Ad–hoc Veterans Coalition on
Sacramento County’s FY 2010-2011 Budget
Ensuring Veterans’ Access to Earned Benefits
We are a nation fighting two major wars with other possible trouble spots around the world. The frequently repetitive deployments of our armed forces are causing extreme stress on our military. The asymmetric warfare in which we are often engaged creates a much higher proportion of “invisible wounds” – post-traumatic stress syndrome and traumatic brain injury. We are fortunate that combat medicine has improved which has reduced the combat death rate compared to our prior wars. However, this battlefield success has also resulted in more survivors who are often plagued with permanent disabilities, both physical and mental. The often-imperceptible nature of these wounds frequently results in a veteran not being aware that he or she needs help for themselves and their families.
According to the American Legion, 25% of these discharged veterans will have a hidden disability (for example, post-traumatic stress syndrome and traumatic brain injury) and 15% will have a clear disability – meaning 4 out of 10 wounded warriors will have earned benefits due them. (1)
For a combat veteran to admit he or she needs help, it takes a great amount of courage for them to take the first step toward asking for assistance. They do not want to appear as needing “welfare” but they are not aware that they have likely earned substantial benefits to help them return and thrive in their civilian lives.
The first contact a discharged veteran has with the government is a critical event. Similar to the “golden hour” in medical triage, there is often only one good shot at getting a veteran reoriented to civilian life. Failure to address discharged veterans’ needs during a very fragile time can produce negative, unintended consequences. We have all seen this happen before. We cannot let it happen again!
SACRAMENTO COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE FY 09-10
Current Workload with Four Veterans Service Officers
Active Cases Pending - The current caseload average for each of the County’s four veterans service officers is 180 – 230 cases pending action from agencies responsible for housing, education and training, health care, employment, and other programs. (See Exhibit A for a listing of benefit programs and services to which veterans have earned access and which veterans service officers must be knowledgeable. Training of veterans service officers is extensive and frequent due to the evolving and complicated nature of benefits.)
Walk-in Applicants - Last year, 1250 veterans walked in to the CVSO with an expectation of slightly more than 100 a month to continue occurring for the foreseeable future. Increases in walk-in traffic are likely due to the larger number of military personnel to be mustered out because of the expected reduction in combat operations overseas.
Interviews: 4,245 in-office interviews conducted (average = 19 per workday)
Benefit Claims:1,638 disability and death benefit claims filed on behalf of veterans, dependents, and survivors
Removal from County General Assistance Program: $257,160 obtained for veterans which supplanted that amount which was being previously drawn from funding for County General Assistance
College Fee Waiver Program: 903 College Fee Waiver Program applications for dependents of disabled and deceased veterans, equaling a monetary value of $2,442,375.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY VETERAN POPULATION’S ECONOMIC IMPACT
Currently, well over 100,000 veterans, including members of our reserve forces, reside in Sacramento County. When their family size is factored in to the population, somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 and possibly more Sacramento County residents are dependent on a veteran’s earned benefits; for example, federally supported service-connected disabilities, education, job training, housing, and other programs that are needed on a timely basis. These programs, largely funded by federal dollars, have been estimated by the CA Department of Veterans Affairs to have a multiplier effect in the local economy of $6 - $7 spent for every dollar of federal support.
The Ad-hoc Veterans Coalition on Sacramento County’s FY 2010-2011 Budget appreciates the recommendation of restoration of two of the four veterans service officer positions proposed for elimination.
However, no one should be led to believe that the previously described workload, which is expected to increase due to the growth in numbers of discharged veterans, can be absorbed and handled by the two remaining positions. Some veterans and their families will have their access to earned benefits compromised as a result of reduced resources.
The insufficient access to trained veterans service officers will be on Sacramento County’s budget docket for the foreseeable future unless other avenues of resourcing are developed for the positions necessary to handle this burgeoning workload.
The Sacramento County Veterans Coalition is willing to work with the County Executive to evaluate longer-term alternative approaches to develop the resources to assure that benefits earned by veterans for themselves, their families and survivors can be obtained on a timely basis.
In the meantime, the Coalition believes one more position; that is, a contingent of three professional staff, would substantially improve the timeliness of veterans’ assistance with claim processing for earned benefits as well as coordination with other agencies for health care, housing, education, and employment.
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