Your WA State Department of Veterans Affairs

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Your WA State Department of Veterans Affairs
Working with the WDVA to Engage and Serve Veterans
Alfie Alvarado Deputy Director, WDVA
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WDVA Vision Statement
We Trust our military to protect our
freedoms. Our military veterans and their
families can Trust their Washington State
Department of Veterans Affairs to Serve as
their advocate for all VA  entitlements Help
Heal their seen and unseen wounds of war Give
Help to the homeless Provide quality Care in our
Veterans Homes and Honor veterans in their final
resting place. Our Commitment is to always be
worthy of that trust. The Values and Goals of
the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs are
built into this statement and support our Mission
of Serving Those Who Served
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What Has WDVA
Done For Veterans
Lately?
http//www.dva.wa.gov/
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Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) and
Reintegration Action Plan

• Partnership with military bases with two WDVA
  staff imbedded in the WTB Soldier
• Coordinate with partners for a seamless service
  member handoff to other states, VA claims work,
  and counseling before the service member is
  discharged

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Program

• State funded program
• 35 professionals deployed throughout the state
  who care for 1,200 veterans and family members at
  no cost and no visit limit
• 50 are family members (including kids) and 168
  are active duty

http//www.dva.wa.gov/ptsd_counseling.html
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Veterans Conservation Corps

• Works with over 70 habitat restoration programs
  such as salmon recovery, replanting forests, and
  cleaning up streams
• Designed for veterans living with PTSD or other
  effects from their service experience
• Volunteer program has evolved into a 10-month
  environmental certificate program that will
  enable veterans to work or establish business in
  environmental restoration and other green
  enterprises

• Environmental Certificate Training Program
  
• Returning military veterans can pursue a career
  in environmental restoration/conservation,
  receive a monthly stipend of 1,000, and use
  other education benefits such as their GI bill
  and Washingtons veteran tuition waivers
• Ten-month program will be located at Renton
  Technical College and Green River Community
  College as part of the Veterans Conservation
  Corps, with classes beginning in September 2007

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• Coalition composed of WDVA, the Office of the
  Superintendent of Public Instruction, US
  Department of Education, WSU, all active duty,
  reserve and national guard reps and businesses
• Working together to serve and celebrate military
  kids
• Focusing on kids enables us to serve the family
  as a whole which contributes to a better adjusted
  family. Deploying resources to veterans without
  focusing on the family will not have the impact
  as working holistically with the entire family

http//www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/home.a
spx
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Veterans Innovations ProgramDefenders Fund

• You may be eligible for a one time emergency
  grant of up to 1000.00 IF
• You are a current or former WA National Guard or
  Reservist
• Served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraqi
  Freedom, or Noble Eagle and
• Are experiencing financial hardships in
  employment, education, housing, health care or
  other areas due to extended deployment

http//www.dva.wa.gov/Vet_Inn_Pro.html
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Veterans Innovations ProgramCompetitive Grant

• The Competitive Grant Program goes beyond the
  initial emergency assistance provided through the
  Defenders Fund, and focuses on activities that
  will help veterans and their families obtain
  sustainable family-wage employment
• Applicants must have served in Operation Noble
  Eagle Operation Iraqi Freedom and/or Operation
  Enduring Freedom or awarded a Global War on
  Terrorism Expeditionary or Service Medal

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Homeless Veterans Programs

• Department of Labor Women Veterans Homeless
  Reintegration Grant
• Department of Labor Rural Homeless Veterans
  Reintegration Grant
• Department of Labor Urban Homeless Veterans
  Reintegration Grant
• Building 9 For Veterans with 40 transitional
  assistance beds
• Emergency funding through the revenue

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Veterans Family Fund
Will provide direct grants for emergency
financial assistance and activities that promote
long-term financial stability Funded with
interest earned by Veterans Family Fund
Certificates of Deposit Grants will be made
beginning in 2008 as the fund receives the
interest from CDs that have matured
http//www.veteransfamilyfund.org/
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Incarcerated Veterans Re-Entry Services (IVRS)

• Implemented in King County in 1998
• Veterans who are referred to this program receive
  drug and alcohol treatment and mental health
  services, housing and employment
• Recidivism rate is currently at 10 while those
  not on the program reoffend at a rate of 45
• Program was also implemented in Pierce and Clark
  Counties in 2007 and 2008 respectively

http//www.metrokc.gov/dchs/csd/veteran/JailProjec
t.htm
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Veteran Owned Businesses Project

• Registry established in 2007
• Honors veterans by promoting their businesses and
  products statewide
• Statewide list of Veteran/Service Member Owned
  Businesses
• Access to 15 m link deposit program designated
  for veterans businesses

http//www.dva.wa.gov/BusinessRegistry/default.asp
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Veterans Services Organizations Auxiliary Member
Training

• WDVA is investing to train traditionally female,
  non-veteran organizations on veterans
  benefits and expand outreach particularly to
  rural communities
• 2 successful conferences resulting in 15 new
  service officers

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DSHS Aging and Disability Administration

• Collaboration with DSHS Aging and Disability
  Administration to identify veterans and spouses
  on Medicaid and other social services programs
• Apply for all possible benefits for which they
  are eligible resulting in cost shifting to the
  federal government, allowing DSHS to reinvest the
  savings on other needy non-veteran citizens

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Veterans Services Organizations Contracts

• Provides training to veterans services
  organizations statewide to provide claims
  preparation in their immediate communities
• Established a performance system for service
  officers
• Result is to prepare a claim with no gaps so that
  the VA review and approval process is seamless
  minimizing denials and expediting approvals

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Veterans Estate Management Program (VEMP)

• Responsible for managing the financial affairs of
  610 clients
• Clients are declared incapable by the VA or
  Social Security Administration to manage their
  financial affairs
• WDVAs most important homeless prevention program
  

http//www.dva.wa.gov/estate_management.htm
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Special License Plates
Disabled Veteran
Medal of Honor
Army
Navy
New No special plate feeRenewal not required
Former POW
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard
National Guard
New 40 plus standard licensing feesRenewal
30 plus standard licensing fees
Purple Heart
Pearl Harbor Survivor
New No special plate fee Renewal fees apply
http//www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/speciald
esign.htmlmilitary
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Reduced Hunting and Fishing License

• Veterans 30 service connected disabled (or 65
  and older with a service connected disability)
  are eligible for 5.48 Freshwater, Saltwater and
  Shellfish/Seaweed Combination license
• Veterans 30 service connected disabled (or over
  65 with a disability) are eligible for hunting
  licenses at half the resident fee. Physically
  disabled veterans must also apply for the Hunter
  Companion Card

https//fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/
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Recreational Park Passes

• America the Beautiful National Parks and
  Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Replaces Golden
  Pass)
• No Charge
• Available to U.S.citizens or permanent residents
  with permanent disabilities (need VA disability
  award letter)
• Provides access to Federal recreation sites that
  charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee
• Valid for Lifetime of pass holder 

• Disabled Veteran Lifetime Pass
• Offered to Washington state residents with a
  documented service-connected disability of at
  least 30 percent
• No Charge
• Free camping/moorage, campsite reservations
  through State Parks central reservations system,
  watercraft launching, trailer dump. Valid
  year-round.

http//www.parks.wa.gov/passes.asp
http//store.usgs.gov/pass/
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Reduced Transportation Fees
The Regional Reduced Fare Permit offers
discounted transportation for the
following Community Transit Metro
Transit Everett Transit Pierce
Transit Intercity Transit Seattle Waterfront
Streetcar Jefferson Transit Skagit
Transit Kitsap Transit Sound Transit Mason
Transit Washington State Ferries
Must be at least 40 service connected
http//transit.metrokc.gov/tops/accessible/reduced
_fare_permit.html
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Other State Benefits

• Employment Preference RCW 41.04.010, RCW
  73.16.010
• Educational Benefits Reduced tuition at certain
  state universities and community colleges
• Re-employment and Layoff Rights US Dept of
  Labor-VETS, 1-800-487-2365 or Employer Support of
  the Guard and Reserve, 1-800-336-4590
  http//www.dol.gov/elaws/vets/userra/mainmenu.asp
• Widow/Widowers Property Tax Assistance Dept of
  Revenue, 360-570-5873 http//dor.wa.gov/docs/pubs/
  prop_tax/fs0051widowwidowersgrantprogram1-06.pdf

http//www.dva.wa.gov/claim_services.htmledben
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State Veterans Homes
Spokane Veterans Home 222 E. 5th Ave Spokane, WA
99202 100 beds Skilled nursing
Washington Veterans Home 1141 Beach Drive
E. Retsil, WA 98378 259 beds Skilled nursing,
assisted living, and domiciliary
Washington Soldiers Home 1301 Orting-Kawposin
Hwy Orting, WA 98360 183 beds Skilled nursing,
assisted living, and domiciliary
http//www.dva.wa.gov/washington_state_veterans_ho
mes.html
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State Veterans Cemetery - Spokane

• A State Veterans Cemetery will fill a significant
  gap in services for nearly 140,000 veterans
  living in Eastern Washington, and their families
• It will provide a valuable service already
  available to veterans residing in Western
  Washington

• Proceeds from the Armed Forces License Plates
  will help pay for ongoing maintenance of the E WA
  State Veterans Cemetery
• Buy yours today at any local licensing agent!

http//www.dva.wa.gov/eastern_wa_vet_cemetery.html
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Thank You!
Please visit our website at
http//www.dva.wa.gov/
1-800-562-2308