Ohio Department of Veterans Service November 4, 2015 DANNY EAKINS Military & Veteran Policy Dir. (614)

Topics Covered Functions of the Department of Veterans Services County Veteran Service Office (CVSO) structure Geographic distribution of expenditures (GDX) Resources of the Military & Veteran Policy Office Education Workforce Ohio Means Veteran Jobs

Veteran Population Per Capita

About DVS

Founded in 2008 from GOVA Director Chip Tansill Core functions: Coordinate VA programs across all levels of government Advocate for Ohio’s veterans Operate veterans homes in Sandusky and Georgetown Administer grant and bonus programs Maintain records of over 1.9M veterans

County Veteran Service Offices One CVSO in each county Independent of DVS, but DVS trains and certifies CVSO officers and commissioners CVSOs are the first place to go for help with: Retrieving military records >> DPRIS Filing a VA claim (Disability/Pension) Transporting veterans to medical appointments Applying for emergency financial assistance Burial benefits Find your local CVSO by going to:

Veterans Bonus / Military Injury Relief Fund Ohio Veterans Bonus Since 2010: 89,620 veterans received $73.2 million Persian Gulf War and Post-9/11 Wars Afghanistan Era Service is Last Period Open Military Injury Relief Fund For veterans with combat-related injuries suffered during the Post-9/11 wars One-time entitlement payment Since July: 69 applications approved, $34,500 disbursed

State Approving Authority 7 Staff Members, VA contract and funding 27,000 Student Veterans across 5 Regions Colleges, universities, technical schools $325 million in VA benefits (GI Bill/Voc Rehab)

Geographic Distribution of Expenditures (GDX)

GDX Published by U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Dollars received for: Disability compensation and pension Education and vocation Healthcare

Makeup of the $7.5 Billion

Amount of Increase 09 – Million 10 – Million 11 – Million 12 – Million 13 – Million *Source - VA Annual Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX) Report

Education Utilization # of trainees by program: Ohio Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, Education Program Beneficiaries by Geography Report: FY2000 to FY2013 and VA Annual Benefits Report Department of Veterans Affairs Education Program Beneficiaries by Geography 1 : FY2000 to FY2013 Fiscal Year Total Beneficiaries Program Name MGIB Active Duty Trainees MGIB Select Reserve Trainees Dependent Education Assistance Trainees Veteran Education Assistance Program Trainees Reserve Education Assistance Program TraineesPost-9/11 Trainees , , ,0648,9103,7871, ,4688,5884,3781, ,7948,8014,3551, ,9938,0484,1891, ,8087,9813,1191, ,1497,9062,7791,746211, ,8367,7172,6931,800211, ,3147,2502,6731,781181, ,6255,2953,1601,991111,1748, ,2793,8032,8021, , ,2962,5242,3251, , ,9591,7332,5201, ,420

Resources of the Military & Veteran Policy Office

OMVP Mission: Advocate, coordinate, facilitate, and support the establishment, refinement, and communication of policies, programs, legislation, or regulations to benefit veterans, servicemembers and their families.

Military & Veteran Policy Office Employment & Education Initiatives: - Licensing & Certification - Veteran Workforce Support - Veteran Employee Resource Groups - Private & Public Employer Partnerships - Veteran Education & Internships - College Credit for Military Service - War Orphans Scholarship Board Other Policy Areas & Interests: - Legislative Advocacy & Support - Veteran Business - Mental Health/Brain Injury (Star Behavioral Health Program) - Veteran Justice Outreach Support - Marketing & Outreach Support - Homelessness Support Military Relationships: - Military Liaison – Armed Forces Support - Joint Chiefs: Chairman’s Office of Reintegration (CORe) - Inter-Service Family Assistance Committees (ISFAC/RISFAC) - OHIOCARES - State Commission on Education for Military Children (MIC3)

Recent Legislation

Enacted State Legislation HB 64 OPERATING BUDGET (Smith) “Veteran-friendly business” designation for bidding on state contracts Codifies DPS expedited paramedic training program Increases War Orphans Scholarship funding 30% to $7,124,141. Codifies Ohio compliance with §702 of VA’s Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 Appropriates $2M per year for the Military Injury Relief Fund and expands who qualifies for grants Creates the “Women Veterans” license plate

Education

DVS/Ohio Higher Education/Veteran Organizations War Orphans Scholarship Board DAV, American Legion, VFW, AMVETS 100% in-state tuition & fees Children of KIA and severely disabled veterans FY2016: 359 new applicants, 920 total Ohio War Orphans Scholarship

2014: HB 488 Board of Regents developed standards for awarding college credit for military experience Created a military articulation and transfer assurance guide and website Public university/college faculty and staff must translate military experience into college credit Prohibits charging a fee for translation of military experience to college credit Established an appeals process re. the awarding of college credit for military experience

2014: HB 488 (cont’d) Public universities/colleges must appoint at least one contact person for veterans affairs and to adopt a veteran support policy Requires priority course registration for students who are veterans or servicemembers

Education Implementation Led by Board of Regents/Higher Ed DVS, National Guard, student veterans, faculty/staff 13 4-year universities; 24 branch campuses 23 2-year colleges 12 Military Transfer Assurance Guides Developed

Workforce

2014: HB 488 Occupation licensing authorities (attorneys, nurses, real estate brokers, etc.) prioritize applicants who are servicemembers or veterans Spouses, too Special accommodations made for applicants facing imminent deployment Private employers may create hiring, promotion, and retention preferences for veterans, service- members, spouses

Licensing Implementation Led by Office of Workforce Transformation DVS and licensing authorities agencies 50 licensure and credentialing areas & authorities Board of Nursing: 1,922 new licenses, 14,735 renewals

Ohio Means Veteran Jobs

DVS Smartphone App

Questions? DANNY EAKINS Military & Veteran Policy Dir. (614)