Veterans Report. Understanding the Issue: Purpose of the MAC Veterans Subcommittee

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1 Understanding the Issue: Veterans Report Purpose of the MAC Veterans Subcommittee The MAC Veterans Subcommittee was established by President Mattie McKinney- Hatchett to review veterans services in Michigan and recommend optional models for counties that may improve veterans services statewide. Members of the MAC Veterans Subcommittee o Garth Wooten, Oakland County o Michael Seals, Kalamazoo County o Joseph Sancimino, Arenac County o James Tamlyn, Emmet County o Harold Mast, Kent County o Bill Dilts, Gratiot County o Bernie Lang, Menominee County o Dennis Jacobson, Gogebic County o Vaughn Begick, Bay County o Richard Fortier, Alpena County o James Moore, Chippewa County o Richard Keenan, Midland County o Bud Norman, Branch County o David Maturen, Kalamazoo County o Robert Houtman, Barry County o John M. Johansen, Montcalm County o Robert Wagel, Cass County o Gary Taylor, Wexford County o James Leigeb, Midland County o Steven Williams, Livingston County o Gary Roy, Lapeer County o Richard Schmuckal, Leelanau County o Lowell Souder, Roscommon County o James Tamlyn, Emmet County Statutes Governing County Veterans Services (attached as addendum) o Veterans Relief Act, PA 214 of 1899 o Indigent Burial, PA 235 of 1911 o County Department of Veterans Affairs, PA 192 of 1953

2 Delivery of Veterans Services in Michigan and the County Models Veterans receive services in Michigan through a myriad of ways. The state maintains the Veterans Trust Fund, which issues needs-based grants to veterans for temporary assistance based on recommendations from a local Trust Fund board. In addition, the state makes grants to veterans service organizations (VSO s) to work on VA benefits for Michigan veterans. County services to veterans vary widely from county to county. Counties are directed by state statute to maintain a Soldiers and Sailors Relief Fund for the purpose of making grants to indigent veterans and their families. Counties are also required to provide a burial allotment of $ to indigent veterans upon the request of the family. Statute allows counties to maintain a county veterans officer to help veterans and separate statute allows counties to establish a department of veterans affairs. The extent to which a county offers veterans services in the various forms that state law allows depends upon the need of the veteran population, the availability of other sources of help, such as state and VSO activity, funding availability, and the whether the county has planned strategically for veterans services. Successful counties have learned how to use these acts in an efficient manner. There are three basic models for county services. Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act Many counties use this Act strategically to offer basic services to indigent veterans. This model is the cheapest on paper, but does not provide veterans with the array of services they may need, and veterans may present themselves to the county in other, more expensive settings, such as court, jail, or hospitalization. Using this method can be successful, but it relies heavily on the VSO s in the county, in addition to private and non-profit services to help veterans get the benefits and services they need. Robust private and non-profit service networks are present in the counties that use this model effectively. Part Time County Veterans Service Officer Many counties use this model to varying degrees of success. County veterans service officer s training, hours of service, budgets, and organization vary widely across Michigan. Usually, the county officer keeps regular but part-time hours at the county building and takes veterans by appointment or by walk-in. The officer can then help the veteran find the services he or she needs by directing him or her to service providers, using the county soldiers and sailors relief fund, or connecting them with other resources. Many county veterans service officers are also able to work on VA benefit claims. This model can be very useful if the county veterans officer keeps regular hours, has good contacts, and is well organized. Most counties use some variance of this model.

3 County Department of Veterans Affairs In this model, counties offer veterans services through a county department of veterans affairs. This is a professional, full-time operation with expertise in veterans services, VA benefit preparation, case management, and service coordination. Clearly, this model requires a commitment by the county board of commissioners to fund veterans services on the order of a department. Contract for Services One final model has been deployed in one county. Ottawa County has contracted to a private entity to provide veterans services for the county. This unique model is relatively new and the county is still gathering data to determine its success. One note must be made, the county was able to contract with retired Department of Human Services personnel for the services, so there was an advantage of experience gained through the contract that may or may not be available to other counties considering this option. In addition, the county is actively measuring outcomes in order to determine successes and areas that require improvement. Any county not already measuring its veterans services outcomes against its expectations should consider doing so regardless of the model it uses. The County as the One Stop Shop It is the finding of this committee that veterans services are best coordinated at the county level, with support coming from various levels of government and private agencies. Veterans needs vary widely across the human services, healthcare, legal, educational, and government sectors. Counties uniquely touch all of these wide ranging disciplines, doing so at the more personal local level. This situation should allow the county to act as the one-stop shop for veterans service coordination between state and federal governments, educational institutions and workforce training, state and county health and human services agencies, the court, and other service providers. The county veterans service officer should act as the operator on the switchboard of services into which a veteran needs to be plugged. The local nature of county government allows the county veterans service officer to tailor services as needed to each veteran, and to specialize his or her office according to the strengths and weaknesses of the services available in the county. County level service coordination also allows counties to work together to improve services, offering many benefits regionally, such as mental health, public health, workforce development, and even veterans service officers/departments. County coordination of benefits does not translate into a cost increase at the county level. Certainly, counties have a myriad of services that must be maintained, and ethics and today s economic climate and dictate that the county board must be

4 judicious with money entrusted to it by the people it serves. County government continues to lead in the realm of government reform, and better coordination of benefits already available through community mental health, MIWorks!, the county health department, the court, the VA, transportation networks, substance abuse, and a host of private agencies will likely lead to positive outcomes for veterans and reduce the dependency on these services later. Counties must, measure outcomes, set goals, and work inclusively in the area of veterans affairs. The services exist, but they must be coordinated in a meaningful way for the veteran to benefit from them. Veterans Courts This committee heard a presentation by Judge David Jordon of Ingham County regarding his veterans court. The court attempts to intervene in a veterans life through alternative sentencing, community placement and treatment programming, and mentoring to help end the cycle of veterans in our jails and prisons. The program provides court ordered services to veterans who are getting into trouble with the law, and is often the first contact with help a veteran may have since returning from war. Legislation governing veterans courts was passed this year by Rep. Damrow (R-Huron County). HB 5162, now PA 335 of 2012, sponsored by Rep. Damrow, authorizes circuit and district courts to establish veterans treatment courts designed to provide a treatment program for veterans who are substance abusers or mentally ill. The bill creates a uniform framework for the specialty court but does not create or require any additional veterans courts. Michigan currently has five veterans courts. In light of the apparent success of the pilot program in Ingham County and the new legislation, veterans courts deserve a look by both county boards and the circuit court. When doing so, counties should look at available services, measuring outcomes, and return on investment as well as discussion with Ingham County on its pilot project. Remaining Challenges Despite these recommendations, many challenges remain. Funding, of course, is always an issue when dealing with programming for people in need of services, whatever those may be. Coordination, although the focus of this report, must be vigilantly sought for the many services available to veterans to be useful to those needing the service. Finally, benefit claims sent to the VA must be quickly moved through the process and the backlog cleared. Funding for services available to veterans must be maintained and even increased in light of the increase in war veterans coming home from the middle east. Many services used by veterans are also used by the general public (education, DHS services, mental health), but most human services programs have been reduced in recent years.

5 Nonetheless, we must do our best with the resources given to provide the most efficient coordination of services possible so that not a dollar is wasted. This committee recommends increased VA benefit filings on behalf of veterans who qualify, and supports the concept of state grants to counties for veterans service officers and for other services to veterans. $200,000 is available as grants to counties in the fiscal year 2013 state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs budget. This is a great start and a recognition by the state of the good work counties are doing for veterans in Michigan. Additional funds for staffing county veterans offices and for training county veterans officers that are not accredited must be found. The state has traditionally provided $50,000 per year for training for county veterans counselors, insuring that any county counselor that wishes to, can attend the MACVC conference and become accredited. This appropriation is vital, and has resulted in 85 of 116 county veterans officers with accreditation today. Counties should encourage their counselors to attend this training and become accredited. Finally, in order to maintain an appropriately staffed veterans office, this committee recommends amending PA 214 of 1899 to allow a portion of the up to 1/10 mill to go toward administration and staff. Coordination of services has been the theme of this document. It must be said, however, that a failure to stay focused on this most important issue will result in wasted time and money. More importantly, it will result in the failure of our society to care for and heal those who gave their innocence and youth protecting us. Coordination of services by the county has been documented here, but coordination between the state, federal VA, and the county must also occur. What innovative programming could occur with grants from the state and/or federal government? How could lives improve if we could speed up the VA benefit process? We are starting to answer these questions. The VA process in Detroit is improving, the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has been a great partner and is working with us to request grants for counties in the state budget. How can county boards and the Michigan County Veterans Counselors Association work more closely on veterans issues? Private agencies and veterans service organizations also play key roles statewide, and share the same goals of helping our veterans come home and get the services they need. By most accounts, the VA in Detroit has been all of the things soldiers don t need. It has been cumbersome, slow, bureaucratic, and has a long backlog of cases. It is, however, improving. The federal government has increased funding to the VA, and as a result the VA in Detroit has increased its caseworkers and is making progress on its caseload backlog. We must concentrate on how we can help the VA increase benefits to veterans in Michigan by training competent county and veterans service organization caseworkers to limit the mistakes that slow down the process. Getting the

6 federal benefits deserved by Michigan s veterans to Michigan s veterans would greatly improve our overall veterans services situation. Close Services to Michigan veterans run the width and breadth of our extensive health, human services, educational, legal, and governmental systems. Getting these available services to veterans is the key to improving our system. Counties are the ideal unit of government to coordinate those services, in conjunction with partners at the federal and state government, the veterans services organizations, and private agencies. Doing so in a smart, person-centered, and measurable fashion will insure improved results, a bigger bang for the buck, and ultimately allow us to help more veterans get the services they need. Below are the PAs that are referenced in the above report: FUNERAL EXPENSES OF VETERANS-Act 235 of 1911 VETERANS' RELIEF FUND-Act 214 of 1899 COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS-Act 192 of 1953