VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION DIVISION

1. VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION DIVISION 2009 Membership Workshop July 31, 2009

2. OBJECTIVES • Overview of the National VA&R Commission and Division • Outline of the Department of Veterans Affairs • Digest of Major Commission Issues and • Initiatives • Heroes to Hometowns Program • American Legion VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program

3. Since its inception, The American Legion has assisted veterans in: BACKGROUND Readjusting to civilian life Receiving VA benefits Improving access to health care Maintaining dignity and self-respect Assuring the well-being of spouses and children

4. VA&R COMMISSION - STRUCTURE Executive Section & Regional Membership National Cemetery Committee • Internal – • Conference Committee on Recommendations • Committee on Certificates of Appreciation • VAVS Committee • Convention Screening Committee

5. SERVICE FIRST VA&R emphasizes providing service first through: Direct Assistance – Division Staff & Department Service Officers (DSOs) Advocacy – Testimony, Working Relationship with VA, & Representation on Advisory Committees Development of Resource Material

6. VA&R DIVISION STRUCTURE • VA&R Director • Deputy Director for Claims Service • Board of Veterans Appeals, Appeals Management Center • Deputy Director for Health Care • National Field Service Representatives • Assistant Director for Claims Service- handles Claims Service area and National Cemetery Administration • Assistant Director for Program Management- VA Voluntary Service Program Manager and manages VA&R Resolution Portfolio

7. VA&R DIVISION STRUCTURE • Assistant Director for Health Policy- handles environmental exposures and their pertinence to illnesses suffered by veterans of past, present, and service members transitioning back into the community • Assistant Director of DOD Outreach- Program Manager for the Heroes to Hometowns Program

8. BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS • Legion Appeals & Special Claims Unit (14 appeals representatives & one medical consultant) • Represent appellants before BVA • Written Presentations • Personal Hearings • Medical Consultant reviews cases for purpose of providing medical nexus statement when warranted • Department Service Officer Intern Program • 3 Appeals Management Center (AMC) Staff

9. BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS • How are we doing? • FY 08 • Allowed—23% • Remanded—36.7% • Denied—37.6% • Total remand & allowance rate of 59.7% is above BVA average • 7,819 appeals presented to BVA (20% of all represented appellants)

10. National Field Service Representatives • The System Worth Saving Task Force , accompanied by Field Service Representatives, conduct site visits of VA health care facilities and assess the state of VA health care as a system, as mandated by Resolution 206, “Annual State of VA Medical Facilities.” • The American Legion has published six annual reports focusing on the medical centers in general • The 2009 report will focus on VA Medical Centers, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers THE VA&R DIVISION

11. THE VA&R DIVISION VA Insurance Center – Philadelphia Services include representation, review of files, status reports and account assistance. Provides insurance information and guidance to field service officers. Debt Management Center – Minneapolis Representation in VA overpayment, medical debt

12. DEPARTMENT SERVICE OFFICERS • DSO Schools twice per year Accredited, trained and knowledgeable professionals • Quality Reviews • DSO Association/Seminar

13. VA&R RESOURCES • Publications-including pamphlets, Guides for women, Agent Orange benefits and about PTSD VA&R Bulletins • Upon request – staff presentation at Department functions

14. VA&R RESOLUTIONS • Claims and Ratings • Medical and Hospital • National Cemetery Administration Approximately 60+ mandates (many with legislative intent) involving:

15. 2009 PRIORITY RESOLUTIONS The American Legion Policy on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Consolidation Efforts Creation of Ad Hoc Committee to Ensure Proper Representation of Claims Adjudicated by VA Pension Maintenance (Management) Centers The American Legion Policy on VA Billing of Private Insurance Support Budget Reform of Annual Appropriations for VA Health Care Funding

16. VA STRUCTURE The Department of Veterans Affairs has three Administrations: • Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) • Veterans Health Administration (VHA) • National Cemetery Administration (NCA)

17. VA IN BRIEF Policy is centrally administered Management is decentralized Congressionally Funded • Field Operations - local delivery Regional supervision and State operations

18. GUIDING PRINCIPLES The National VA&R Commission seeks from VA: • Improved timeliness and quality decisions on benefit claims (VBA) • Improved access to and timeliness of veterans’ health care (VHA) • Enhanced access to national and state cemeteries (NCA)

19. Helping severely injured Service members and their families • connect with their hometown or new community • Mission: In 2007, The American Legion and the Department of Defense (DoD) established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Heroes to Hometowns Program in which DoD provides information of transitioning severely injured service members with The American Legion which will provide outreach assistance. • Goal: Facilitate reintegration into the community • - Restore highest functioning quality of life • - Assist in meeting long-term needs • - Educate the community; ease transition home • Objective: Coordinate Local, State and National organizations to match potential needs with resources. HEROES TO HOMETOWNS “-Care for our wounded must be our highest priority.” Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense

20. Tasks: Complement federal & state entitlements and programs with non-governmental support to • - Welcome home celebrations • - Assistance securing housing • - Temporary Financial Assistance • - Adaptations to vehicles and housing • - Adaptive Sports • - Employment Assistance • - Educational Assistance • - Family Support & childcare • - Advocacy • - Transportation Assistance HEROES TO HOMETOWNS

21. Key Committee Members • -The American Legion • -National Guard Bureau • -National Association State Directors of VA • Additional Members at Committee’s discretion • Other VSOs • State Parks & Recreation Societies • US Paralympics Committee • State Dept of Labor • State Dept of Rehabilitation • Plus other Governmental & Non-governmental organizations HEROES TO HOMETOWNS

22. Heroes to Hometowns Volunteer Coordinators • Pilot Program: • The American Legion & • Department of Veterans Affairs • Voluntary Service • Coordinator works with VA Social Work office • to identify needs of transitioning service • members. • Coordinator creates a Community Resource • Directory to match needs with resources. HEROES TO HOMETOWNS

23. Heroes to Hometowns Volunteer Coordinators • Pilot Sites: • Boston Louisville • Dayton Phoenix • Providence Richmond • St. Louis San Diego • Washington DC West Haven HEROES TO HOMETOWNS

24. VAVS PROGRAM The American Legion supports the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program In FY 08, The American Legion was represented at 153 VA Medical Center Facilities and had 6,105 volunteers that contributed 909,480 hours Based on an independent volunteer sector rate of $18.77/hr, the total volunteer cost savings to VA is $17 million dollars For the first time since 2003, volunteer hours in FY 2008 increased by 343 hours, despite losing 397 volunteers Average age of volunteer is 75; support is needed at National, Department, Staff and local levels to recruit Vietnam, Gulf War and OIF/OEF veterans to lower median age group

25. VAVS PROGRAM IN 2008 VAVS Handbook was revised and distributed to all VAVS Reps/Deps System Worth Saving Site Visits began including field data on Legion volunteering Legion Magazine did a PR story on a volunteer, citing the personal fulfillment of volunteering and tying in national statistics Dispatch ran story on VA Welcome Home Celebrations, a program to increase awareness and support of transitioning veterans accessing their benefits and enrolling with VA New volunteer portal launched on national website, site below: www.legion.org/veterans/affairs/volunteer

26. VAVS PROGRAM GOALS IN 2009 Encourage VA streamline volunteer application and training process to be completed online (paperless) Create Volunteer Toolkit (Flyer, Poster, Training PowerPoint) Create Volunteer Online Center (All Legion Volunteer Programs) The American Legion Magazine dedicate an issue/cover flap to Legion Volunteering National Commander Register as a VAVS Volunteer Promote Department Training and Recruitment Fairs 2009 Department Recruitment goal of 22 new volunteers Support the Ride to Recovery Program

27. Ride to Recovery Program The American Legion approved Res. 19, The American Legion Support the Ride to Recovery Program at 2009 Spring NEC Ride to Recovery program conducts week-long cycling trips for military, veteran and civilian personnel to assist them during their time of recovery and rehabilitation Ride to Recovery has East/West Coast, Texas and Florida rides with hundreds of injured troops, celebrities, athletes and elected officials Next cycling trip will be December 12-17 from Tampa to Jacksonville; invite National Commander to participate in the ride Ride to Recovery’s website is: http://www.road2recovery.us.com/

28. VA&R DIVISION QUESTIONS?