The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VA 101

have “borne the battle” VA Mission and Values Integrity VA Mission: To care for those who have “borne the battle” and for their families and their survivors. Commitment Advocacy Respect Stress the importance of focusing on our mission and embracing the values so that we set the stage everyday to provide the best of service to our Veterans. Excellence

History of VA 1921: Congress combined all World War I Veterans programs to create the Veterans Bureau 1930: Veterans Administration is established as a federal administration 1959: VA adopted the phrase, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,” from President Lincoln’s second inaugural speech given in 1865, as the official VA motto 1989: VA is established as a Cabinet-level position 2014: The MyVA Transformation Strategy begins under former Secretary Robert A. McDonald and former Deputy Secretary Sloan D. Gibson 2017: The new VA Secretary, Dr. David J. Shulkin was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 13, 2017

VA in the News “A lot of good things happen here at the VA. For example, VA medical is leading the charge in some areas and doing well.” - Muskogee, OK Employee

What Makes VA Special 5

Our Research and Innovation VA employees won 3 Nobel prizes and 7 Lasker awards VA’s Outpatient Pharmacy received the highest customer satisfaction score for 6th consecutive year Veterans give VA higher satisfaction ratings than patients at private hospitals VA is a model for healthcare organizations

Our Cutting Edge Technology VA invests in cutting-edge virtual care technologies that put the Veteran in control of their health: Clinical Video Telehealth Home Telehealth Store and Forward Telehealth Telemental Health Mobile Health MyHealtheVet Secure Messaging SCAN-ECHO Mobile Apps VA Point of Service Kiosks Stakeholder Enterprise Portal

22.2 Million 356K 32% 89% .5% 6.2% 3.7% 194K EMPLOYEES VETERANS Who We Are 89% Veterans Health Administration .5% National Cemetery Administration 356K EMPLOYEES 32% VETERANS 6.2% Veterans Benefits Administration 3.7% VA Central Office 194K Female Employees 22.2 Projected U.S. Veteran Population: Million Source: va.gov/vetdata

What We Do Job Coach Veterans Law Judge Cemetery Caretaker Chief of Radiology Social Worker Police Officer Veteran Service Representative VA Doctors Program Analyst Gardener Administrative Worker Construction Worker Engineer Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald, Communications and VA 101 to Secretary McDonald. 2014 Nurses

How We’re Organized TBD Veterans Benefits Administration Support Offices General Counsel Secretary Acting Deputy Secretary Acting Chief of Staff Board of Veterans’ Appeals Immediate Office of the Secretary Inspector General Special Staff Offices Acquisitions, Logistics, Construction Assistant Secretary for Management Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Assistant Secretary for Operations Security and Preparedness Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration Veterans Health Administration National Cemetery Administration

Veterans Benefits Administration National Cemetery Administration Our Administrations Veterans Benefits Administration VA Central Office Veterans Health Administration National Cemetery Administration

Module 2: The Services and Benefits We Deliver 12

Overview of Benefits and Services Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) Provides financial and other forms of assistance Provides health care Provides burial benefits and manages VA’s National Cemeteries

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)

VBA Facts In 2015 VA processed the highest number of disability compensation and pension claims in history – 1.4 Million claims! VBA completed 1.32 million claims in 2014 Approximately 50% of VBA employees are Veterans VBA delivered over $62.4 billion in 9/11-Post GI Bill Education Benefits to over 1.57 million Veterans and eligible family members since 2009 Over 4.5 million Veterans currently receive compensation benefits VA assisted 89,000 Veterans in avoiding home foreclosure Source: va.gov/vetdata

VBA Programs Compensation (Disability, Dependency) Benefits Include: Compensation (Disability, Dependency) Pension and Fiduciary (Disability, Survivor) Insurance (Life, Mortgage) Home Loan Guaranty Education Programs (GI Bill, Retraining, and Educational Assistance Programs) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

Common Questions About Benefits 1 What are my benefits? Am I eligible? How do I apply? What types of VBA facilities are there? 2 3 4

Regional Processing Offices (Virtual) Veterans Employment Centers Types of VBA Facilities Regional Processing Offices (Virtual) Veterans Employment Centers Regional Offices Regional Loan Centers *Regional Offices outside of the 50 States are located in Guam, Philippines, American Samoa, Virgin Island, and Puerto Rico *There is also an insurance center at the Philadelphia VA Regional Office and Insurance Center

Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

VHA Facts VHA provides care at 168 VA Medical Centers and 1047 outpatient sites of varying complexity of care The Women Veterans Call Center made 183,000 calls to women Veterans to share information about VA services they may be eligible for from FY13-FY15 VHA serves 8.3 million each year In 2015, 534,000 phone calls were answered on the Veterans Crisis Line VHA operates the nation’s largest integrated health care system Source: va.gov/vetdata

VHA Services Services Include: Dental Care Mental Health Care Long Term Care and Programs Pharmacies Chaplain Support Caregiver Support and Housing Women’s Health Care Geriatrics and Palliative Care Preventive, Primary, and Specialty Care Substance Abuse and Weight Management Programs

Common Questions About VHA What are the different types of VHA facilities available to Veterans? How do I find a VHA facility? What resources and services does VHA provide? 1 2 3

Types of VHA Facilities Community and Assisted Living Centers Integrated Clinical Facilities Fisher Houses VHA Facilities Office of Research and Development* Medical Centers/ Health Care Systems Rehabilitation Centers (“Domiciliaries”) Veteran Centers and Readjustment Counseling VA Clinics (Community Based Outpatient Clinics) *The Office of Research and Development is an office, not a facility – it has the only research program dedicated solely to improving the lives of the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

Veteran Centers Services Include: Individual and Group Counseling Liaison with VA Facilities Discharge Upgrade Information Employee Assistance Referrals Community, Social Service, and Medical Referrals Family and Significant Other Counseling VA Benefits Assistance Referrals Who is eligible for Veteran Center readjustment counseling? If you served in any combat zone and received a military campaign ribbon, then you and your family are eligible for Vet Center services. Or, if you are a victim of military sexual trauma. Veteran Center counseling records remain private!

How Do I Find a VHA Facility or VHA Resources? Interactive maps showing VA locations are available. For more information, visit: www.va.gov Or call VHA helpline: 1-877-222-VETS (8387)

How Do I Access My Medical Information?

National Cemetery Administration (NCA)

NCA Facts For 5 consecutive times NCA topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s survey of customer satisfaction NCA scored a 96 out of 100, the highest mark for any organization in the history of the American Customer Satisfaction Index NCA currently maintains 3.5 million gravesites 4.3 million Veterans and their family members have been laid to rest in VA cemeteries 75% of NCA employees are Veterans Source: va.gov/vetdata

NCA VIDEO (Use Closed Captioning) Explore NCA NCA VIDEO (Use Closed Captioning)

NCA Services Services Include: Burial Spaces for Veterans and Eligible Family Members in Any of the National Cemeteries with Available Space, or a VA-Funded State Cemetery The Opening and Closing of the Grave Perpetual Care of the Graves Headstones, Markers, and Bronze Medallions Burial Flags Presidential Memorial Certificates Construction Grants for State and Tribal Cemeteries All of these benefits are provided at no cost to the family. VBA pays a burial and plot allowance for those Veterans eligible by law.

Common Questions About NCA What burial benefits are available for Veterans and their family members? Am I eligible for burial benefits? How do I arrange for burial in a National Cemetery? 1 2 3

To learn more, visit: explore.va.gov Who is Eligible for NCA Benefits? To learn more, visit: explore.va.gov Explore VA Benefits Website

How Do I Arrange a Burial? Veterans or their family members can prepare for burial in a National Cemetery by: Providing appropriate loved ones with a copy of his/her DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from Active Military Service) Informing family members of their wish to be laid to rest in a national, state or tribal Veterans cemetery To learn more, visit: www.va.gov

Additional Services for Veterans and Their Families

How Do I File An Appeal? Why appeal a claim? The two most common reasons people appeal are (1) VA denied benefits for a disability the Veteran believes is related to service; (2) the Veteran believes that the disability is more severe than rated by VA. What types of claims can be appealed? A Veteran or dependent/caregiver can appeal a claim regarding any benefit offered by VA – disability, healthcare, or burial related. How do you appeal a claim? To appeal, a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) should be filed with VA*. Appeals must be filed within one year of the date of decision. To learn more, visit: http://www.bva.va.gov/How_Do_I_Appeal.asp *A NOD may be submitted to the local office which rendered the decision (e.g. RO, VAMC etc.). Instructions are included in the decision-notification letter.

Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) VSOs provide a wide range of support to Veterans and their dependents, including help to complete forms, understand benefits, or claim advocacy. There are two types of VSOs: A recognized or chartered VSO can legally represent you before VA for a claim A non-recognized or non-chartered VSO can provide you with information but cannot be your representative before VA 1 2 A Veteran may choose any recognized organization to help with their claim Call 1-800-827-1000 for more information or visit: http://www.va.gov/vso

Crisis Services To help a homeless Veteran, call: If a Veteran who expresses thoughts of hurting themselves text 838255 or call: Check out the award winning HBO documentary from the Canandaigua Veterans Crisis Center on TMS. It is Under TMS ID # 3891024. Veterans Press 1.

Veteran Services Outside VA There are some Veteran programs and services which are not administered by VA: Programs/Services Administration Arlington National Cemetery Department of the Army Combat-Related Special Compensation Department of Defense (Branch of Service) Concurrent Receipt Department of Defense- Defense Financing and Accounting Service (DFAS) Discharge upgrade Branch of Service Employment and Training Department of Labor- Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) Military Medals, Records, Discharge Documents (DD-214) National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) Small Business Loans Small Business Administration Survivor’s Benefits Programs, TriCare Department of Defense Veterans Preference Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Each U.S. state/territory Veterans Office may offer unique benefits