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It’s an ongoing struggle–connecting veterans with the benefits they’ve earned.
The Veterans Community Action Team (VCAT) was first introduced in Lower Michigan as part of Governor Rick Snyder’s Regional Prosperity Initiative.
It’s goal–to help veterans close the gaps that separate them from getting assistance.
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Director Jeff Barnes said, “There are a lot of changes in eligibility that occurs on a pretty regular basis at the Federal level, so if you don’t look full time to the VA, you probably aren’t aware of it. We want to make it easier for veterans that may have served during different periods to come into contact with a service provider that can help them when there is an expansion in their eligibility or a change in the services that we can offer.”
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency is holding a series of meetings with local service organizations to start bridging those gaps.
The first of those meetings was held in Houghton Tuesday.
They also hope to learn from the success that the region has had in providing veteran’s services.
Barnes said, “If you were to look at the U.P., away from the rest of the state, it would actually rank number two in overall utilization of benefits when compared against the other 49 states, which is pretty exciting. So, there are a lot of good lessons learned that we can take from the U.P. veteran’s service providers and take it down state so that we can better service those veterans as well. So, I think it’s going to be a win-win.”
Additional meetings will be held in Harris and Sault Ste. Marie.
Here is the original press release:
LANSING, Mich. – More than 30,000 veterans in the Upper Peninsula will have easier access to comprehensive health, employment, education and quality-of-life opportunities thanks to a collaboration that brings together local, state and federal resources and services.
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency is expanding its Veterans Community Action Team program to veterans and their families living in Michigan’s Prosperity Region 1, which includes all of the U.P.’s 15 counties.
First introduced in Metro Detroit (Region 10) and West Michigan (Region 4) in 2013 as a part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s Regional Prosperity Initiative, VCATs focus on identifying solutions for gaps in veteran services, reducing duplication of efforts and simplifying connections with local resources.
Local organizations who would like to participate in the VCAT program in Region 1 are encouraged to attend one of three initial planning meetings taking place in Houghton, Escanaba and Sault Ste. Marie. The meetings will be held on:
· Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Magnuson Hotel Franklin Square Inn (820 Shelden Ave. in Houghton).
· Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Island Resort and Casino (W. 399 US-2 in Harris).
· Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Michigan Army National Guard Armory (1170 E. Portage Ave. in Sault Ste. Marie).
“Veterans service organizations throughout the U.P. are already doing great work on behalf of the men and women who have served our nation, but the trouble is, many veterans simply aren’t aware of these resources,” MVAA Director Jeff Barnes said. “The VCAT program is all about creating partnerships between local service providers, community organizations, state agencies and even the federal VA to help one another better meet the needs of veterans and their families in every part of the state.”
More than 30,000 veterans live in Region 1, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the total population in the area. Forty-three percent of veterans are aged 65-84 and women veterans account for 9 percent of the veteran population, the highest in the state.
Region 1 also ranks first among Michigan’s 10 Prosperity Regions in total VA expenditures, with veterans receiving an average of $7,780.
“By connecting veterans and their families to the benefits they have earned – and the many other services offered right where they live and work – the VCAT program can set them up for success throughout every chapter of their lives,” Barnes said. “Veterans Community Action Teams create a strong network of community collaboration to ensure that no veteran ever feels alone when so many local resources are available to them.”
The VCAT program was created by Ann Arbor-based Altarum Institute, which works with MVAA and community partners to discern veteran needs and available resources.
Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator Michael Bachand then connects service providers to one another to improve the delivery of services to veterans, working with a network of county veterans service officers, non-profit agencies, veteran service organizations and state government agencies to provide assistance to veterans in Region 1.
VCATs also work in conjunction with 800-MICH-VET (800-642-4838) – MVAA’s 24/7 hotline that is integrated with Michigan 2-1-1 services – to connect veterans with services at the federal, state and local levels.
For more information about the planning meeting, contact Bachand at Bachand@micounties.org.
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About the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency: MVAA serves as the central coordinating point for Michigan veterans, connecting those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and their families, to services and benefits throughout the state. Learn more at MichiganVeterans.com or call 800-MICH-VET (800-642-4838).
