Transcript THE AMERICAN LEGION

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND
REHABILITATION DIVISION
2009 Membership Workshop
July 31, 2009
OBJECTIVES
• Overview of the National VA&R Commission
and Division
• Outline of the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Digest of Major Commission Issues and
Initiatives
• Heroes to Hometowns Program
• American Legion VA Voluntary Service
(VAVS) Program
BACKGROUND
Since its inception, The American Legion
has assisted veterans in:
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Readjusting to civilian life
Receiving VA benefits
Improving access to health care
Maintaining dignity and
self-respect
• Assuring the well-being of
spouses and children
VA&R COMMISSION STRUCTURE
Executive Section & Regional Membership
National Cemetery Committee
Internal –
• Conference Committee on Recommendations
• Committee on Certificates of Appreciation
• VAVS Committee
• Convention Screening Committee
SERVICE FIRST
VA&R emphasizes providing service first
through:
Direct Assistance – Division Staff &
Department Service Officers (DSOs)
Advocacy – Testimony, Working
Relationship with VA, & Representation on
Advisory Committees
Development of Resource Material
VA&R DIVISION STRUCTURE
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VA&R Director
Deputy Director for Claims Service
– Board of Veterans Appeals, Appeals
Management Center
Deputy Director for Health Care
– National Field Service Representatives
Assistant Director for Claims Service- handles
Claims Service area and National Cemetery
Administration
Assistant Director for Program ManagementVA Voluntary Service Program Manager and
manages VA&R Resolution Portfolio
VA&R DIVISION STRUCTURE
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Assistant Director for Health Policy- handles
environmental exposures and their pertinence
to illnesses suffered by veterans of past,
present, and service members transitioning
back into the community
Assistant Director of DOD Outreach- Program
Manager for the Heroes to Hometowns
Program
BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS
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Legion Appeals & Special Claims Unit (14 appeals
representatives & one medical consultant)
– Represent appellants before BVA
 Written Presentations
 Personal Hearings
– Medical Consultant reviews cases for purpose
of providing medical nexus statement when
warranted
– Department Service Officer Intern Program
– 3 Appeals Management Center (AMC) Staff
BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS
How
are we doing?
–FY 08
 Allowed—23%
 Remanded—36.7%
 Denied—37.6%
–Total remand & allowance rate of
59.7% is above BVA average
–7,819 appeals presented to BVA (20%
of all represented appellants)
THE VA&R DIVISION
National Field Service Representatives
•The System Worth Saving Task Force , accompanied
by Field Service Representatives, conduct site visits of
VA health care facilities and assess the state of VA
health care as a system, as mandated by Resolution
206, “Annual State of VA Medical Facilities.”
•The American Legion has published six annual
reports focusing on the medical centers in general
•The 2009 report will focus on VA Medical Centers,
Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers
THE VA&R DIVISION
VA Insurance Center – Philadelphia
Services include representation, review of files,
status reports and account assistance.
Provides insurance information and guidance
to field service officers.
Debt Management Center – Minneapolis
Representation in VA overpayment, medical debt
DEPARTMENT SERVICE OFFICERS
• Accredited, trained and knowledgeable
professionals
• DSO Schools twice per year
• Quality Reviews
• DSO Association/Seminar
VA&R RESOURCES
• VA&R Bulletins
• Publications-including pamphlets,
Guides for women, Agent Orange
benefits and about PTSD
• Upon request – staff presentation at
Department functions
VA&R RESOLUTIONS
Approximately 60+ mandates
(many with legislative intent)
involving:
• Claims and Ratings
• Medical and Hospital
• National Cemetery Administration
2009 PRIORITY RESOLUTIONS
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The American Legion Policy on Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) Consolidation Efforts
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Creation of Ad Hoc Committee to Ensure Proper
Representation of Claims Adjudicated by VA
Pension Maintenance (Management)
Centers
•
The American Legion Policy on VA Billing of
Private Insurance
•
Support Budget Reform of Annual Appropriations
for VA Health Care Funding
VA STRUCTURE
The Department of Veterans Affairs has
three Administrations:
• Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
• Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
• National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
VA IN BRIEF
• Congressionally Funded
Policy is centrally administered
Management is decentralized
• Field Operations - local delivery Regional
supervision and State operations
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The National VA&R Commission seeks
from VA:
• Improved timeliness and quality
decisions on benefit claims (VBA)
• Improved access to and timeliness
of veterans’ health care (VHA)
• Enhanced access to national and
state cemeteries (NCA)
HEROES TO HOMETOWNS
“-Care for our wounded must be our highest priority.”
Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense
Helping severely injured Service members and their families
connect with their hometown or new community
• Mission: In 2007, The American Legion and the Department of
Defense (DoD) established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the Heroes to Hometowns Program in which DoD provides
information of transitioning severely injured service members with The
American Legion which will provide outreach assistance.
• Goal: Facilitate reintegration into the community
- Restore highest functioning quality of life
- Assist in meeting long-term needs
- Educate the community; ease transition home
• Objective: Coordinate Local, State and National organizations to
match potential needs with resources.
HEROES TO HOMETOWNS
Tasks: Complement federal & state entitlements
and programs with non-governmental support to
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Welcome home celebrations
Assistance securing housing
Temporary Financial Assistance
Adaptations to vehicles and housing
Adaptive Sports
Employment Assistance
Educational Assistance
Family Support & childcare
Advocacy
Transportation Assistance
HEROES TO HOMETOWNS
Key Committee Members
-The American Legion
-National Guard Bureau
-National Association State Directors of VA
Additional Members at Committee’s discretion
Other VSOs
State Parks & Recreation Societies
US Paralympics Committee
State Dept of Labor
State Dept of Rehabilitation
Plus other Governmental & Non-governmental organizations
HEROES TO HOMETOWNS
Heroes to Hometowns Volunteer Coordinators
Pilot Program:
The American Legion &
Department of Veterans Affairs
Voluntary Service
• Coordinator works with VA Social Work office
to identify needs of transitioning service
members.
• Coordinator creates a Community Resource
Directory to match needs with resources.
HEROES TO HOMETOWNS
Heroes to Hometowns Volunteer Coordinators
Pilot Sites:
Boston
Dayton
Providence
St. Louis
Washington DC
Louisville
Phoenix
Richmond
San Diego
West Haven
VAVS PROGRAM
• The American Legion supports the Department of Veterans Affairs
Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program
• In FY 08, The American Legion was represented at 153 VA Medical
Center Facilities and had 6,105 volunteers that contributed
909,480 hours
• Based on an independent volunteer sector rate of $18.77/hr, the
total volunteer cost savings to VA is $17 million dollars
• For the first time since 2003, volunteer hours in FY 2008 increased
by 343 hours, despite losing 397 volunteers
• Average age of volunteer is 75; support is needed at National,
Department, Staff and local levels to recruit Vietnam, Gulf
War and OIF/OEF veterans to lower median age group
VAVS PROGRAM IN 2008
• VAVS Handbook was revised and distributed to all VAVS Reps/Deps
• System Worth Saving Site Visits began including field data on
Legion volunteering
• Legion Magazine did a PR story on a volunteer, citing the personal
fulfillment of volunteering and tying in national statistics
• Dispatch ran story on VA Welcome Home Celebrations, a program
to increase awareness and support of transitioning veterans
accessing their benefits and enrolling with VA
• New volunteer portal launched on national website, site below:
www.legion.org/veterans/affairs/volunteer
VAVS PROGRAM GOALS
IN 2009
• Encourage VA streamline volunteer application and training
process to be completed online (paperless)
• Create Volunteer Toolkit (Flyer, Poster, Training PowerPoint)
• Create Volunteer Online Center (All Legion Volunteer Programs)
• The American Legion Magazine dedicate an issue/cover flap to
Legion Volunteering
• National Commander Register as a VAVS Volunteer
• Promote Department Training and Recruitment Fairs
• 2009 Department Recruitment goal of 22 new volunteers
• Support the Ride to Recovery Program
Ride to Recovery
Program
• The American Legion approved Res. 19, The American Legion
Support the Ride to Recovery Program at 2009 Spring NEC
• Ride to Recovery program conducts week-long cycling trips for
military, veteran and civilian personnel to assist them during
their time of recovery and rehabilitation
• Ride to Recovery has East/West Coast, Texas and Florida rides with
hundreds of injured troops, celebrities, athletes and elected
officials
• Next cycling trip will be December 12-17 from Tampa to
Jacksonville; invite National Commander to participate in the
ride
• Ride to Recovery’s website is: http://www.road2recovery.us.com/
VA&R DIVISION
QUESTIONS?