Department of Veteran Affairs Center for Minority Veterans Briefing for Administration on Aging

1. Department of Veteran Affairs Center for Minority Veterans Briefing for Administration on Aging May 2, 2007

2. Agenda • Congressional Mandate/Public Law • Overview of Center for Minority Veterans • Minority Demographics • Minority Veterans Program Coordinators • Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans • VA and Community Partnerships

3. Congressional Mandate November 1994, Public Law 103-446 required the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create the Center for Minority Veterans and establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.

4. Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) Public Law 103-446 defines CMV requirements • Identify laws and polices that are obstacles to access and make recommendations for improvement • Act as a resource center for information • Publicize and encourage medical research • Conduct and sponsor demographic research • Track complaints and analyze data

5. Center for Minority Veterans R. James Nicholson Secretary Gordon H. Mansfield Deputy Secretary Lucretia M. McClenney Director CMV Aleta Y. Copeland Admin. Asst. Earl Newsome Deputy Director CMV Renaee J. Allen Sr. Program Analyst African American Veterans Juanita J. Mullen Program Analyst American Indian Veterans CWV Liaison Alejandro Ramos Program Analyst Hispanic Veterans VACANT Program Analyst Asian / Pacific Islander Veterans

6. Center for Minority Veterans Mission The Center serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on the adoption and implementation of policies and programs affecting minority veterans.

7. CMV’s Responsibilities • Identify barriers to access • Conduct outreach • Site visits • Town hall meeting • Educational forums • Veterans stakeholder conferences and meetings • Promote the use of VA benefits & services • Develop statistical data base • Propose and encourage medical research

8. Who We Serve • African Americans • Asian Americans • Hispanic Americans • Native Americans - American Indians - Alaska Native - Native Hawaiians • Pacific Islanders

9. Veterans Past, Present and Future

10. Minority Demographics Veterans by Race: Census 2000* RaceNumberPercent of Total White Alone 22,573,027 85.5 % Black Alone 2,571,981 9.7 % AIAN** Alone 195,871 0.7 % Asian Alone 284,297 1.1 % NHPI*** 28,592 0.1 % Other Race Alone 367,867 1.4 % 2 or More Races 382,068 1.4 % Total 26,403,703 100.0 % Hispanic**** 1,139,179 4.3% * In Census 2000, the respondent was given a choice to mark more than one race, if applicable. Veterans in categories showing a given race alone chose only that race. ** American Indian or Alaska Native *** Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander **** Hispanics can be of any race

11. Minority Veteran Challenges • Access to medical facilities • Transportation • Availability of facilities in local area • Chronic illnesses (Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, PTSD, Substance Abuse, etc) • Disparities in health care • Homelessness • Perceived unfair compensation for disabilities • Lack of knowledge of benefits and compensation • Limited medical research • Limited statistical data

12. Center for Minority Veterans Outreach Components • Minority Veterans Programs Coordinators • Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans • Collaborative Partnerships

13. Minority Veterans Program Coordinators(MVPC’s) • Interdepartmental program (Appx 300 coordinators collaterally assigned within VHA, VBA and NCA) • Principal advisor to the facility Director • Support and initiate activities that educate and sensitize internal staff to the unique needs of minority veterans • Target and participate in outreach activities, educational and informational forums utilizing community networks • Assist the CMV in disseminating information

14. Cemetery Administrators Social Workers Contact Representatives Medical Admin. Specialists Patient Advocates Nurses EEO Managers/Specialists Veterans Benefits Counselors Chaplains Women Veterans Coordinators Recreation Therapists Prosthetics Representatives Public Affairs Officers Who are the MVPCs

15. Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans (ACMV) • Established under PL 103-446, sec 510, Nov 2, 1994 • Appointed by the Secretary • Comprised of ethnically diverse veterans • Advise the Secretary and Congress on VA’s administration of benefits and health care services • Meet with VA officials, veteran service organizations, and other stakeholders to assess the Department’s efforts in providing benefits and outreach • Make periodic site visits and conduct town hall meetings with veterans to address their concerns

16. VA AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS • Center for Women Veterans • Center for Veterans Enterprise • Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) • Health and Human Services (HHS) • Civil rights and other minority groups • State Veterans Community • Congressional Black & Hispanic Caucus • National Congress of American Indians • United South and Eastern Tribes • White House Initiative on Asian and Pacific Islanders

17. Center for Minority Veterans 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Telephone: 202-273-6708 Fax Number: 202-273-7092 http://www1.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans