Veteran Community Partner Network M. J. Hodgins, Director of Community Development Veteran Community Partner Network A VA Community Veteran Engagement Board (CVEB) & Illinois Joining Forces Veteran Support Community of the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Catchment area, NE Illinois-SE WI

Veteran Community Partner Network (VCPN) History The VCPN began as an Advisory Group to a SAMHSA Federal Grant to build community-level support for service members, veterans and their loved ones. Due to a reduction in funding, Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation was developed to augment and eventually take over the work started under the grant.

We Are a Community Gathering Place for Veterans and loved ones regardless of status We Are Professionally Trained Veteran Peer Specialists linking SMVF with resources. We Develop and Offer Programs for Service Members and Families

HEALING THE WOUNDS OF PTSD AND MORAL INJURY We educate the community and providers at all levels on military culture and the unique issues that can arise: Clinicians Clergy and Chaplains Police and Fire Teachers/Schools Community members Managing the Memories of War Becoming a Military Friendly School PASTORAL CARE AND MINISTRY WITH VETERANS HEALING THE WOUNDS OF PTSD AND MORAL INJURY Serving Military Families FIRE CHIEFS SYMPOSIUM: OUR WARRIORS’ NEEDS Becoming a Military Friendly Law Enforcement Agency Call to Action: Introduction to Serving those Who’ve Served These providers and others became our resource network for those we assist, and active members of our VCPN. In May of 2017, we became the area CVEB and the Veteran Community Support Group for Illinois Joining Forces.

Collective Impact Conference Insights Establishing a Shared Culture Presented by Sydney Rogers Using Insights from the Collective Impact Cross-Sites Study to Improve Your Impact Long-time existence as a collaborative Recent transition to CVEB status The increase in member resource organizations over time Two sessions actually gave me insights and guidance for next steps for our VCPN. Terri Akey & Sarah Stachowiak, ORS Impact Lauren Gase & Sopie Openheimer, Spark Policy Institute

Success means moving from an Advocacy Mindset to Collaborative Mindset Lesson #1: “Establishing a Shared Culture” Our VCPN members: - Business Education Community organizations Government Military …and more All VCPN members: Serve the SMVF population in their own unique ways CI groups need a collective culture: Breaking down silos and building collaboration. Collective Impact vs individual greater outcomes requires collaboration, vulnerability. Success means moving from an Advocacy Mindset to Collaborative Mindset Plan: Recognize and applaud individual org successes that add to the collective’s success Emphasize ways to support one another and build collaborative opportunities Encourage inviting additional resources and individuals to join the collective effort Varied cultures Different operational structures/ perspectives SMVF Support Health Employ- ment Benefits Support Networks/ Activities Legal Basic Needs

Keep at the forefront the common principles and goals of the group: Plan: Keep at the forefront the common principles and goals of the group: Membership in the Veteran Community Partner Network (VCPN) is open to those who have a desire to assist and/or have understanding of the service member, veteran and family, and willingness to use their experience/expertise to encourage the military population and offer help with their specific and unique needs. VCPN members partner with LCVFSF to:      1. Disseminate information about our respective resources and organizations 2. Seek partner collaborations and opportunities  3. Enhance and broaden the military and veteran resource network.  "We are advocates that collaborate to share and support the LCVFSF vision and objectives to grow and maintain a no-wrong door Veteran support community.”

Lesson #2: "When Collective Impact has an Impact” Identify various types/levels of outcomes that can be measured to determine the impact of a collaborative movement and the importance of doing so (see their graphic below). Benefits of identifying these changes: Guidance going forward: what worked, what didn’t, what to do next Encouragement to continue for members and the group Ammunition for individual organization and group funding Create increased awareness of the needs of the SMVF population, locally and nationally, to influence change

We are not alone!!! Other organizations also struggle with data collection due to limited Catch 22!! Funders require data but don’t fund to acquire it Plan: Next Step: Identify the changes as a result of the VCPN collective effort. Share a summary of the CI conference with VCPN members and need to focus on development of a plan to capture impact of the group. (Completed 5/16/18) Prep/plan for next meeting where members will discuss mutual data collection points and tools - Review data collection tools available - Work with Illinois Joining Forces and UniteUs, NVI - Ask members to share their input and resources - Identify a committee to develop and implement a data collection system for the VCPN

Our gratitude to: NVI, for providing the opportunity to attend this “impactful” conference and the great reception, and to All the other representatives from fellow Veteran orgs who shared their experience, knowledge and camaraderie.