MIG and Veterans Services

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MIG and Veterans Services
Fall 2009
Presentation by Laura Gallagher Watkin, Health
Disability Advocates
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Learning the Veteran System

• These systems are insular and may not know about
  your services.
• Mapping the systems is key.
• Interview key stakeholders agency staff,
  veterans, non profit staff etc..
• Learn what they see as barriers for veterans
  with disabilities.
• Educate them about services your MIG offers

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Veterans Disability Benefits System Service
Connected

• The amount of basic benefit paid ranges from 123
  to 3,100 per month, depending on how severely
  disabled and family size.
• Must have a service-connected disability,
• discharged under other than dishonorable
  conditions,
• disability must meet VA standards.
• VA determines a of disability and awards cash
  benefits and priority for health care based on
  that determination.
• Earnings do NOT impact benefits.

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VA Disability Not Service Connected/Pension

• Wartime veteran with limited income, and you are
  permanently and totally disabled or at least 65
  years old.
• discharged from service under other than
  dishonorable conditions, AND
• Served 90 days or more of active duty with at
  least 1 day during a period of war timeAND
• Countable family income is below a yearly limit.
  Single without dependants 2009 limit is 11,830
• Earnings WILL impact this benefit.

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VA Benefits and SSA Benefits

• VA Pension SSI income is exempt from the VA
  income calculation so it is possible to get both.
  BUT SSI does count the VA pension as unearned
  income so the SSI amount would be reduced.
• SSDI receipt will cause an offset in VA Pension.
• Service Connected disability payments and SSDI
  usually do not impact each other.

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SSA compared to VA

• SSA disability benefits system work impacts
  eligibility for benefits.
• SSI low income/Assets, check is reduced 1 for
  every 2 earned after 65 (work incentive
  deductions may apply)
• SSDI Trial Work Period, Extended Period of
  Eligibility etc if work over SGA consistently
  check will stop after 1 year.

• Veterans Disability Benefits determine a of
  disability work may not impact eligibility.
• Service Connected Disability work will NOT
  impact eligibility.
• NOT service Connected low income/assets, work
  WILL impact eligibility. Outreach should be aimed
  at low income veterans.

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Vocational Rehabilitation Education System

• Have received, or eventually receive, an
  honorable or other than dishonorable discharge
• Have a VA service-connected disability rating of
  10 or more
• Apply for vocational rehabilitation services
• Veterans have 12 years from the date VA informs
  them that they have at least a 10 rating for a
  service-connected disability to utilize VRE
  services
•  Similar to our state VR systems but there are
  differences ie. Stipend for living expenses.
• Can have a case with state VR and VRE

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DOL-DVOP

• Disabled Veteran Outreach Project
• In One-stops to provide personal assistance to
  disabled veterans.
• Knowledgeable about employment programs including
  those available exclusively to veterans.
• Troops to Teachers
• Helmets to Hardhats
• Self-Employment

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Mapping the Federal Veteran System in Your State

• Traditional federal veteran services
• Veterans medical center /Vet centers
• Services offered on military bases
• Agencies that assist with VA disability benefits
  application
• Education assistance New GI Bill
• Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Education
• Wounded warrior assistance and reintegration
  programs. newly disabled
• Study resources available online ex.
  www.militaryonesource.com

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Mapping the State Funded Veterans Services in
Your State

• State Veterans Services can include
• State veterans service agency VSOs may help
  with disability application
• State educational assistance programs
• Cash benefits for veterans with disabilities
• State health insurance programs for veterans
• Homeless services

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Mapping the Non Profit System for Veterans

• National Non Profits
• VA website lists congressionally chartered Non
  Profits that assist with VA disability
  applications.
• Over 400 new non profits aimed at veterans are
  started every year. Make sure that they are
  currently funding services not just a website.
• State/Local non-profits
• Through your interviews learn who is perceived as
  offering good services locally.
• Likely to find many small agencies that provide a
  targeted service USO, diveheart, therapeutic
  riding programs

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Analyze Gaps

• You will likely find many areas where the
  veterans system is not interacting with your
  state partners.
• Choose which barrier your MIG wants to address.
  For example
• VRE and VR systems operate under different
  rules. It is possible for a veteran to have a
  plan under both systems. Do these two systems
  interact regularly in your state? Does VRE
  provide information about CILs to veterans?
• Disability Specific Do efforts in your state to
  help people with TBI include veterans?

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Illinois Experience

• Focused on National Guard families. Currently has
  largest deployment since WWII and have 3,000
  soldiers returning in the next 4 months.
• To address gaps
• Will be providing training on state benefits to
  military service providers
• Will be providing training to disability service
  providers about services available to military
  clients
• Creating fact sheets summarizing how state
  benefits can interact with military benefits
  since National Guard soldiers transition in and
  out of the military and civilian systems.

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Veteran Specific Employment Barriers

• Lack of Military Friendly Employers often do
  not know how to translate military skills into
  something relevant to them.
• May be reluctant to hire veterans because of
  fears/stigma of combat-related PTSD/TBI.
• Military has providers who try to work with
  employers (ie. Employer Support of the Guard and
  Reserve).
• MIG may be able to connect employers willing to
  hire people with disabilities to these military
  partners.

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Veteran Mental Health Barriers

• PTSD and TBI are the signature injuries of the
  current conflict.
• Convincing them to access mental health services
  can be a challenge for many reasons
• Want to be tough
• Worried about the stigma of mental illness
• Concerned that it may limit their career,
  security clearance forms ask if you have sought
  counseling.
• Illinois created a state funded, private
  counseling program for veterans with PTSD or TBI
  and it is not reported to the military.

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Traditional Disability Agencies

• Important to know to what extent your
  traditional partners VR, CILs, DPN are
  interacting with veterans and what barriers they
  see.
• How many Veterans do they serve? Do they know if
  they are serving Veterans?
• What unique barriers have they encountered with
  this population?
• Would they like to be serving more Veterans?
• Are they worried that they dont know enough
  about veterans resources to serve this population
  effectively?

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Sharing Information

• MIG can help agencies be more military friendly
  by sharing resources.
• There are so many resources available about
  veterans services it can seem overwhelming. MIG
  can act as a clearinghouse and share the best
  brochures.
• Military specific service providers may not know
  how they could be working more with your system.
  MIG can provide them with information on state
  resources food assistance, child care,
  disability task force

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Useful Websites

• www.militaryonesource.com
• www.military.com
• www.va.gov
• New GI Bill www.gibill.va.gov