Veterans Benefits Administration Veterans Benefits Administration Supportive Services for Veteran Families Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) (SSVF) September 20, 2011 Richard Ivy Benefits Assistance Service

Veterans Benefits Administration 2 Department of Veterans Affairs “ To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan, ” President Lincoln

Veterans Benefits Administration 3  Benefits Assistance  Compensation and Pension  Education  Loan Guaranty  Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E)  Insurance

Veterans Benefits Administration 4 Benefits Assistance Mission The Mission of the Benefits Assistance Service is to serve as advocates for Veterans, Service members, eligible beneficiaries and other stakeholders, to ensure they are knowledgeable and informed about accessing and receiving VA benefits and services. Vision Our Vision for the Benefits Assistance Service is to be the premier organization for our clients; to proactively provide information and knowledge about VA benefits and services, in a positive 21st century experience that is consistent, concise and relevant.

Veterans Benefits Administration 5  Full-time VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinators (HVOC) at 20 Regional Offices (RO) with the largest Veteran populations  Remaining RO have a part-time HVOC (with collateral duties) Benefits Assistance VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Program

Veterans Benefits Administration 66 Full-time VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinators (HVOC) at 20 Regional Offices San Juan Anchorage Honolulu Seattle Portland Togus Buffalo White River Jct. Manchester Boston Providence Hartford Roanoke Winston Salem St. Petersburg Wilmington New York Philadelphia Newark Baltimore Reno Salt Lake City Albuquerque Phoenix Denver Boise Ft. Harrison Cheyenne Sioux Falls Fargo Lincoln Columbia St. Paul WACO Muskogee Wichita Milwaukee Detroit Houston New Orleans Jackson Little Rock St. Louis Des Moines San Diego Nashville Atlanta Montgomery Indianapolis Chicago Louisville Pittsburgh Oakland Cleveland Los Angeles Huntington DC Eastern Area Southern Area Central Area Western Area Remaining RO have a part-time HVOC (with collateral duties)

Veterans Benefits Administration 7  Conduct outreach to homeless Veterans and their families –homeless shelters and stand downs –VA Medical Centers, clinics and centers –through state, tribal and local community partners –other areas where homeless Veterans may be located –Jails and prisons  Provide information and assistance on VA benefits and services including eligibility information, filing a claim, and referrals to other homeless programs for Veterans Benefits Assistance VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Program

Veterans Benefits Administration 8  “No Wrong Door” Approach –Collaboration with the Veterans Health Administration and other government and local community offices –Homeless Veterans can enter the system through one access point and receive assistance for an array of services and benefits through referrals Benefits Assistance VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Program

Veterans Benefits Administration 9 Preventing Veteran Homelessness  Pre-Discharge Program (includes Guard and Reservists) –Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) Between days of separation from active duty –Quick Start Less than 60 days remaining on active duty  Transition Assistance Program (TAP) –Access to VA benefits information prior to separating from military service  Post 9/11 GI Bill –Access to education benefits to support financial stability

Veterans Benefits Administration 10 Preventing Veteran Homelessness  Home Loan Guaranty  Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment  Resumption of benefits from date of release of incarceration –evidence of anticipated release from incarceration needed from a parole board or other official prison source dated no more than 30 days before the anticipated release of incarceration

Veterans Benefits Administration 11 Compensation and Pension  Disability Compensation –Monetary benefit paid to Veterans who are disabled by an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service –Disability may be rated from 0% to 100%, Payments made for 10% to 100%.  Disability Pension –Needs-based benefit paid to Veterans with low incomes who are permanently and totally disabled or are age 65 or older –Must have 90 days or more of active military service, at least one day of which was during a period of war

Veterans Benefits Administration 12 RatingVet OnlyVet+S Vet+S+1CVet+S+2CVet+S+3C 10%$123N/A 20%243N/A 30% % % %9741,0641,1291,1741,219 70%1,2281,3331,4091,4611,513 80%1,4271,5471,6341,6941,754 90%1,6041,7391,8371,9041, %2,6732,8232,9323,0073,082 Compensation – Current Rates Rates effective Dec. 1, 2010S = Spouse C = Child(ren)

Veterans Benefits Administration 13  Expedited claims processing –75 average days pending fiscal year 2011 target  Reporting system on homeless Veterans claims processing  Electronic “homeless” flash to properly identify homeless Veterans in our systems  VA Central Office oversight to ensure claim development and decisions are made expeditiously Compensation and Pension Claims Processing for Homeless Veterans

Veterans Benefits Administration 14Education  Post 9/11 GI Bill- (Chapter 33); August 2009  Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (Chapter 30)  Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)  Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Chapter 1607)  Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) (Chapter 35)

Veterans Benefits Administration 15 Education Post 9/11 GI Bill  Served on active duty after 09/10/01 will be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if the individual: –Served for an aggregate period of at least 90 days. –Served at least 30 continuous days and received a disability discharge.  Generally receive 36 months of benefits, but are limited to 48 months of combined benefits under educational assistance programs administered by VA  Benefits payable include: –Tuition and Fees (amount determined by months of active duty) –Monthly Housing Allowance Equivalent to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents –Stipend for Books and Supplies Up to $1,000 per year

Veterans Benefits Administration 16 Loan Guaranty  Zero downpayment loans made by mortgage lenders  VA guarantees up to $104,250  Maximum no downpayment loan: $417,000 in most areas; may be higher depending on area median price  Funding Fee (Regular Military) –1st time use 2.15% –2nd time use 3.3% –Funding fee waived for those with compensable service-connected disabilities

Veterans Benefits Administration 17  Achieve and maintain suitable employment –Evaluation of the Veteran’s abilities, skills, interests, and needs –On-the-job and non-paid work experience education or training such as certificate, two or four-year programs  Independent Living –Training in activities of daily living –Personal adjustment counseling  Coming Home to Work –Provides early intervention services to OEF/OIF Servicemembers and Veterans in accessing VR&E services  Vocational Educational Counseling –Assistance in establishing employment and educational goals when transitioning from military service Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment

Veterans Benefits Administration 18Insurance  Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance  Veterans’ Group Life Insurance –post-separation insurance which allows Servicemembers to convert their SGLI coverage to renewable term insurance  Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance –Application must be made within two years of the granting of new service- connection for a disability  Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance –Veteran must have received a specially adapted housing grant from VA. –amount of coverage equals the amount of the mortgage still owed but the maximum can never exceed $90,000

Veterans Benefits Administration 19 » Free VA health care for all rated service-connected conditions » Specially Adapted Housing Grant » Automobile Grant » Vocational rehabilitation & employment services » VA life insurance - $10,000 » Veteran’s preference in Federal hiring » VA home loan guaranty funding fee waived » Possible state and local benefits Related Benefits

Veterans Benefits Administration 20 Burial Benefits 120+ Cemeteries Nationwide  Gravesite  Opening and closing  Headstone/marker/medallion  Burial flag  Funeral honors  Presidential Memorial Certificate  Burial cost reimbursement  Perpetual care  All at no cost to the family

Veterans Benefits Administration 21 Benefits information (800) Education Benefits (888) Health Care Eligibility (877) SGLI/VGLI (800) VA Life Insurance (800) eBenefits VA Home Page VA on Facebook Affairs VA on Twitter VA on the Internet VA by Phone Resources

Veterans Benefits Administration 22 Help Your Buddy VA’s National Suicide Hotline Resource TALK (8255) 22

Veterans Benefits Administration 23 The National Resource Directory (NRD) is a Web site for wounded, ill and injured Service Members, Veterans, their families and those who support them. Find a Homeless Coordinator Resources