Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency

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Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
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MVAA Mission Statement

• To serve as the central coordinating point,
  connecting those who have served in the United
  States Armed Forces and their families, to
  services and benefits throughout the State of
  Michigan.

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MVAA Vision

• For Michigan to be the most veteran-friendly
  state, by
• Providing the advice and assistance veterans need
  as they transition through the chapters of their
  lives
• Creating a no wrong door customer service
  culture and
• Advocating for and on behalf of veterans and
  their families.

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Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
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Veteran Population by County
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Michigans Veteran PopulationSome Basics
Michigans veteran population is one of the
largest in the United States, ranking 11th in 2013
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Michigans Veteran PopulationSome Basics
The U.S. veteran population, in general, is older
than the general U.S. population.
In Michigan, over half of veterans are aged 65 or
older.
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Michigans Veteran PopulationEra of Service
Michigans veteran population is older than that
of the U.S. veteran population as a whole, with a
significantly higher proportion of Vietnam
veterans residing in the state.
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Too often the desire to provide services to
deserving veterans stops at a Wrong Door

Service Collaboration, Coordination, and
Integration is achieved. And services are
DELIVERED.
When there is No Wrong Door
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No Wrong Door for Michigans VeteransRationale
Behind Model
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MVAA ActionInitiatives Programs the Numbers
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Veteran Community Pilots

• The pilots establish a community-based veterans
  services system of care
• characterized by a comprehensive network of
  service providers,
• empowered with knowledge, information, and tools.

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Strategy Division

• Focus Areas
• Healthcare
• Quality of Life
• Employment
• Education

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Healthcare Initiatives

• Improve access to mental health services across
  the state.
• Provide outreach to senior veterans regarding
  presumptive diseases and pension benefits.
• Have you ever served campaign.

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Key Initiatives continued

• Healthcare
• Partnerships with Community Mental Health
• Tele-health
• Transportation
• Long-term care
• Culture Education

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Healthcare Resources

• VA health care services
• Inpatient, outpatient, pharmacy, dental care,
  mental health care and other services.
• 29 facilities in Michigan
• 5 major medical facilities (Detroit, Ann Arbor,
  Battle Creek, Iron Mountain, Saginaw)
• 18 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics
• 6 Outpatient Clinics

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Quality of Life

• Expand veteran-friendly and veteran-specific
  housing resources
• Expand and support veteran treatment courts
• Identify recreation opportunities for veterans
  and their families

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Quality of Life

• Veteran Recreation Resources
• Free access to state parks for those with the
  following license plates
• 100 disabled veteran
• POW
• Medal of Honor recipient
• Free hunting and fishing licenses for 100
  disabled veterans
• Veteran-specific recreation and volunteer
  programs such as Team RWB and Team Rubicon
• Veteran sports through county and city parks and
  recreation departments and Paralyzed Veterans of
  America

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Homeless Veterans

• www.michiganveterans.com
• VA Homeless Help Line 1-877-4AID VET
  (1-877-424-3838)
• Shelter care, domiciliary care, substance abuse
  treatment, transitional housing, HUD-VASH
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families grants
• Grantees http//www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/201
  4_SSVF_Award_List.pdf

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Veteran Legal Services

• University of Detroit Mercy Law Veterans Clinic
• veteranslawclinic_at_udmercy.edu / 313-596-0235 or
  1-888-UDM-LAW4 (1-888-836-5294)
• 651 E. Jefferson, Detroit MI 48226
• Neighborhood Legal Services
• http//www.nlsmichigan.org/
• 7310 Woodward Avenue, Suite 701, Detroit, MI
  48202
• 313.964.1975

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Employment Initiative

• Employment
• Licensing and Credentialing Reform
• Entrepreneurship
• Veterans Expos
• Reboot
• Employment Council

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Education Initiatives

• Created the Veteran Education Initiative (VEI) to
  place specialists (VRRs) on campuses to help
  veteran students connect with resources.
• Assigned to VEI Campus up to 40 hours per week
• Trained to help connect student veterans
  institutional, local, state , and federal
  resources/opportunities
• GOAL Working with higher education institutions
  to help them create veteran-friendly campuses.

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Key Initiatives continued

• Education
• Credit for experience/ fast-track programs
• Veteran Friendly Campuses
• Connections to the community
• In-state tuition for veterans
• VA Choice Act Compliance

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Higher Education Trends

• Influx of student veterans to higher education
• Enrollment in Community Colleges or Vocational
  Institutions on the rise
• Post-9/11 G.I. Bill expanded benefits
• Complex transitions to civilian life and life
  with disability

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Higher Education Trends

• Students with military experience make up about
  4 of undergraduate students.
• Compared to traditional undergraduate students,
  veterans tend to be older and are more likely to
  be non-white.
• Although only seven percent of the armed forced
  were women in 2006, 27 of all student veterans
  in 2007-08 were women.
• Around half of undergraduates with military
  experience received veterans educational benefits
  at public four-year universities. In 2007-2008,
  12 percent of military undergraduates attended
  for-profit institutions, which is a rate three
  times higher than traditional undergraduates.

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MI Higher Education Trends
Source US VA Certifier Benefit Utilization
reports, includes dependents (Chap 35)
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MI Higher Education Trends
Source US VA Certifier Benefit Utilization
reports, includes dependents (Chap 35)
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MI Higher Education Trends
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MI Higher Education Trends
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MI Higher Education Trends
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MI Higher Education Trends
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Veteran Friendly Campus- What Do Veterans Need
on Campus??

• A veteran friendly campus offers veterans
• A experienced school certifying official to
  assist with administering VA Education Benefits
• Has an active and engaged SVA Chapter
• Offers veterans a designated meeting place
• Has a Veteran Resource Center and/or Coordinator
• Military Credit for College Credit and Prior
  Learning
• Joint Services Transcript and CLEP
• Faculty Staff and Administrators who are aware of
  the needs and challenges of student veterans
  (non-traditional students)
• Disability and Counselling Services-
  Consideration of TBI and PTSI

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Questions?