaHood and Shinseki announced the new portal at an aviation-workforce management conference held at DOT headquarters in Washington.
The conference on labor-management relations was first formed in response to a recommendation made by the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee (FAAC), which was convened by Secretary LaHood in 2010.
The FAAC recommended that DOT hold events like this to bolster labor-management relations.
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In a continuing effort to increase veterans’ access to mental health care, the Department of Veterans Affairs has set a goal to conduct more than 200,000 clinic-based, telemental health consultations for all mental health specialties in fiscal year 2012.
This follows VA’s announcement last month that it would no longer charge veterans a copayment when they receive care in their homes from VA health professionals using video conferencing.
“Telemental health provides veterans quicker and more efficient access to the types of care they seek,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are leveraging technology to reduce the distance they have to travel, increase the flexibility of the system they use, and improve their overall quality of life. We are expanding the reach of our mental health services beyond our major medical centers and treating veterans closer to their homes.”
The clinic-based telehealth program involves the more than 800 VA community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) where many veterans receive primary care.
If the CBOCs do not have a mental health care provider available, secure video teleconferencing technology is used to connect the veteran to a provider within VA’s nationwide system of care.
As a result, veterans can arrange appointments at times more in sync with their schedules. The program improves access to general and specialty services in geographically remote areas where it can be difficult to recruit mental health professionals.
“As technology is improving people’s lives in many areas, telemental health is making access to health care and support easier for veterans with mental health conditions,” said Dr. Robert A. Petzel, Under Secretary for Health. “For example, one combat veteran from Iraq cites telemental health as a critical factor in rebuilding her life and coping with the aftermath of post traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma. Telemental health offered her a safe and convenient setting to receive gender sensitive services that helped her fit back into civilian life after three months of therapy.”
Since the start of the Telemental Health Program, VA has completed over 550,000 patient encounters.
In fiscal year 2011 alone, more than 140,000 encounters were conducted with 55,000 veterans via CBOCs, where providers at 150 hospitals delivered care to veterans at more than 500 clinics.
The Telehealth Expansion Initiative launched in May 2011 called for an additional 21 regional leads, 144 facility coordinators and 1,150 clinical technicians to VA’s workforce. When fully implemented, the expansion will provide a potential capacity of 1.2 million consultations annually.
Video to the home is currently projected to grow to 2,000 patients by the end of fiscal year 2012, with 1,500 using innovative new Internet Protocol (IP) video connected to veterans’ personal computers.
In addition to supporting these current programs, the VHA National Telemental Health Center in West Haven, Conn., has pioneered additional new programs that delivered 1,000 specialized patient encounters from mental health experts at multiple VA sites to veterans throughout the nation.
These include over 100 compensation and pension exams, 700 clinical encounters to over 165 veterans enrolled in behavioral pain treatment programs, and 200 clinical-video and telephone encounters to over 70 veterans enrolled in a bipolar disorder treatment program.
This campaign is part of VA’s overall mental health program.
Last year, VA provided quality, specialty mental health services to 1.3 million veterans. Since 2009, VA has increased the mental health care budget by 39 percent. Since 2007, VA has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of veterans receiving mental health services, and a 41 percent increase in mental health staff.
In April, as part of an ongoing review of mental health operations, Secretary Shinseki announced VA would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce of 20,590 to help meet the increased demand for mental health services. The additional staff would include nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.
For more information, on VA’s telemental health, visit the Office of Telehealth Services at http://www.telehealth.va.gov/ .
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SACRAMENTO – Veterans returning to the civilian workforce may be eligible for some specialized assistance through the California Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (Bureau).
The bureau has developed the Veterans Come First program for veterans who want to leverage their military training to become licensed as security guards, private patrol operators, firearms instructors, or other licensee of the bureau.
Veterans will receive priority services including priority in the licensure process, direct line telephone numbers and email contact information, and email or phone notification as soon as their licenses are approved.
They will also be assigned their own personal bureau staff person to support them through the licensing process.
“Supporting veterans in their transition from military service to civilian employment is a win-win for California,” said Department of Consumer Affairs Director Denise Brown. “They get back into the civilian workforce quickly, and California reaps the benefit of their contribution to the state’s economy.”
“We are grateful to the Department of Consumer Affairs for making this innovative program available to California veterans,” said Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs Peter J. Gravett, Major General (Ret). “Veterans make exceptional employees because they are quick clear thinkers, have proven leadership skills, and are natural team-builders.”
“Transitioning from military service to civilian employment can be challenging, and even overwhelming, to a veteran,” said Bureau chief Jeffrey Mason. “Helping them through that transition is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their service.”
The bureau has posted helpful information about its Veterans Come First program on its Web site at www.bsis.ca.gov/customer_service/faqs/veterans.shtml .
Veterans can obtain additional information about transitioning into the civilian workforce from the California Department of Veterans Affairs and from the state’s Employment Development Department.
Visit CalVet at www.calvet.ca.gov . Check out the agency's Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/mycalvet and follow them on www.twitter.com/mycalvet .
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WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Heart Association have entered into a formal agreement to raise awareness of heart disease and strokes among women veterans and servicemembers, and wives of veterans and military members.
“This exciting collaboration bolsters VA’s ongoing efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This is an important issue for women veterans, and we need to do everything we can to address it.”
In support of the First Lady’s “Joining Forces” initiative, VA and the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women” are partnering to raise awareness among America’s female veterans of heart disease – the No. 1 killer of women.
“Currently, some eight million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in six American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat,” said Dr. Susan Bennett, cardiologist, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and national "Go Red For Women" spokesperson. “Go Red For Women is excited about our newest strategic alliance with VA because it will provide additional opportunities to increase awareness of women’s number one killer and encourage military women – active, veterans and military wives – to actively prevent heart attacks and stroke.”
The two organizations share a common priority to reach women with important information about heart disease.
By combining efforts, they can maximize their resources and improve communication of the “Go Red For Women” messages to women veterans and military audiences.
VA will focus on educating women veterans about their risks for cardiovascular disease through the use of “Go Red For Women” online resources. These include “Go Red BetterU,” a free online nutrition and fitness program and “Go Red Heart Match,” a database that allows women to connect with others who share similar experiences.
VA and “Go Red For Women” hope to increase consumers’ sensitivity to issues that military women face, especially as it pertains to putting their health first.
“VA continues to focus on women’s cardiovascular disease prevention and outreach, and has improved gaps in heart disease prevention measures between men and women,” said Dr. Robert Jesse, VA’s principal deputy under secretary for health, and a cardiologist. “This collaboration will strengthen our efforts and further the conversation about women’s risks for heart disease.”
Women serve in every branch of the military, representing 15 percent of today’s active duty military and nearly 18 percent of National Guard and reserve forces.
Women are now the fastest growing cohort within the veteran community. In 2011, about 1.8 million or 8 percent of the 22.2 million veterans were women.
The male veteran population is projected to decrease from 20.2 million men in 2010 to 16.7 million by 2020.
In contrast, the number of women veterans will increase from 1.8 million in 2011 to 2 million in 2020, at which time women will make up 10.7 percent of the total veteran population.
For more information, call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 or visit: www.womenshealth.va.gov , or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278) or visit www.goredforwomen.org .
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For the third time since the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers will contact Gulf War-era veterans as a part of a long-term study of their health.
“Our message to our Gulf War veterans is clear: We are not forgetting you, we are listening to you, and we are acting,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This Gulf War followup study provides an important long-term look at how Gulf War veterans are faring, and will provide essential data to guide the care of these veterans.”
For the “Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans,” researchers want to learn about how the health of these veterans has changed over time, and about the natural history of long-term conditions like unexplained multi-symptom illnesses.
Researchers will begin contacting participants at the end of May 2012. Veterans were previously contacted for a baseline survey in 1995 and a follow-up survey in 2005.
This continuing VA effort studies a group of approximately 15,000 Gulf War veterans and 15,000 Veterans who served elsewhere during the Gulf War.
The study group includes all branches of service, representing active, Reserve and National Guard members.
Women are being oversampled to make sure they are represented, making up 20 percent of the study sample.
Veterans will respond via a paper or online survey, and researchers will also review medical records from a sample of study participants.
Veterans will be asked about health issues that affect them, including chronic medical conditions such as cancer, neurological, respiratory and immunological conditions, as well as general health perceptions, functional status, chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, unexplained multi-symptom illness and women’s health.
Veterans will be queried about their level of physical activity and their use of alcohol and tobacco. They also will be asked about their use of VA health care and satisfaction with their care.
More than a dozen scientific articles have been published from the two earlier surveys in the study.
This work has investigated multi-symptom illnesses, chronic diseases, and environmental exposures associated with military deployment.
For example, a recent scientific article showed that Gulf War veterans’ health has worsened over time compared to the health of Gulf War era veterans who served elsewhere.
Gulf War veterans reported higher rates of ongoing unexplained multi-symptom illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, along with higher health care utilization, including frequent clinic visits and recurrent hospitalization.
These findings, other ongoing studies, and future research efforts will help VA to better understand the health consequences of deployment and guide care delivery.
VA is funding the new study by a team from the Post-Deployment Health Epidemiology Program, Office of Public Health. VA is working towards improving care, services, and benefits for veterans of all eras.
Additional information about this study can be found at http://www.publichealth.va.gov/epidemiology/studies/gulf-war-follow-up.asp .
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Within two weeks of being announced, a program to give skills training to some unemployed veterans has garnered over 12,000 online applications, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“VA is committed to supporting veterans as they seek employment. This initiative will help provide education and training so that veterans have an opportunity to find meaningful employment in a high-demand field,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We will continue to build on the success of our initial outreach efforts to veterans.”
Called the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), the program allows qualifying veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 to receive up to 12 months of education assistance. Maximum payments are equal to the full-time rate for the Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty, currently $1,473 monthly.
Under VRAP, veterans apply on a first-come, first-served basis for programs that begin on or after July 1.
VA began accepting applications on May 15. Forty-five thousand veterans can participate during the current fiscal year, and up to 54,000 may participate during the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2012.
The goal of the program is to train 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs over the next two years.
To qualify veterans must:
- Be 35 to 60 years old, unemployed on the day of application, and have been issued discharges under conditions other than dishonorable;
- Be enrolled in education or training after July 1, 2012, in a VA-approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school leading to an associate degree, non-college degree or a certificate for a high-demand occupation as defined by the Department of Labor;
- Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment;
- Not have participated in a federal or state job training program within the last 180 days; and
- Not receive VA compensation at the 100 percent rate due to individual unemployability.
While the initial response has been encouraging, VA officials stress the need for a sustained effort to reach potential VRAP applicants.
“Besides the veterans themselves, we are asking anyone who knows of an unemployed veteran to help us get the word out so everyone can take advantage of this new benefit,” said Curtis Coy, VA’s deputy undersecretary for economic opportunity. “With the help of our veterans community and our partners in the Department of Labor, we hope to reach as many eligible veterans as possible.”
In addition to its national outreach campaign, VA will seek out potential VRAP-qualified veterans through online applications and at the National Veterans Small Business Conference being held in Detroit June 26-28. During 2012, VA representatives will also provide VRAP information and assistance at hiring fairs sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce through the Hiring Our Heroes campaign.
For more information on the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) program, the Hire Heroes Act of 2011, VRAP, high demand occupations, and application procedures, visit the Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW , or call VA National Call Center toll free at 1-800-827-1000.
Veterans may also access the VRAP application online at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov through eBenefits, a joint project between VA and the Department of Defense.
Veterans are also encouraged to visit the nearly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers across the nation for assistance from staff, Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVERS), and Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists. Center locations are listed at www.servicelocator.org .
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WASHINGTON – Unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor (DOL) program that focuses on retraining 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs.
“This important tool will help those who served our country receive the education and training they need to find meaningful employment in a high-demand field,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “Veterans are disciplined, hardworking, goal-oriented team members who can play a vital role in helping businesses and the economy grow.”
“Our veterans have made this nation stronger through their service, and they deserve our continued support,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “This new program will help unemployed veterans expand their skills and compete for good jobs," she added.
As part of a provision of the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) allows qualifying veterans to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty rate, currently $1,473 per month.
Veterans can apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for VRAP, which began on May 15, for programs that begin on or after July 1, 2012. Assistance under this benefit program ends on March 31, 2014.
To complete an application, a veteran will need to know his or her direct deposit information (bank routing number and account number), the name and location of his or her school, the program the Veteran wishes to pursue, and the applicable high-demand occupation.
To qualify veterans must:
- Be 35-60 years old, unemployed on the day of application, and not dishonorably discharged;
- Start education or training after July 1, 2012, in a VA-approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school leading to an associate degree, non-college degree or a certificate for a high-demand occupation as defined by the DOL;
- Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g. Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment);
- Not receive VA compensation at the 100 percent rate due to individual unemployability (IU).
Upon completion, the Labor Department will engage with participants within 30 days after their training to help them find good jobs that utilize their newly learned skills.
“We are working diligently with our partners around the country to ensure our veterans have access to all the benefits and services to which they are entitled – especially when it comes to those unemployed,” added Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey.
“This is a true example of interagency collaboration and we are committed to the full and speedy implementation of this program to ensure the success of our veterans in the civilian labor market,” said Ismael “Junior” Ortiz, deputy assistant secretary for the Veterans Employment Training Service.
For more information on VOW, VRAP, high demand occupations, and how to apply, veterans may go to the Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW , or call VA’s Call Centers toll free at 1-800-827-1000,
Veterans also may access the VRAP application online at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov through eBenefits, a joint project between the Department of Defense and VA.
Veterans are also encouraged to visit the nearly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers across the nation for assistance from staff, Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVERS), and Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists. To find the center near you visit www.servicelocator.org .
For more information about the Department of Labor’s Veterans programs, go to http://www.dol.gov/vets/ .
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The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) has just released its updated 2012 Enterprise Strategic Plan, which focuses on fiscal and operational efficiency, innovation, and encourages working with key stakeholders and partners in the public and private sectors.
This forward-thinking strategic plan aims to pave the way for CalVet to continue delivering modern 21st Century, accessible and superior services to California veterans.
“CalVet’s strategic plan for 2012 is a collaborative effort that reflects Governor Brown's great respect and appreciation for our veterans and the sacrifices they have made, and is in keeping with his vision for California's future,” stated CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett, Major General (Ret).
In developing this plan we focused on one question: How will the California Department of Veterans Affairs deliver services in innovative ways that meet and exceed the expectations of California's veterans and their families?
The agency improved its planning processes with a more deliberative analysis of how veterans perceive their needs and how this department could best meet those needs.
CalVet also sought input from community partners and associates in the veteran services organizations and county veterans service offices.
This agency said the plan is robust enough to carry it through the current fiscal crisis without losing focus on its mission and it is aligned with the vision of the California Veterans Board: “To be recognized as one of the prime advocates for California Veterans' rights and benefits.”
President Harry S. Truman once said, “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifice.”
CalVets said that by following this plan it will keep that promise and California will be recognized as the national leader in serving veterans by delivering modern 21st century, accessible and superior services needed to establish veterans as a pillar of strength in every California community.
A copy of the CalVet 2012 Strategic Plan is available online at http://www.calvet.ca.gov/Files/AboutUs/StrategicPlan.pdf .
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