California Action Plan for Reintegration of Veterans

http://boxer.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?gpiv=2100079180.1353542.402&gen=1

ABOUT THE SENATOR CONSTITUENT SERVICES ISSUES & LEGISLATION PRESS CONTACT

- - - - - NEWS FROM BARBARA BOXER, UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA - - - - -

October 20, 2011

Dear Friend:

California veterans can now get personal assistance in obtaining state and federal benefits, thanks to the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet).

CalVet works with individual veterans to assess their needs, answer their questions, and help them get connected with the benefits they have earned and deserve.

To get started, just fill out a simple registration form, and a Veterans Services representative will contact you to begin providing personal assistance. To download a form, click here or visit the CalVet website at www.calvet.ca.gov. You can also obtain a postage-paid mail-in version of the registration form by calling CalVet at 1-877-741-8532.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senato

Oct 19, 2011 Meeting Invitation to the Napa and Solano County Collaborative for our Military and Their Families

Oct 19, 2011 Meeting
Invitation to the Napa and Solano County Collaborative for our Military and Their Families
Where:
Employment Development Department
320 Campus Lane
Fairfield, CA 94534

Wednesday October 19, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM PDT

Greetings!
You are invited to the Napa and Solano County Collaborative for our Military and Their Families meeting.

The Napa and Solano County Collaborative is an open forum promoting the exchange of information and resources for the care of military, veterans and families. We support building fully integrated partnerships of Federal, State, Local, and Community Services.

Please feel free to invite someone and to forward this invitation. We appreciate community support to get the word out for our Collaborative and expand our knowledge of veterans' services and resources in Napa and Solano County. Thank you for your help in spreading the word about this great networking opportunity.

Following our guest presentations, we invite all attending to briefly introduce their organizations, announce upcoming events, services, programs and resources. Please bring at least 30 business cards and brochures to offer to other attendees.

Lunch Provided

For questions or to RSVP, please email napasolanocollaborative@gmail.com or contact Lisa Rich at 707-260-9749

Sincerely,
Lisa Rich
Napa and Solano County Collaborative for our Military and Their Families
napasolanocollaborative@gmail.com
707-260-9749 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 707-260-9749

California Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families, Oct. 22, 2011-10am to 12Noon

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND: Saturday, October 22 · 10:00am - 12:00pm

California Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families

Brandman University - Sacramento Valley Campuses
3001 Lava Ridge Court, Suite 250, Room 118
Roseville, California

The Collaborative is an open forum promoting the exchange of information and resources for the care of our military, veterans and families. Interested service providers, veteran organizations and community programs that provide support for active duty, veterans, the National Guard and Reserves, wounded warriors and military families are encouraged to attend. The region includes Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Tuolumne, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties. The meeting provides networking and an informational program to facilitate our working together.

Please distribute far and wide. Thank you for your help in spreading the word about this great educational and networking opportunity.

10:00 a.m. Opening/Welcome – Bobbi Park, Sacramento Valley Local Interagency Network Coordinator (LINC) CalVet Connect, California Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Services Division.

10:05 a.m. Self-introductions: (your name and the organization you are representing.)

Guest Speakers

10:15 a.m. Guest Speaker: Dave Mahler, President and Founder, USA Together.

11:00 a.m. Announcements: Upcoming Events, Services, Programs and Resources. (Bring business cards and brochures to share.)

In collaborative partnership with the vision of the California Statewide Collaborative for our Military and their Families: "Building fully integrated partnerships of Federal, State, local and community." ~ Mary Ellen Salzano.

Directions: From Interstate 80, take the Eureka Road exit. Turn left on Lava Ridge Court and follow to roundabout to find parking lot. Enter double doors; take the stairs directly to your right or the elevator to your left.

2011 Sacramento Valley Collaborative Dates:
December 10 - Guest Speaker: Paige Jenkins, Women Veterans Advocate

We are currently looking for 2012 guest speakers... please contact bobbi.park@calvet.ca.gov

Attn Veterans: Gold Country Stand Down September 27, 28, 29 Placer County

http://placercountystanddown-org.doodlekit.com/home/placer_county_stand_down

	Any Placer County Veteran, especially the Homeless Veterans and their families and significant others are sheltered throughout this event.
	Included for all attendees: food; personal care (haircuts, personal care supplies, clothing); picture ID services; health care screening (HIV/AIDS, TB, Hepatitis C, etc.); health care services (actual health care professionals will provide services); eye care; dental care; VA benefits counseling; general benefits counseling (Social Security, Food Stamps, local health and human services); substance abuse counseling & recovery groups; mental health counseling; legal services; employment services (job referrals, employment counseling); housing services (referrals to programs); spiritual services; activities to empower homeless veterans and create a “community” (town meetings, tent leaders, open mike, entertainment, graduation) Location: Roseville Fairgrounds 800 All America City Blvd. Roseville, CA

Sacramento Veterans Service Office SAVED!!!

HEY GUYS WE DID IT,

THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISIORS RE-INSTATED ALL 4 VET REPS AND 1 CLERICAL. THANKS TO ALL YOU VETS THAT CAME ON TUESDAY AND SHOWED THEM YOUR SUPPORT

AND WE THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pass the word The Sacramento Veterans Service Office is HERE TO STAY!!!!! Congratulations to JAN, JOSH, BRUCE, DEL AND RICHARD!!

6/17/10

Close to forty veterans showed up with their caps on to persuade the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors last Tuesday to keep the VSO office intact.

A staffer said that seeing a boatful of veterans in the chamber was quite impressive. It has been a long time since that has happened in a Sacramento public hearing. We are proud and thankful to everyone that showed up.

We also share our gratitude with the Project Team:

Don Harper: Lead

Bud Lee

Col Jim Krump

Gary Ross

Barbara Ross

Save our Sac County Veterans Services! Meet at 700 H Street, Sacto at 1:00pm on 6/15

To the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, the general public, and the greater Sacramento Veterans and their families:

I am writing as the recently retired County Veterans Service Officer for the County of Sacramento to express my concerns regarding the proposed 2010-2011 fiscal year budget reductions that would entail eliminating the (4) Veterans' Claims Representative positions in the Department of Human Assistance. These (4) positions also represent what is commonly known as the County Veterans Service Office (CVSO).

It is my understanding that the Department of Human Assistance has evidently determined that the vital services provided by these county employees can easily be shifted to the numerous veterans' service organizations. Please be advised that the local post/chapter service officers and the national service officers located at the Mather VA Medical Center would be unable to absorb the significant workload increase and demands for services and simply stated, they do not possess the capability or program mechanisms required to effectively case manage the following:
* The "State Mandated Welfare Referral Program" which requires county eligibility workers to refer veterans and their dependents who have applied for public assistance programs to their respective County Veterans Service Office for a VA benefit entitlement determination interview.
* State legislation enacted during 2007 which requires county mental health clinics to refer veterans seeking mental health treatment to their respective County Veterans Service Office for assistance.

DHA has also evidently determined that a county only needs to have an appointed County Veterans Service Officer to meet the State Department of Veterans Affairs requirements to receive revenue allocations. The State Department of Veterans Affairs allocates $9,000.00 per fiscal year to counties that have appointed a CVSO, but the majority of the Subvention Program allocation (approximately $75,000.00), is predicated on workload units (i.e., disability and death claims, etc.) and Sacramento County would not be eligible for this allocation under DHA's scenario of only having a CVSO whose primary function is to refer veterans and their dependents for services as opposed to a CVSO with (4) supporting Veterans' Claims Representatives that provide the necessary advocacy and claims filing services.

The term collaborative efforts has been used with respect to addressing the budget deficit and it is my opinion that any collaborative efforts need to start with our own county employees. Prior to my retirement in January of this year, I had the opportunity to meet with Paul Lake, DHA Interim Director and other DHA Executive Management members. I discussed with them and submitted a recommendation and a generic referral form that entailed the requirement that any veteran or their dependent that applies for a "County Only Public Assistance Program" must be referred to DHA Veterans Services for a benefit entitlement determination interview.

DHA Veterans Services has made great progress with respect to the General Assistance Program, but this concept also encompasses the County Medically Indigent Services Program and all requests by veterans and their dependents for county health services. As an example, DHA Veterans Services implemented performance measurement criteria beginning with the 2008-2009 fiscal year that focused on veterans who had applied for County General Assistance. Our efforts resulted in approximately $300,000.00 in VA disability benefits being awarded to these veterans, getting them enrolled in the VA Health Care System and other support programs versus utilizing county health clinics, and getting them off County General Assistance benefits and assisting them in obtaining their self-sufficiency, since many of them were homeless veterans. I strongly believe that the cost avoidance factor to the county general fund would increase significantly if similar performance measurement criteria were implemented and applied to other county only programs and staff in those program components were held accountable in an effort to ensure that veterans and their dependents were properly referred and interviewed.

There are other collaborative initiatives that should also be implemented:
* Collaboration with the Volunteers of America, Salvation Army, and other social service agencies with respect to applying for VA Homeless Grants that would also encompass the vital support services that DHA Veterans Services provides to the homeless veterans' population.
* Collaboration with the veterans' service organizations regarding increased marketing and promotion of the Veterans' License Plate Program. Sacramento County receives revenue allocations from the
sale and renewal of these specialized plates and the State Department of Veterans Affairs has recently added monetary incentives to the program. Establish a separate budget revenue account for this revenue allocation program and stipulate that all revenue earned from the sale of these plates be used solely to fund DHA Veterans Services.

I also believe that you need to think outside of the budget balance sheet and ask yourself this question, "What is the real net county cost amount to fund the services provided by these (4) Veterans' Claims Representative positions?"s Please also consider the following:
* The VA will input over $200 million to Sacramento County veterans receiving disability benefits and survivors of veterans receiving death benefits during the current fiscal year. Sacramento County
ranks 5th in the state regarding this monetary category and the (4) subject positions and those before them definitely contributed to this factor.
* The advocacy and claims filing services provided by these (4) positions will result in over $3 million in new benefits obtained for veterans and their dependents during the current fiscal year. The State Department of Finance has previously stated that a certain portion of each dollar in benefits obtained by a County Veterans Service Office for veterans and their dependents goes into the county general fund in the form of sales tax, property tax, etc. Based on this assumption, it would only require $.09 of each dollar obtained for veterans and their dependents for Sacramento County to break even on the $268,373.00 appropriation to fund these (4) positions.

In conclusion, any reductions below the current authorized staffing level for DHA Veterans Services would only negate the proven cost avoidance parameters that have been established over the years. Instead, efforts should be taken to re-evaluate the service delivery system with priority given to those services that have a direct impact on county general fund cost, while increasing earned revenue allocations under the Subvention, Medi-Cal Cost Avoidance, the Veterans' License Plate programs. The veterans' community of Sacramento County has earned and deserves the highest quality of service that these (4) Veterans' Claims Representative positions provide. A service with a proud tradition that dates back to 1946.

Thank you for your continued support regarding Veterans Services and for considering the information contained in this correspondence. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if any additional information is needed.

Jeffrey A. Pealer
Retired Sacramento County Veterans Service Officer

Tell Sacramento County NO to cutting Veteran Services on Tuesday, June 15th at 1pm

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Sacramento County will hold its Budget Hearings for Dept of Human Services. There is a Proposal to CUT Veterans Services in Sacramento County. YOU CAN TESTIFY or at least SHOW UP to support veterans.

PLEASE ATTEND and Stand up for our Veterans ...

June 15, 2010 @ 1 PM - 700 H Street, Sacramento 95814-1298 (Mapquest.com for directions)

Pass the word. Let our 115,000 Veterans in Sacramento County know there will be a hearing ON THIS DAY.

PLEASE PASS ON THE INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES:

From the Director of DHA Sacramento County:

In my most recent update to you, I mentioned that the County has to fill a $120 million budget gap in the coming fiscal year. As part of that effort, DHA has identified the impact of cutting another $7 million from our General Fund.

Deciding which of our remaining and equally critical programs to cut is a very difficult task. To guide my decisions, I relied on the creativity of our staff and management team and on some guiding principles formulated by stakeholders with whom we met earlier this month (see my March 18 update for details).

Meet our mandates first, particularly those that provide cash aid and benefits to children and families and to indigent adults. Our proposals do not cut CalWORKs, Food Stamps, or Foster Care, and they keep in place our ability to meet mandates in General Assistance and CMISP.

Look for ways to reduce overhead costs. We continue to look for ways to reduce our General Fund lease costs. For example, we will be moving some non-General Fund programs to the Senior Nutrition building in West Sacramento, which will save significant General Fund costs and preserve other client services and County jobs.

Reduce and consolidate management – I have proposed deleting 3 management positions – one immediately and two after we fully transition Mather Community Campus and Senior Nutrition to new sponsors, no later than this fall. This is in addition to the Deputy Director position I am deleting on June 1. All Division Managers will report to the remaining Program Deputy.

Cut funding to discretionary programs with the highest General Fund attached. I am proposing to eliminate most of the remaining discretionary General Fund we have left:

• Senior Nutrition Services – I am proposing to eliminate all General Fund support effective July 1, when we expect a new provider to take over the program. (Annual General Fund Savings - $1.3 million)
• Homeless Programs – I am proposing to eliminate all General Fund support effective October 1. We are working to find other funding to pay for the staff needed to complete next year’s funding application for the Homeless Continuum of Care, without which Sacramento County risks losing 3,000 shelter beds. (Annual General Fund Savings - $2.2 million)
• Veteran’s Services – I am proposing to eliminate all Veteran’s Service Representatives in this program. This will be very difficult for the many veterans in our community, but counties are only mandated to have a single Veteran’s Services Officer. We are exploring other possible sources of funding for these positions. (Annual General Fund Savings - $200,000)

Look at flexible mandates – In General Assistance, Food Stamps, and CMISP, we are proposing to provide services in new ways that will allow us to save General Fund costs and still meet our mandates. We will be discussing these changes with your Represented Employee Organizations (REOs). (Annual General Fund Savings - $4.5 million)

Maintain discretionary functions that minimize risks and liability, or that prevent higher costs in mandated programs – GA Employment Services is a discretionary program that makes possible a time limit on benefits, without which our General Fund costs would be much higher than they are. We are proposing changes to this program that will reduce our General Fund costs and still allow us to meet our mandates relative to time limits. Details will follow our discussions with your REOs.

Fund discretionary programs and functions that save General Fund by collecting revenues, reducing liability, or helping people get off aid. - We are proposing changes to Disability Case Management and Sanction Control that will reduce our General Fund costs and still allow us to get clients on programs other than General Assistance. We are also preserving Program Integrity, which does not have significant General Fund cost and has demonstrated cost savings to all of our programs.

Preserve discretionary safety net services for the most needy and vulnerable – We are working diligently to find sustainable service models for our crucial community service programs, with success at Mather Community Campus and with promise in Senior Nutrition and Homeless Programs. We are also exploring alternative financing sources for Veteran’s Services and hold out hope for success.

Below are the details for recommended position deletions, by program. In total, I am proposing cutting 51.4 full-time equivalent positions. We anticipate being able to transfer about 16 others from Homeless Services, Senior Nutrition, Veteran’s Services, and CMISP to various existing programs. We will also be proposing programmatic changes to General Assistance, Food Stamps, GA Employment Services, Disability Case Management, and Sanction Control that will allow us to transfer another 98 or so employees out of the General Fund. We will be discussing these changes with your Represented Employee Organizations.