“Serving Those Who Served”Since 1864

Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairswww.ct.gov/ctva

Public Act 13-34

Requiring Cities and Towns to Designate a Veterans Service Contact Person. Effective 1 Oct 2013

Cities or Towns may form a local Veteran’s Advisory Committee…OR

Appoint an employee to serve as a Veterans Service Contact Person and complete an annual training course conducted by CT-DVA, OAA

Public Act 13-34 Duties & Responsibilities

Reemployment

Education

Rehabilitation

Adjustment to Peacetime Living

Coord w/Local, State & National Govt & Private Agencies to secure benefits

Coord Vocational Training Services

240,000 Veterans in Connecticut

CT VETERANS ARE:

10% of the Population45% over 65

17% are 55-59 years of age8% are Women

17% use VA Connecticut Health Care10% have Service Connected

Disabilities

Over 20,500 Connecticut citizens have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan

Connecticut

Department of Veterans Affairs

The First Home for Veterans in the Nation – Est. 1864

The Fitch HomeThe first home for disabled war veterans in the United States.Founded on July 4, 1864, it was known as Fitch’s Home for Soldiers and their Orphans.Benjamin Fitch establish the home for Civil War veterans and for Children whose fathers were killed in that war.From 1864 to 1940 the Fitch home served the needs of hundred of orphans and thousands of men who served their country in various wars.In 1940 the Fitch Home became the Connecticut State Veterans Hospital and relocated at Rocky Hill.

CONNECTICUT VETERANS HOME AT ROCKY HILLESTABLISHED 1940

ROCKY HILL VETERANS HOME“Serving those Who Served”

Over 400 veterans live at the Ct Veterans HomeFrom all of our nation’s conflicts WWII Korea Vietnam Era Gulf War Iraq & Afghanistan

World War II

Vietnam Korea

Gulf War

Iraq

Veterans’ Home at Rocky Hill, CT

Health Care Facility, 125 Beds

Residential and Rehabilitative Services, 350 Beds

Substance Abuse Program, 50 Beds

Must be a Connecticut Resident

Have An Honorable Discharge

Fee for Services Provided

RESIDENTIAL FACILITY

Focus on Homeless and Needy Veterans

BASIC SERVICES:* Food, * Clothing* Medical Care

Veteran Improvement Program * Residential Services

* Vocational Counseling and Job Placement

* Recreational Activities

* Case Management Services

* Educational Opportunities

Residential & Rehabilitation Services

Room and BoardSubstance Abuse Treatment and CounselingTraining and EducationTemporary EmploymentInteragency Work ExperienceJob Placement and AssistanceRecreational ServicesSocial Work ServicesSupportive Housing for Working Veterans

VETERANS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMSubstance Abuse Recovery at Fellowship House

* Professional Staff Program to Assist Veterans with drug and alcohol abuse problems.

* 6 months Intensive Clinical Treatment

• 6 months Residential Treatment and Support

• Vocational and Employment Support Services during treatment

• Collaboration with VA Connecticut and Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Homeless Veterans In Connecticut

1/3 of Homeless Adults are Veterans

900 in CT, 200,000 Nationwide

½ Have Mental Issues

70% Have Alcohol and Substance Abuse Problems

Poor Economy Has Increased Homeless Numbers

VA Homeless Programs

Homeless Outreach & Engagement (Find em and Fix em)

Transitional Housing

(Grant & Per Diem)

Permanent Housing in the Community

HUD-VASH Housing

Veteran Justice Outreach

Patriot’s Landing

Provides Temporary Housing, NTE One Year(5) Fully Equipped Houses, (16) BedsOIF, OEF, OND Veterans PriorityAll Other Veterans, Space AvailableCT ResidentHonorable DischargeIndependent LivingSingle VeteransFee For ServicesSmoke, Alcohol and Drug Free EnvironmentResidential Programs and Services

Sgt John L. Levitow Veterans Health Center opened Oct 2008

State of the Art Long Term Healthcare

125 Bed Facility

Infrastructure improvementsAlzheimer’s Wing

Respite CareHospice Care Therapy AreasFamily Areas

Recreation AreasInternet Café

Gov Rell Room

$11,838,343 State Funding

$21,985,494 Federal Grant

PROJECT TOTAL $33,823,838

Sgt John L. Levitow Veterans Health Center opened Oct 2008

Connecticut Veterans Cemetery System

Darien, SPRING GROVE CEMETERY Established 1884 CLOSED

Rocky Hill, COLONEL RAYMOND GATES Established 1959 OPEN

Middletown, STATE VETERANS CEMETERY Established 1984 OPEN

CT DVA OFFICE OF ADVOCACY AND ASSISTANCE“Connecting Connecticut’s Veterans to the Benefits They EARNED”

8 Service Officers authorized to assist veterans and their families to access Federal, State or Municipality Services and Benefits

CO-LOCATED with the Federal VA Regional Office in NEWINGTONAnd in EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

WATERBURY, BRIDGEPORT, NORWICH andMILFORD

CALL Vets INFO LINE 1-866-9CT-VETS or www.ct.gov/ctva

We have obtained over $45 million in new Pensions, Disability Compensation, Educational, Home Loans, Healthcare and Burial

Benefits for Connecticut Veterans and their Families

Connecticut Veterans BenefitsMunicipal Property Tax Exemptions

Education Benefits, Tuition Waiver

Financial Assistance – Soldiers’ Sailors’ Marines Fund, Temp Emer Asst Fund

Employment Benefits, Veterans Preference Points

State Employee Retirement Benefits

DMV Registration & License Fee Exemption

Honorary H.S. Diplomas for WWII, Korea and Vietnam Veterans

Connecticut Veterans Benefits

Burial in State Veterans Cemetery

CT Wartime Service Medal

Housing Preference & Home Loans

CT Veterans Registry

Military Support Program

Flag on Driver’s License, Vet’s ID

The Connecticut Wartime Service Medaland the Veterans Hall of Fame

Gov. Rell presents the Hall of Fame Medal to Navy Veteran Dr. James Sedalia Peters II

To Date over 28,000 Connecticut Wartime Medals have been awarded to our veterans

Partners in Service to Veterans

“Heroes for Hire” Veterans Job Fairs

Co-Sponsored by CT Dept of Labor and CT DVA

Thousands of Veterans meet with 200+CT companies about employment & training opportunities

Gov Rell’s Veterans OASIS Program Operation Academic Support for Incoming Servicepersons

A Public/Private Partnership Each Public College and UniversityDrop-In Room for Returning VeteransResources, Renewal, RelationshipsVeteran to Veteran17 OASIS Centers are open

CT Military Support Program

Call Center: 866-251-2913A Joint Program of CT National Guard, Dept of Veterans’ Affairs & Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Servicesoffers free and confidential counseling for:

Relationship and family issuesDepression, stress and anxietyChild and youth issuesSubstance abuse

Who is eligible for support?Connecticut Veterans of all warsand their Spouses or Significant others, Teens, Kids, Siblings, Parents, Grandparents

Veterans Administration

Veterans Health Administration, VHAVeterans Benefits Administration, VBA

West Haven and Newington Campus

Outpatient Clinic Locations:Danbury

New London

Stamford

Waterbury

Willimantic

Winsted

Veterans Readjustment Counseling Centers, (Vets Centers)

Danbury

Norwich

Rocky Hill

West Haven

VA Healthcare

Establish eligibility, VA Form 10-10EZ

Priority Groups 1 through 8 based on disability and level of income. (See Ch 1,Fed Benefits Book

OIF/OEF 5 yr VA Healthcare

Filing a ClaimContact a Veterans Service Officer

Provide all Supporting Medical Documentation

Complete a Comp and Pen Exam

Backlog, 2 yr, 1 yr,

125 day goal, End 2014

VBMS, FDC, e-benefits, My Healthevet, PMC

Be Patient

Today America has deployed over 2.4 million Armed

Forces in the current conflicts

in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Connecticut has sent 20,500 to

war since 9/11/01.

Connecticut will be ready when

they come home, just as we always

have been.

Questions ???

Connecticut Veterans Website

www.veterans.ct.gov

CT Dept of Veterans Affairs

www.ct.gov/ctva

Veterans Administration

www.va.gov