Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Report

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2 Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Report April 24, 2007 Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Jennifer Roberts (D) At-Large Vice-Chairman H. Parks Helms (D) At-Large At-Large Dan Ramirez (R) District 1 District 2 District 3 Karen Bentley (R) Norman A. Mitchell, Sr. (D) Valerie C. Woodard (D) District 4 District 5 District 6 Dumont Clarke (D) Daniel Bishop (R) Bill James (R) Executive Leadership County Manager Harry L. Jones, Sr. General Manager General Manager General Manager Janice Allen Jackson John McGillicuddy Bobbie Shields Associate General Manager Michelle Lancaster 1

3 Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Steering Committee John Ficker, Chairman Tom Davis, Vice-Chairman Howard Blackwelder Griffin Burton Kater Cornwell Danny Hernandez Madeleine Jacobs Dr. Wynn Mabry Fran McGinnis Robert Becker, Ex-Officio Lori Livingston, Ex-Officio Tony McEwen, Ex-Officio Rick Schou, Ex-Officio Eric Wilson, Ex-Officio Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Project Staff Office of Veterans Services Director Robert L. Weeks, Sr. Public Service & Information Department Public Information Specialist Suzanne Jeffries Office of the County Manager Management Fellow Clayton T. Voignier Assistant to the County Manager Joel Riddle Office of Strategic Organizational Improvement Management & Budget Planning & Evaluation Director Director Administrative Staff Hyong Yi Leslie Johnson Barbara Tillman FacFind, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Sandra Barritt Director of Quantitative Services William Gast This report was prepared by the Mecklenburg County Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Project Staff. For further information call or write: Clayton T. Voignier 600 East Fourth Street, 11 th Floor Charlotte, NC Telephone: (704) Fax: (704)

4 Table of Contents Section Page List of Charts, Graphs and Diagrams... 5 Letter from the Chairman of the SOVI Steering Committee... 6 Introduction... 7 Executive Summary... 9 Process SOVI Steering Committee 2. External Assessment 3. Internal Assessment 4. Steering Committee Facilitation Process Findings A. External Assessment 1. Demographics a. Overview b. Current Profile c. Who Are Our Veterans? 1) Age 2) Gender 3) Race/Ethnicity 4) Marital Status 5) Education 6) Employment 7) Income 8) Residence and Transportation 9) Branch of Service 10) Service Period 11) Years of Service 2. VA Benefits a. Current Information Sources b. Desired Information Sources c. Current Benefits d. Former Benefits e. Never Received Benefits 3. Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office a. Awareness b. Use of County Office c. Image of County Office 3

5 d. Preferences of Veterans B. Needs of Mecklenburg County Veterans C. Internal Assessment 1. FY 2007 Program Review a. Veterans Claims Processing and Counseling b. Veterans Outreach 2. Follow-Up Review a. Key Stakeholder Analysis b. Additional Documentation and In-Depth Work c. Follow-Up Review Recommendations Recommendations A. Overview B. Service Gaps 1. Staffing 2. Partnerships 3. Technology 4. Transportation 5. Office Accessibility 6. Outreach 7. Training 8. Communications 9. Internal Workflow a. Alignment of Service Gaps with Current Services and Needs of Veterans C. Strategies D. Service Gap Relationships E. Steering Committee Priorities F. Steering Committee Recommendations Appendices A. SOVI Charge from Board of County Commissioners B. Voices of the Veterans C. Branch Profile D. SOVI Process Maps E. Profile of SOVI Steering Committee 4

6 List of Charts, Diagrams and Graphs Chart Page 1. Veterans in Mecklenburg County Age Age Detail Comparison of Age Profiles Gender Race/Ethnicity Marital Status Education Employment Income Automobile Access Residence Branch of Service Service Period Years of Service Current Information Sources Desired Information Sources Current Benefits Former Benefits Never Received Benefits Awareness Current Use of Services Former Use of Services Use of County Office Preferences of Veterans Graph 1. Trends in Number of Clients Served, Claims Processed, and Staff Trends in Number of Clients Served and Claims Processed per Staff Trend in Total Number of Data Entry and Reporting Errors Diagram 1. Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Process Gaps between Current Services and Needs of Veterans Alignment of Service Gaps with Current Services and Needs of Veterans Cause-Effect Diagram of Service Gap Relationships Steering Committee Priorities

7 Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners 600 East Fourth Street Charlotte NC Dear Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners: It was in mid August of 2006 that we were selected to serve on the Mecklenburg County Status of Veterans Initiative Steering Committee. We, as a group and individually, would like to thank you for this opportunity. We came together as a group with backgrounds varying from those with long-term military careers, to those who had never served in the military. We discovered that all of us have a common goal though, and that is to ensure that the veterans of Mecklenburg County are aware of the services available to them, and that they have proper access to receiving these services. We would like to thank the Board of County Commissioners for their support of this initiative. We would like to thank and acknowledge all of those who have helped us in the preparation of this report. We want to thank the county staff Project Team for their work and support, and Clayton Voignier for his guidance as the project leader. As we began this process, we first needed to identify the population of veterans that live in Mecklenburg County. From this information we looked to identify gaps in services that could be closed. Particular areas that were identified include staffing, technology, partnerships, and transportation. It is our belief that these recommendations should serve as urgent goals to be addressed in the short term because they have the greatest impact on closing gaps in services to the veterans of Mecklenburg County. Currently, the staff is unable to perform the necessary outreach to make veterans aware of the benefits and lack adequate time to spend with individuals to assist the veterans in receiving these benefits. It is our belief that through improved technology we will be able to speed the process and thus make additional staff more efficient. We have also identified transportation as an issue for many veterans in Mecklenburg County. Many veterans now face difficulty in accessing transportation to necessary medical care. If they are able to access transportation, often the process is difficult and inefficient. Among other recommendations, we are asking that the Board of County Commissioners provide the local veterans office with nine additional service officers over a three-year period. Also, we ask that additional funding be provided to help provide better, more efficient transportation to local veterans. Though this group came together with varying ideas, we formed a consensus on the necessary improvements that need to be made to improve services to the veterans of Mecklenburg County. We would like to thank you again for this appointment and the responsibilities given to us. Sincerely, John B. Ficker Chairman Mecklenburg County Status of Veterans Initiative Steering Committee 6

8 Introduction The Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners has a vision for Mecklenburg County s future. This vision is summarized by the following statement: In 2015, Mecklenburg County will be a community of pride and choice for people to LIVE, WORK, AND RECREATE. Although the Mecklenburg County Community Vision 2015 does not specifically address veterans, the vision contains references such as having respect for all citizens and having opportunities to share equally in the community s prosperity that certainly encompass serving the needs of those who have served our country at home and overseas. Currently, there are over 54,000 veterans living in Mecklenburg County, representing approximately 6.8 percent of the County s population. 1 When estimates of surviving spouses and dependents of veterans are added, the population increases to over 10 percent of the County s population. 2 In addition: Mecklenburg County is ranked 1st in the state in veteran population. It is estimated that, on an annual basis, only 10 percent of the total veteran population, which includes veterans and surviving spouses and dependents of veterans, in Mecklenburg County attempt to access the County Veterans Services Office for assistance. 3 These figures do not account for the increasing number of veterans returning from the Reserve and National Guard units deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the Global War on Terror continues, veterans from these units are expected to return to Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in increasing numbers. Recently, the Veterans Services Office, in place to assist veterans, survivors and their families in the presentation, processing, proof and establishment of claims, privileges, rights and benefits that they may be entitled to under Federal, State or local laws, has seen demand for assistance to veterans increase significantly. In fact, from 2001 to 2006: The number of veterans served has nearly doubled. The number of claims filed increased by more than 350 percent. The amount of money paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to veterans living in Mecklenburg County increased by approximately 54 percent from $42 million to nearly $65 million. As the Global War on Terror continues, the veteran population in Mecklenburg County is expected to grow. As this growth occurs, the County will experience an increase in demand for services to veterans. In order to meet this demand effectively, the County must understand the issues and needs facing veterans in our community and the current services and service levels offered by the Veterans Services Office. 1 Source is 2005 American Community Survey. 2 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not keep statistics on the number of dependents of veterans. The Veterans Services Office estimates the number of dependents eligible for VA assistance is one half of the total veteran population. 3 Source for estimate is Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office. 7

9 In recognition of this growth in the veteran population and the corresponding demand for services, the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners approved a request by Commissioner Norman A. Mitchell, Sr., in January 2006 for the County Manager s Office to complete an in-depth assessment of veterans issues in Mecklenburg County based on the Status of Seniors Initiative. 4 This charge led to the creation of the Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) and is satisfied with the presentation of this report to the Board of County Commissioners. Development of this report was a collaborative effort involving: Veterans living in Mecklenburg County Local chapters of veterans services organizations Private and community-based organizations that provide services to veterans Congressional legislative offices County Government Since this is the first report of its kind, it is a broad attempt to understand the characteristics of the veterans living in our community and their needs. In addition, it provides specific recommendations on how Mecklenburg County can better serve the needs and demands of the veteran population. 4 See Appendix A for the full text of the charge. 8

10 Executive Summary There are an estimated 767,000 veterans currently living in North Carolina and 54,307 veterans in Mecklenburg County. 5 This represents approximately 9 percent of the total population of North Carolina and 6.8 percent of the total population of Mecklenburg County, respectively. In addition: 6 North Carolina is ranked 9th in the nation in veteran population and ranked 6th in the nation for the percentage of veterans receiving benefits from the VA. Mecklenburg County is ranked 1st in the state in veteran population. North Carolina is ranked 6th in the nation in number of military retirees (77,860) and surviving spouses (9,076) of retirees. In 2005, these retirees and their survivors received $ million per month and $1.53 billion per year from the Department of Defense. In 2005, the VA paid a total of $761.9 million in benefits compensation to North Carolina veterans. The same year, the VA paid $64.8 million to veterans living in Mecklenburg County. Despite these large figures, the number of veterans living in the state and in Mecklenburg County reported by the VA does not include the increasing number of veterans that are being deployed from surrounding Reserve and National Guard units. As the Global War on Terror continues, veterans from these units are expected to return to Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in search of assistance from federal, state and local governments for their diverse needs. In order to meet this demand, the County must understand the current level of awareness, makeup and needs of the total veteran population in Mecklenburg County. Highlights of the report s findings and recommendations include: Demographics Most veterans in Mecklenburg County are years of age, male, Caucasian, married, graduated from high school, work full time, earn an annual household income between $25,000 and $50,000, own their own home, and have a driver s license with access to an automobile. The majority of veterans living in Mecklenburg County served in the Army, served during the Korean Conflict or just following Korea, but before Vietnam, and served between two (2) and four (4) years in military service while few veterans have reached 20 years of service in the military. Veterans are the salt of the earth, a microcosm of the community at large, indistinguishable from others within this community. Veterans blend in with people of their community and in general are just like others living in this community. Veterans are stable members of our community and contribute to the well-being of Mecklenburg County. 5 Sources are VA ( and 2005 American Community Survey. 6 Sources for bulleted statistics are VA ( and Department of Defense ( 9

11 Awareness is a key concern among veterans in Mecklenburg County. In fact, when expressing concern about awareness or providing services, veterans always expressed concern for all veterans in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere, not just themselves. The older veterans were concerned about the younger veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the younger veterans were concerned about meeting the medical, healthcare and general needs of older veterans, disabled or otherwise. VA Benefits Currently, many veterans are not receiving any information on VA benefits. Of those that do receive information on VA benefits, they primarily receive and prefer to receive information via mail. It is clear that those veterans who do not receive any information about benefits would like to receive such information. Veterans recognize the value of electronic information sources such as websites and and want to receive information from them, even more than the local newspaper. The majority of veterans currently receive Medical Care and Disability benefits, which are the largest and most visible benefits offered by the VA, but the vast majority of veterans have not received any VA benefit, including standard Burial Benefits. Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office Many veterans are unaware that a County office for veterans exists. Few veterans in proportion to the total veteran population, even the ones that know about the office, use the office as a source of service and information on VA benefits. Veterans in Mecklenburg County have difficulty differentiating between the VA and the County office as service providers. For example, veterans do not distinguish between the benefits they receive from the VA and the services they receive from the County office. Oftentimes, veterans going to the VA Hospital for services are referred back to the County office. Veterans do not perceive the County office to be a positive and responsive service provider possibly due to a lack of awareness and being able to differentiate between the VA Hospital and the County office, but also because of negative experiences with the County office such as long wait times for receiving VA benefits, lost paperwork for processing VA claims, and poor customer service. Some of these negative experiences, however, were a result of delinquent action on the part of the district and state offices of the VA and North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs (NCDVA) and not the County office. Many veterans reported positive experiences with the County office especially those that had worked with an experienced Veterans Services Officer. However, these veterans specifically related their positive experience to the individual officer with whom they worked and would not choose to use the County office unless that individual officer was available to see them. Many veterans would like the County office to publicize and advertise its services and information on VA benefits. 10

12 Internally, the County office utilizes a staffing level that has not kept pace with the increased number of clients served and the number of claims processed, lacks reliable data entry and reporting methods, and maintains processes or internal workflows that contain several deficiencies. SOVI Steering Committee Recommendations The SOVI Steering Committee identified nine (9) gaps in services to veterans of which four are Urgent and require immediate attention and action (Staffing, Technology, Partnerships, and Transportation), three are Elevated and require some attention and action in the near future (Office Accessibility, Outreach, and Training), and two are Moderate and do not require any formal action at present, but must be monitored now for future action (Communications and Internal Workflow). In an effort to begin immediately addressing or closing the Urgent service gaps, the County Manager and the Board of County Commissioners should support the Veterans Services Office Director s management initiatives that are either already underway or being requested with the understanding that some or all of these initiatives may require increased funding for the Veterans Services Office. The steering committee identified nine (9) strategies corresponding to each service gap that must be implemented to assist in addressing or closing gaps in service to veterans in Mecklenburg County. The steering committee recommends the following strategies be included in future legislative agendas transmitted from the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners to the appropriate elected officials of the governments of the State of North Carolina and the United States: a. Provide the appropriate technological capabilities to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for automating the process by which veterans services offices in each county in North Carolina submit individual veterans claims for benefits to the district and state offices of the VA for review and approval. The current process for submitting individual veterans claims for benefits utilized by the County Veterans Services Office is driven by paperwork that is manually prepared and submitted. b. Provide a homestead/property tax exemption authorized by the State of North Carolina for widows and widowers whose spouse was killed in the line of duty or died of a serviceconnected disability. Currently, at least 26 states have authorized some form of homestead or property tax exemption for surviving spouses and dependents of veterans. 11

13 Process In order to complete the charge of the Status of Veterans Initiative, a process encompassing the following components was developed and implemented: 1. The formation of a steering committee charged with identifying gaps in services to veterans and developing recommendations for addressing or closing those gaps. 2. An external assessment of the demographics and needs of the veteran population in Mecklenburg County through implementation of focus groups of veterans and a representative survey of the total veteran population. 3. An internal assessment of the structure, resources, and services of the County Veterans Services Office. 4. A decision-making and prioritization process facilitated by staff to assist the steering committee with identifying and prioritizing service gaps, developing strategies to address or close service gaps, and finalizing recommendations. The remainder of the section provides a detailed review of the process. In addition, the diagram below provides a visual illustration of the process. Diagram 1: Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Process Report to Board of County Commissioners (Public Policy Workshop April 24) URGENT ELEVATED MODERATE Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap Service Gap SOVI Steering Committee Facilitation Sessions March 14 April 11 Data from Census & VA External Assessment Recommendations Internal Assessment Recommendations Data/Gap Analysis Recommendations September 21, 2006 March 14, 2007 SOVI Steering Committee Orientation August 24,

14 1. Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) Steering Committee The first step in the development of the Status of Veterans Initiative was to appoint the SOVI Steering Committee. A diverse group of individuals from the community consisting of veterans, family members of veterans and representatives of non-profit organizations that work with veterans was identified for consideration and orientation. In addition, staff members from the County s federal legislative delegation and the American Red Cross were asked to serve in an exofficio capacity. The Community Health and Safety Committee of the Board of County Commissioners approved the SOVI Steering Committee membership at its August 15, 2006 meeting. The SOVI Steering Committee was charged with leading the overall effort of the Status of Veterans Initiative, and with producing the following three deliverables: Adopt and endorse recommendations for Mecklenburg County for closing gaps in services to the veteran population. Provide recommendations for future involvement of the SOVI Steering Committee as an advocate for veterans issues in Mecklenburg County. Promote and market the Status of Veterans Initiative. 2. External Assessment The next step was to collect qualitative and quantitative data for the SOVI Steering Committee to review as they sought to identify gaps in service. County staff conducted a series of focus groups and a telephone survey of veterans within Mecklenburg County utilizing a third-party contractor. 7 a. Focus Groups Three focus groups comprised of veterans and surviving spouses and dependents were conducted on December 4, 2006, with the breakdown of those groups as follows: Those who have accessed the Veterans Services Office Those who have not accessed the Veterans Services Office Females including both veterans and widows of veterans All branches of service were represented in the focus groups. Caucasians, African-Americans, males, females, and veterans currently working, retired, disabled, and unemployed were also represented. b Mecklenburg County Survey of Veterans The focus groups were used to develop the 2007 Mecklenburg County Survey of Veterans conducted from January 2 January 26, The primary objective of the survey was to collect data on demographics, awareness, and preferences of veterans living in Mecklenburg County. A secondary goal of the survey was to provide a baseline for future replication of this study with a high degree of confidence in the findings. 7 FacFind, Inc., located in Charlotte, NC, is a full-service marketing research firm specializing in quantitative, qualitative, international, marketing, motivational, and political research. 13

15 The survey was a random sample with a margin of error of +/- four (4) percent. A third-party contractor surveyed 653 Mecklenburg County veterans and surviving spouses and dependents of veterans, and they were asked questions ranging from demographic information to their use and knowledge of VA benefits and the County office. Finally, there was a section that allowed the survey respondents to provide open-ended feedback Internal Assessment County staff also conducted an internal review of the Veterans Services Office to determine current structure, resources and service capabilities of the County office. The internal assessment process is detailed by the following action plan utilized by staff: 1) Program Review FY 2007 Annual Program Review conducted by management analysts in the Office of Strategic Organizational Improvement Analysis of results and supporting documentation 2) Follow-up Review Identify key internal and external stakeholders Obtain additional documentation, if necessary Conduct more in-depth work such as interviews and meetings with key stakeholders where applicable Compile and analyze data from additional work and documentation 3) Findings and Recommendations Present findings to internal County staff assigned to SOVI Present findings and recommendations to the SOVI Steering Committee 4. Steering Committee Facilitation Process County staff led the SOVI Steering Committee through facilitation sessions to assist the committee in completing their charge of adopting and endorsing recommendations for Mecklenburg County for closing gaps in services to the veteran population. The facilitation process is detailed below. a. Review/Identify/Prioritize Service Gaps In order to engage the SOVI Steering Committee beyond simply adopting and endorsing recommendations, County staff decided to involve the committee in the review and identification of service gaps, which effectively placed some responsibility on the committee for completing the gap analysis. 9 County staff performed a preliminary analysis of the external and internal assessments and identified and recommended several service gaps to the committee. Then, County staff asked the committee to determine whether the list of recommended service gaps was comprehensive or whether additional gaps existed and thus, needed to be identified. The committee reviewed and refined the list of service gaps. As a result of the committee s review, one 8 See Appendix B for open-ended responses. 9 See Recommendations section for an explanation of the gap analysis. 14

16 service gap was renamed, one service gap was reoriented as the desired outcome, and three additional service gaps were identified, one of which was later folded under existing service gaps. The committee achieved consensus on the new list of service gaps. Initially, the committee started to prioritize the new list of service gaps, but modified the facilitation process so that the committee could identify strategies before prioritizing service gaps. After identifying strategies, the committee utilized a cause-effect diagram developed by staff to prioritize service gaps into Urgent, Elevated, and Moderate statuses. b. Identify Strategies to Address Service Gaps Based on a review of County staff recommendations, the SOVI Steering Committee identified and came to a consensus on several strategies in a roundtable discussion format. With assistance from staff, the committee developed comprehensive strategies that corresponded with service gaps on a ratio of one comprehensive strategy for each service gap. c. Develop Committee Recommendations With further assistance from County staff, the committee developed and adopted recommendations for closing or addressing gaps in services to veterans in Mecklenburg County. The next two major sections of the report provide the findings from the external and internal assessments and the recommendations of the SOVI Steering Committee. 15

17 Findings A. External Assessment 1. Demographics a. Overview Based on the 2007 Mecklenburg County Veterans Survey, most veterans in Mecklenburg County are years of age, male, Caucasian, married, high school graduates, working full time, and earning an annual household income between $25,000 and $50,000. Almost all veterans (90 percent) own their own home, and 96.7 percent of veterans have a driver s license with access to an automobile. Over half of all veterans (52 percent) in Mecklenburg County have served in the Army. The majority of veterans (72 percent) served during the Korean Conflict or just following Korea, but before the Vietnam War. In addition, over half of all veterans have served between two (2) and four (4) years in military service while only five (5) percent reached 20 years of service, which is the number of years of service when service members become eligible for retirement from the military with benefits. 10 For the most part, these demographic results from the survey of veterans in Mecklenburg County align with statistical demographic data on Mecklenburg County veterans from the U.S. Census Bureau and the VA. The next section of the findings examines in more detail the demographic results from the survey in conjunction with data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the VA. b. Current Profile According to the VA, there were 25 million veterans living in the United States in By 2005, the number of veterans in the U.S. decreased by more than three percent (3 percent) to 24.2 million. In comparison to years prior to 2001, the number of veterans in the U.S. increased by almost two percent (2 percent) from 1999 to North Carolina and Mecklenburg County have experienced similar trends in their veteran populations. From 1999 to 2001, the number of veterans in North Carolina and Mecklenburg County increased by 13 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively. However, from 2001 to 2005, those same veteran populations in North Carolina and Mecklenburg County decreased by 1.3 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Potential explanations for these trends include the likelihood that after September 11, 2001, veterans were being called back into service to fight in the Global War on Terror and/or the possibility that more veterans are passing away than service men and women are being discharged from the military. Regardless of these potential explanations and despite the recent trends in veteran populations, the figures above on the number of veterans living in the U.S., North Carolina 10 See Appendix C for a profile of Mecklenburg County veterans by branch of service. 11 Unless otherwise noted, all demographic and population figures excerpted from the VA ( and 2005 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. 16

18 and Mecklenburg County do not include the increasing number of veterans being deployed from Reserve and National Guard units around the country and here in Mecklenburg County. As the Global War on Terror continues, veterans from these units are expected to return to the U.S., North Carolina and Mecklenburg County in increasing numbers and seek assistance from federal, state and local governments for their diverse needs. c. Who Are Our Veterans? Chart 1 shows that in 2001, there were 60,969 veterans among a total population of 700,995 in Mecklenburg County. By 2005, Mecklenburg County s population reached 796,372 of which 54,307 were veterans. As a whole, the 2007 County survey profile of veterans is: male (92.8 percent), Caucasian (76 percent), and working full time (54.5 percent). Chart 1: Veterans in Mecklenburg County 62,000 60,000 58,000 56,000 54,000 52,000 50,000 Veteran Population County Population , , , , , , , , , ,000 1) Age Results from the 2007 Mecklenburg County Veterans Survey show that veterans aged years account for 70 percent of veterans surveyed (see Chart 2). Nearly 17 percent of veterans are years of age and more than 13 percent are 75 years and older. These statistics are comparable with U.S. Census Bureau data on Mecklenburg County veterans from the 2005 American Community Survey (ACS), which show that 72.8 percent of veterans are years of age, 14.8 percent are 65-74, and 12.8 percent are 75 and older. Chart 3 shows a more detailed breakout by narrower age groups. 17

19 Chart 2: Age 13.5% Age 16.6% % Chart 3: Age Detail 25% 23.6% 22.7% 20% 18.0% 16.6% 15% 12.8% 10% 5.5% 5% 0% 0.2% Less than % Comparison of the survey data with the age profile of Veterans Services Office clients reveals that veterans aged 75 years and older are more likely to come in contact with the County s Veterans Services Office as a client than veterans years of age (see Chart 4). 18

20 Chart 4: Comparison of Age Profiles 80% 65.0% 70.0% % % 20% 10.0% 25.0% 16.6% 13.5% 0% Veterans Services Office Database 2007 Veterans Survey 2) Gender Not surprisingly, the vast majority of veterans in Mecklenburg County are male (92.8 percent) (see Chart 5). This aligns well with 2005 ACS data: 93.8 percent of veterans are male. When comparing male and female veterans, female veterans are more likely to be African American, single, working full time, and to have served between the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Chart 5: Gender Gender 7% Male Female 93% 19

21 3) Race/Ethnicity Chart 6 shows that of surveyed veterans, 76 percent are Caucasian, 22.8 percent are African American and less than one percent represent a race or ethnicity other than Caucasian, African American and Hispanic/Latin American. This is consistent with 2005 ACS data on veterans: 70.8 percent White/Caucasian and 26.1 percent Black/African American. However, one complication is that Hispanic/Latin American veterans are not well represented in the survey results. During the surveying process, very few Hispanic/Latin American veterans were interviewed. Despite best efforts, not enough Hispanic/Latin American veterans were able to be contacted in order to have a valid representation of this ethnic group. Possible explanations for this lack of representation include that veterans in this ethnic group opted out of participating in survey interviews and/or were not well represented in the survey call lists. However, it is certain that this lack of representation is not a result of language barriers as veterans surveyed could request interviews be conducted in Spanish or English. Many of the contracted interviewers were both bi-lingual and biliterate ACS data show that Hispanic/Latin American veterans constitute nearly five percent (5 percent) of all veterans in Mecklenburg County. Chart 6: Race/Ethnicity Racial/Ethnic Composition 22.8% 0.8% Caucasian African American Other 76.0% 4) Marital Status Of surveyed veterans, over 80 percent are currently married compared to the national average of about 50 percent currently married (see Chart 7). On one hand, this statistic indicates the possibility of a stronger support system within individual veterans homes, delaying the need for seeking out services from the County s Veterans Services Office and applying for VA benefits. On the other hand, it is generally known that females live longer than males, so in the future there may 20

22 be a larger group of widows seeking out services and applying for benefits. The VA and U.S. Census Bureau do not track information on the marital status of veterans by counties. Chart 7: Marital Status Marital Status 0.9% 5.1% 5.9% 7.9% Married Never been married Widowed Divorced Other 80.1% 5) Education Chart 8 shows that more than one-third (35.7 percent) of veterans surveyed have graduated from college and about another one-third (37.1 percent) have received some college education beyond high school. No statistical differences can be observed between those veterans who have graduated from college and those who have not graduated from college. Both groups have the same profile in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, current employment, branch of service, and period of service. There is a slight difference with respect to income as veterans with college degrees are more likely to earn annual household incomes greater than $75,000, but this difference is much smaller than what is seen in the general U.S. population. This is likely due in part to the fact that veterans have much higher skill sets when compared to the general population, and thus obtain higher wages through utilization of those skills. Compared with 2004 and 2005 ACS data, the survey results for education are almost identical ACS data show 95.9 percent of veterans receiving at least a high school degree compared with 95.2 percent for the survey results ACS data on veterans who graduated from college (35.7 percent) is consistent with the percentage of veterans surveyed who have graduated from college. 12 This figure includes the percentage sum of veterans who graduated from high school, attended some college, and graduated from college. 21

23 Chart 8: Education 4.8% Education 22.4% 37.1% Some College College Graduate High School Graduate Some High School 35.7% 6) Employment The majority (54.5 percent) of veterans work full time and one-third (32.9 percent) are retired (see Chart 9). Regardless of age, veterans working full time may be less likely to apply for VA medical benefits due to coverage under their employer s health insurance, and thus less likely to come in contact with the County Veterans Services Office. Only five percent (5 percent) are sufficiently disabled to be incapable of work, and although not shown in the chart, only two veterans surveyed identified themselves as unemployed. The retired veterans are more likely to be 75 years or older, male, have served in World War II, and have served in the Navy. One possible explanation for the differences across employment groups is that Navy service men and women are less vulnerable to combat situations, particularly ground combat, during their period of service. Therefore, they tend to live longer, and thus reach retirement in greater numbers than veterans of other service branches. The VA and U.S. Census Bureau do not track information on the employment status of veterans by counties. 22

24 Chart 9: Employment Employment 0.3% 5.1% 7.2% Works full time Retired Works part time Disability prevents working Volunteer 32.9% 54.5% 7) Income The broad distribution of annual household income among veterans surveyed is similar to what is observed in the general U.S. population. Veterans with annual household incomes of between $25,000 and $50,000 account for 47.1 percent of veterans surveyed while 21.1 percent of veterans surveyed earn less than $25,000 annually (see Chart 10). Older veterans 75 years and older tend to have incomes either less than $25,000 per year or greater than $100,000 per year. According to the 2005 ACS, the median household income in inflation-adjusted dollars for veterans is $37,351. This would appear to align generally with the survey results as the 50 th percentile for annual household income among veterans surveyed would fall in the range of $25,000 to $50,000 per year. 23

25 Chart 10: Income 50% 47.1% 40% 30% 21.1% 19.9% 20% 9.3% 10% 2.6% 0% Less than $25,000 $25,000 to $50,000 $50,000 to $75,000 $75,000 to $100,000 More than $100,000 8) Residence and Transportation Charts 11 and 12 indicate that an overwhelming number of veterans surveyed have a driver s license with access to an automobile (96.7 percent) and own their own home (90 percent). Less than one percent of veterans surveyed live in an assisted living facility. A major challenge for the County s Veterans Services Office will be to identify these veterans along with the 3.3 percent of veterans without driver s licenses and/or access to an automobile in order to target them for specialized services such as outreach assistance to homebound veterans and transportation assistance through contracted transportation providers in the County s Department of Social Services. An interesting point here is that no veterans identified themselves as homeless despite the fact that two veterans surveyed were unemployed. Although this intuitively makes sense because the homeless have no legitimate access to a telephone, the interesting point is that the two veterans surveyed may have been plagued by unemployment and thus have experienced homelessness at one time previously. Therefore, if this survey functions as a baseline for future study, it would be worthwhile to append a question related to prior experience with homelessness in future studies of veterans to help the County understand the trend of homelessness among veterans. 24

26 Chart 11: Automobile Access Automobile Access 3.3% 96.7% License with access to a car No license Chart 12: Residence 2.9% 2.2% 0.7% 1.9% 2.5% Residence Owns a house Rents a house Owns a condominium Rents an apartment Lives with family / friend Lives in assisted living facility 90.0% 25

27 9) Branch of Service Chart 13 shows that one-half (52.1 percent) of all veterans in Mecklenburg County served in the Army while the other half combined served in the Air Force (20 percent), Navy (18 percent), and Marine Corps (9.2 percent). Less than one percent served in the Coast Guard. The only observed difference among veterans across branches of service is that Navy veterans are older in age on average than veterans from other branches of service. This reinforces the explanation espoused earlier with regard to the retirement status of Navy veterans. Chart 13: Branch of Service 60% 52.1% 50% 40% 30% 20% 18.0% 20.0% 9.2% 10% 0.7% 0% Army Navy Air Force Marine Corps Coast Guard 10) Service Period Nearly three-quarters (71.1 percent) of veterans surveyed served the majority of their active duty either in the Korean Conflict or in the period just after up to the Vietnam War (see Chart 14). Over 11 percent of veterans served in World War II. One observed difference among veterans across service periods is that veterans serving a majority of their active duty in Vietnam are more likely to be divorced than veterans serving in other service periods. Survey statistics on service period do not align well with 2001 and 2004 ACS data on Mecklenburg County and overall nationally with the exception of the percentage of veterans serving in World War II ACS data on Mecklenburg County show that 11.2 percent of veterans served in World War II. Data from both the 2001 and 2004 ACS reveal that a majority of veterans in Mecklenburg County and nationally served in the Vietnam War, the Post-Vietnam Era and the Gulf War One possible explanation for this discrepancy is the difference in the way the question was asked across surveys. For example, in other surveys veterans may have been asked the question about service period in a more objective manner such as During what service period did you first enter active military duty? Or perhaps, the other surveys focused only on active duty during war-time service periods. If a veteran did not serve in combat during a war, then they were not included in war-time service periods and had to identify themselves with another service period. The County survey asked the question in a more subjective manner in that veterans surveyed were given the option of selecting a service period in which they readily identified themselves and perceived themselves to serve the majority of their time on active duty. 26

28 Chart 14: Service Period 45% 40.6% 40% 35% 30.5% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 11.4% 8.8% 7.0% 5% 0.7% 0.6% 0.4% 0% WW II Betw een WW II and Korean Conflict Korean Conflict Betw een Korean Conflict and Vietnam War Vietnam War Post Vietnam Era Gulf War Global War on Terror 11) Years of Service On average, veterans surveyed served seven (7) years of active duty service. The majority of veterans served between two and four years on active duty (see Chart 15). A little over five (5) percent of veterans surveyed achieved 20 years of service when service members become eligible for retirement from the military with benefits. Although Mecklenburg County veterans are nearly indistinguishable from others within their communities in terms of owning homes, driving cars, being married, and working full time, they are noticeably different in terms of their commitment to military service: The majority served in the Army, a branch of service that exposes its military personnel to ground combat situations. A large number served during a time of war, in particular the Korean Conflict. On average, most devoted several years of active duty service. 27

29 Chart 15: Years of Service 25% 22.5% 20% 15% 15.4% 16.0% 10% 5% 0% 4.9% 4.8% 5.5% 6.8% 5.2% 6.2% 4.3% 3.9% 2.6% 1.5% 0.2% Years of Service While Mecklenburg County veterans may differ from the general veteran population in terms of service, the demographic data reveals that, for the most part, veterans are a microcosm of the Mecklenburg County population at large. Mecklenburg County veterans are nearly indistinguishable from others within their community because they own their own homes, drive their own cars, are married, and work full time. 2. VA Benefits This section shifts away from data on demographic characteristics of the veteran population and towards veterans use, awareness and preferences, focusing on how veterans are receiving information on and utilizing VA benefits. a. Current Information Sources Chart 16 illustrates that currently one-third (32.5 percent) of veterans surveyed say they do not get information regarding VA benefits from any source at all. These veterans are more likely to be years old, married, work part time, Caucasian, and have served in Korea. Based on survey results about veterans desired information sources how they would like to receive information on benefits it is evident that those veterans who do not receive any information about benefits clearly would like to receive such information. Currently, veterans primarily receive information about VA benefits through the U.S. Mail (30.4 percent). Veterans use of electronic information delivery methods websites and stands at 12.6 percent. In comparison to the general population, this level of use is low. There is a strong likelihood that this low level of use is due to a lower comfort level with electronic information delivery methods in terms of technical operation of such methods and perhaps less availability of information on VA benefits via or websites. Many veterans may have access to the Internet, but may not understand the Internet as a source of information for VA benefits. In addition, 28

30 veterans in the focus groups said that the VA website was complex and they gave up trying to use it as an information source. Chart 16: Current Information Sources 35.0% 30.0% 32.5% 30.4% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 9.3% 9.1% 10.0% 5.0% 6.7% 4.1% 3.5% 1.1% 0.6% 3.0% 0.0% Do not receive benefits information US Mail Newspaper Website VA Office VFW Magazine Newsletter Telephone Other b. Desired Information Sources When asked how they would like to be informed about services and benefits, nearly three-quarters (69.4 percent) of veterans surveyed said they want to receive information by mail (see Chart 17). Mail offers the advantages of visuals without employing any knowledge or use of the Internet and materials that can be reviewed multiple times and by other family members or caretakers. However, it is important to note that the second most desired information sources are electronic information sources websites and . Therefore, although mail provides certain advantages over electronic information sources, veterans recognize the value of electronic sources and want to receive information from them. Less than one percent of veterans surveyed want to physically come to the County s Veterans Services Office and access information there. On a final note, results from both the focus groups and the survey reveal that veterans who are members of veteran service organizations such as Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and others seem to be more informed and pleased with these organizations as information sources. 29

31 Chart 17: Desired Information Sources 70.0% 69.3% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 1.0% 3.2% 8.8% 3.9% 1.7% 7.8% Not Interested US Mail New spaper Website VA Office VFW Magazine New sletter 0.7% 0.6% 2.2% 0.6% Telephone Other County Office c. Current Benefits The VA offers a variety of benefits to veterans, and many veterans receive them. Most commonly, veterans surveyed said they currently receive Medical Care (41.6 percent) and Disability (39 percent) benefits, though some veterans may receive more than one benefit (see Chart 18). On the subject of current and former benefits, veterans were initially asked if they currently receive or have ever received benefits. Many veterans answered no to this question, but when veterans were read the list of benefits, many recanted and revealed that they currently do use or have used benefits. In other words, veterans associated the term VA benefits with only Medical Care or Disability benefits until the list was read. Therefore, veterans who are not in need of Medical Care or Disability benefits fail to immediately relate VA benefits to education and training, home loans or any of the other benefits. This implies that they may be eligible for benefits that they currently are not receiving due to a lack of awareness related to information on VA benefits. 30

32 Chart 18: Current Benefits 45.0% 40.0% 41.6% 39.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 12.1% 9.5% 10.0% 8.1% 5.0% 5.3% 5.2% 3.7% 1.5% 0.8% 0.8% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0% Medical Care Disability Compensation VA Guaranteed Home Loan Life Insurance VHA Healt hcare Pension Education and Training Dependency & Indemnity Compensat ion V ocat ional Rehabilitation RH Insurance Burial Benefit s Ho meless Vet erans Assist ance d. Former Benefits Overall, most VA benefits do not fall into a formerly used category. In other words, once a veteran is deemed eligible for and begins using or receiving a certain benefit, the veteran will likely continue to use or receive that benefit. The two exceptions are the VA Guaranteed Home Loan and Education and Training Assistance as they are benefits with defined and terminating eligibility and use periods. In light of this, 26.6 percent of veterans have received Education and Training Assistance and 24 percent have used the VA Guaranteed Home Loan program (see Chart 19). 31

33 Chart 19: Former Benefits 45.0% 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 23.5% 26.6% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 5.3% 1.0% 1.1% 3.2% 0.6% 0.2% 0.8% 4.4% 0.6% 1.9% 0.6% 0.0% Medical Care Disability Compensation VA Guaranteed Home Loan Life Insurance VHA Healthcare Pension Education and Training Dependency & Indemnity Compensation Vocational Rehabilitation RH Insurance Burial Benefits Homeless Veterans Assistance e. Never Received Benefits Chart 20 reveals that the VA benefits least utilized or received by veterans surveyed are Homeless Assistance, Burial Benefits, and Dependency & Indemnity Compensation. For Homeless Assistance and Dependency & Indemnity Compensation, the low level of use makes intuitive sense because these benefits assist small subsets of the veteran population. However, some aspects of Burial Benefits are standard for veterans and surviving spouses and dependents. This might suggest that veterans have a low level of awareness about these benefits. Nearly 57 percent of Veterans have never received Medical Care benefits from the VA. These veterans are more likely to receive full medical insurance through their employers, be employed full time and have higher incomes. 32

34 Chart 20: Never Received Benefits 100.0% 90.0% 81.8% 85.5% 89.0% 91.6% 94.7% 91.9% 91.8% 95.0% 96.6% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 56.9% 58.7% 65.0% 67.3% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Medical Care Disability Compensation VA Guaranteed Home Loan Life Insurance VHA Healthcare Pension Education and Training Dependency & Indemnity Compensation Vocational Rehabilitation RH Insurance Burial Benefits Homeless Veterans Assistance In summary, many veterans do not receive information on VA benefits. It is clear that those veterans who do not receive any information about benefits would like to receive such information. Of those that do receive information on VA benefits, they primarily receive and prefer to receive information via mail. However, veterans recognize the value of electronic information sources (websites and ) and want to receive information from them, more so in fact than from the local newspaper. The majority of veterans currently receive Medical Care and Disability benefits, which are the largest and most visible benefits offered by the VA, but the vast majority of veterans have not received any VA benefit. At least one benefit, Burial Benefits, is fairly standard, and most veterans should be receiving this benefit. This absence of use points to a lack of enough or any information on VA benefits, which validates the central finding from this section that veterans are not receiving information on VA benefits. The next section stays with the themes of use, awareness and preferences among veterans, but changes the subject focus from VA benefits to the Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office. 3. Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office a. Awareness Veterans surveyed were asked: Are you (the veteran) aware that Mecklenburg County has a local office to assist veterans in receiving support from the VA? Less than two-thirds (64.6 percent) of veterans surveyed are aware that a County Veterans Services Office exists (see Chart 21). 33

35 Chart 21: Awareness Awareness of Veterans Services Office 35.4% Yes No 64.6% In addition, only about one-third (31.7 percent) of those veterans who are aware of this office currently use it (see Chart 22). In fact, of all veterans surveyed, only 21 percent say they currently use the County Veterans Services office. A little more than one-third (38.3 percent) of veterans surveyed have used the County Veterans Services Office in the past (see Chart 23). Chart 22: Current Use of Services Chart 23: Former Use of Services Current Use of Veterans Services Office Former Use of Veterans Services Office 31.7% Yes No 38.3% Yes No 68.3% 61.7% In both the focus groups and the survey, awareness was a key concern among veterans in Mecklenburg County. In fact, when expressing concern about awareness or providing services, veterans always expressed concern for all veterans in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere, not just themselves. The older veterans were concerned about the younger veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the younger veterans were concerned about meeting the medical, healthcare and general needs of older veterans, disabled or otherwise. 34

36 b. Use of County Office Of those Veterans that are aware of the County Veterans Services Office, but do not currently use the County office, 65.2 percent do not use the County office because they feel they have no need (see Chart 24). Almost 12 percent of veterans surveyed go to the VA Hospital in Salisbury directly for their needs. Only five (5) percent do not use the County office because of a negative experience. Many veterans who said they went directly to the VA Hospital for services did so because there is a perception that veterans should go directly to the most visible source for services, which they consider to be the VA Hospital. In both the focus groups and the survey, veterans in Mecklenburg County have difficulty differentiating between the VA and the County office as service providers. For example, veterans do not distinguish between the benefits they receive from the VA and the services they receive from the County office. Oftentimes, veterans going to the VA Hospital for services are referred back to the County office. The distinctions between VA Hospital services, VA benefits and County office services are critical ones that veterans clearly do not understand. Chart 24: Use of County Office 70.0% 65.2% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 11.7% 9.5% 5.6% 5.2% 2.8% 0.0% No need Go to the VA hospital in Salisbury Did not know about (when needed assistance) Other Too much paperwork/poor service Not eligible c. Image of County Office Up to now, the findings about the Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office have focused on results from the survey. Focus groups of Mecklenburg County veterans and surviving spouses were conducted prior to the survey, and focus groups participants revealed several issues about how they view the County office. As referenced above, veterans in the focus groups did not distinguish between the benefits they receive from the VA and the services they receive from the County office. Veterans that had used the County office for services voiced displeasure with the lack of outreach, the methods of 35

37 outreach used by the office, and the knowledge base of employees in the County office servicing veterans. Of those that had a negative experience with the County office, the fear in general is how long they will have to wait and then perhaps discover that the County office has not processed or lost their paperwork. In many of these experiences, it seemed as if the primary concern for efficient and effective paperwork is when medical attention is needed, and there is a perception of a sense of urgency surrounding those situations. However, many veterans that had worked with an experienced Veterans Services Officer expressed satisfaction with their experience. Of those that had a positive experience with the County office, veterans specifically related it to the individual officer with whom they worked. Even though the experience overall was a positive one, they would not choose to use the County office unless that individual officer was available to see them. Although they expressed willingness to refer other veterans to the County office, it is a tentative willingness with the condition that other veterans see an informed officer, particularly an officer who is also a veteran. Overall though, the County office is perceived to fall short as a positive and responsive source of information and service. d. Preferences of Veterans When veterans were asked what the Veterans Services Office should do better to assist veterans in Mecklenburg County, almost half (43.6 percent) of veterans said that the County office should publicize the office better or increase awareness of the office (see Chart 25). This sentiment was validated in the focus groups as participants primarily voiced their concerns about providing outreach to veterans and advertising the County office. An additional one-quarter (24.7 percent) of veterans surveyed felt that healthcare benefits such as Medical Care and Disability should be increased while 17.2 percent suggested that a VA hospital should be built in Charlotte. Chart 25: Preferences of Veterans Publicize better/increase awareness Increase healthcare benefits 24.7% 43.6% Build VA hospital in Charlotte 17.2% Improve County Office All is good Help veterans returning from Iraq Give veterans a tax break Other 4.3% 3.5% 1.6% 2.1% 2.9% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 36

38 Veterans from the focus groups also expressed their opinions about what the County office should do better. To encourage veterans in Mecklenburg County to select the County office as a preferred service provider, focus groups participants suggested the following: Greater outreach Promote excellence in service with knowledgeable and informed Veterans Services Officers who are also veterans Responsiveness Adequate technology for maintaining and tracking records and outreach Positive environment, and Employee training program, including customer service training. When asked what characteristics they would like to see of a quality Mecklenburg County Veterans Services Office, focus groups participants said the following: Offer appropriate greeting to customers Adopt a customer service attitude Respect the veteran Have trained personnel Be organized, and Live up to the mission statement that should be framed and hung on the wall for each veteran to view. With regard to the County office, many veterans are unaware that one even exists. Few veterans, even the ones that know about the office, use the office as a source of information on VA benefits and services. Although most veterans feel they are not in need of the information and services provided by the County office, some veterans are clearly in need and yet they do not understand the difference in services provided by different sources, namely VA benefits, the VA Hospital, and the County office. Because of this misinformation and/or misunderstanding among other negative experiences, veterans do not perceive the County office to be a positive and responsive service provider, and would like the office to publicize and advertise its services and information. B. Needs of Mecklenburg County Veterans The findings from the external assessment reveal that veterans have needs that can be met by the County and the Veterans Services Office. The needs as voiced by veterans are for: 1. Information on benefits provided by the VA The survey results reveal that many veterans currently do not receive information regarding VA benefits from any source of information, and it is clear that those veterans who do not receive any information about benefits would like to receive such information. 2. Adequate customer service Although only five percent of veterans surveyed do not use the County office because of a negative experience such as too much paperwork or poor customer service, focus groups participants emphasized this need through their suggestions for improving the County office including promoting excellence in service with knowledgeable and informed Veterans 37

39 Services Officers, offering appropriate greeting to customers, adopting a customer service attitude, and respecting the veteran. 3. Timely responsiveness to accessing benefits Focus groups participants were asked about their experience with the County office, and of those who had negative experiences the most common fear was how long they will have to wait and then perhaps discover that their paperwork had been lost or not processed. In their suggestions for improving the County office, veterans emphasized responsiveness as a need. 4. Awareness of the County office In both the survey and the focus groups, awareness was a key need among veterans. The survey results reveal that many veterans are unaware that a County office exists and prefer that the County office be publicized better. In fact, many veterans do not use the County office whether or not they are aware of the County office suggesting a need for awareness not only of the County office, but for services provided by the County office. 5. Awareness of all local services for veterans In both the focus groups and the survey, veterans have difficulty differentiating between the VA and the County office. In addition, veterans do not distinguish between the benefits they receive from the VA and the services they receive from the County office. Veterans clearly need to be made aware of the different sources for different types of benefits and/or services. 6. Outreach In the focus groups, veterans expressed displeasure for the level and methods of outreach conducted by the County. In their suggestions for improving the County office, veterans expressed a need for greater outreach. In sum, the external assessment shows that veterans are the salt of the earth, a microcosm of the community at large, indistinguishable from others within this community. Veterans blend in with people of their community and unrecognizable because they own homes, are married, work full time, volunteer, and in general are just like others living in this community. Veterans are stable members of our community and participate in the same way as do non-veterans of our community. They are contributing to the well-being of Mecklenburg County. C. Internal Assessment 1. FY 2007 Program Review As a result of the preliminary service evaluations completed by management analysts, an initial review of service evaluations conducted by a Quality Control Team for accuracy and consistency, and Department Director feedback and response, County staff assigned to the Status of Veterans Initiative extracted preliminary general recommendations deemed relevant information for the SOVI Steering Committee. These recommendations are detailed by each service below. a. Veterans Claims Processing and Counseling 1) Set more ambitious performance targets 38

40 The review found that some performance targets are ambitious and focused on annual progress, but not all performance targets. 2) Increase the number of claims filed The review stated that there is an opportunity to increase the number of claims filed based on prior years performance. 3) Develop additional outcome measures The review indicated that this service has only one outcome measure. 4) Initiate and complete actions from previous assessments The review noted that an outside assessment of this service has been conducted within the last five years. Some, but not all, actions have been initiated or completed. 5) Establish a more proportionate staffing ratio Although the service continues to meet demand, the staffing level is trending proportionate to or less than the population served. 6) Automate the performance measure data tracking process The director is currently tracking all performance measure data manually. 7) Expedite the claims review process The demand for the service sometimes results in delays in clients being served and clients must wait. The director spends a portion of his time reviewing claims before they are submitted to the district office. b. Veterans Outreach 1) Document the number of homebound and homeless veterans The total targeted population for outreach visits is unknown. 2) Establish outcome and efficiency measures There are no outcome or efficiency measures established for this service. 3) Capture and report customer satisfaction No actual data was reported for measuring customer satisfaction with outreach. 4) Initiate and complete actions from previous assessments An outside assessment of this service has been conducted within the last five years. Some, but not all, actions have been initiated or completed. 5) Look for more opportunities to coordinate with outside agencies Informal assessments have suggested that the director look for more opportunities to coordinate with other government and community agencies to provide accessibility to the office and its services. 6) Establish a more proportionate staffing ratio 39

41 Although the service continues to meet demand, the staffing level is trending proportionate to or less than the population served. 7) Establish a customer satisfaction survey There are no customer satisfaction survey tools or data to document that customers perceive the service to be timely. 8) Look for more opportunities to enhance service delivery Look for more opportunities to enhance service delivery through further detailing of designated service officer responsibilities. The director has recently designated each service officer specific nursing homes within designated areas to conduct outreach and enhance service delivery. 2. Follow-Up Review In accordance with the process developed for the internal assessment outlined in the Process section of this report, County staff performed additional review of the Veterans Services Office based on the results from Program Review. a. Key Stakeholders Analysis County staff identified key internal and external stakeholders as follows: 1) Internal Stakeholders Social, Education and Economic Opportunity Focus Area Leadership Team chaired by General Manager Janice Allen Jackson Communications Stakeholder Committee chaired by General Manager John McGillicuddy Area Mental Health Authority Department of Community Support Services Health Department Department of Social Services Office of Strategic Organizational Improvement Veterans Services Office staff 2) External Stakeholders Carolinas Freedom Foundation sponsors the Veterans Day Parade Dowd House Advisory Council convenes on preservation of the Dowd House, which is the WWI headquarters for Camp Green in Charlotte Mecklenburg County Veterans Council a governing body for all County veteran service organizations North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs (NCDVA) Accreditation Committee advises training policy and procedures for Veterans Services Officers Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) sponsors awards ceremonies and Flags in Schools project City of Charlotte/Charlotte Area Transit System offers limited transportation services to veterans 40

42 In addition, although not considered key stakeholders, County staff identified capable community outreach locations that could be utilized to address the needs of veterans in the County. Men s Uptown Shelter Huntersville VFW Post in North Mecklenburg Downtown Vet Center VA Out Patient Clinic in North Mecklenburg Rebound a halfway house for homeless men located in downtown Charlotte Veteran service organizations Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Gold Star Wives, Ex-POWs, Vietnam Veterans, Blind Veterans Association, and Paralyzed Veterans of America Private organizations churches, senior citizen groups, and nursing homes such as Regency Retirement Village MedAssist Non-profit agency operated by volunteer doctors, pharmacist and nurses who receive and distribute free medications from pharmaceutical companies to low income citizens Employment Security Commission b. Additional Documentation and In-Depth Work County staff identified additional departmental artifacts such as client, reporting, and survey forms and client and claims data, developed process maps of the Veterans Services Office, and met with some key internal stakeholders. Findings based on additional documentation and in-depth work are as follows: 1) Staffing has not kept pace with the increased number of clients served and the number of claims processed The graphs below illustrate that from 2001 to 2006, the number of clients served has increased nearly two-fold (99.6 percent) from 4,202 to 8,386 and the number of claims processed has increased over three-and-one-half times (354.2 percent) from 887 to 4,029 14, while the number of total staff in the Veterans Services Office has increased by only one (12 percent) from eight to nine. 14 No data for 2002 on the number of claims processed. 41

43 Graph 1: Trends in Number of Clients Served, Claims Processed, and Staff Graph 2: Trends in Number of Clients Served and Claims Processed per Staff 2) The Veterans Services Office lacks reliable data entry and reporting methods. Currently, data on clients served and claims processed is recorded and reported manually using spreadsheets and forms by the Department Director and administrative assistants. Data on clients served and claims processed are reported both internally to the Office of Strategic Organizational Improvement and externally to the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs. Graph 3 depicts the total number of data entry and reporting errors from 2001 to One data entry error was counted when a number entered on a spreadsheet failed to reconcile 42

44 with a summed number in the same row or column. One reporting error was counted when a summed number corresponding to a heading in a row or column indicating an end-of-reporting period failed to reconcile with an external or internal number corresponding to the same endof-reporting period on an internal or external performance report. Graph 3: Trend in Total Number of Data Entry and Reporting Errors 3) Processes or internal workflows in the Veterans Services Office contain several deficiencies. After development of the process maps for the Veterans Services Office 15, County staff engaged in a BOLO (Be On LookOut) Analysis for analyzing process mapping and found several deficiencies in processes including: Unnecessary steps and paper records in the claims assistance process Source of delay in quality control for the claims assistance process Repetition in determining client eligibility Source of delay and unnecessary paper records in the reporting process Long cycle time for training Veterans Services Officers Long cycle time for state and federal claims review process 16 4) A majority (6) of Veterans Services Officers are either veterans or spouses of veterans. In 2007, the Veterans Services Office currently employs eight Veterans Services Officers (sometimes referred to as Counselors) and two Administrative Assistants. 5) Veterans Services Office employees are very satisfied with their employment experience. Based on the FY 2006 Employee Climate Survey Results on Veterans Services Office staff: 15 See Appendix E for the process maps. 16 This process deficiency is outside the County s control. 43