OOhio Department Of Veterans hio Department Of Veterans ServicesServices

County Veterans Service Offices

April 14, 2010

County Veterans Service Offices / Commission

• Mission – To provide assistance to veterans and their family members.

• Guidelines for assistance and operations are defined by each Veterans Service Commission (VSC) within the provisions of the ORC 5901.

• Policy and procedures for daily operations are determined by the VSC.

County Veterans Service Offices / Commission

• Generally Five Member VSC.

• Members are Selected from Local Veteran Organization’s Recommendations.

• American Legion, AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and one at large veterans organization.

• Judge Appoints each VSC for a Five Year Term.

County Veterans Service Offices / Commission

• Locations – At least one office in all 88 Ohio Counties.

• Funding – Based on .5 of a mill per dollar on the assessed value of the property of the county. – Available funds significantly vary by county (Cuyahoga

County $16 Million Vs Vinton County $76,000 in 2009)

• Local staff size and level of support also vary significantly.

County Veterans ServiceOffices

• Number 1 Resource for Local Veterans Needs

• VA Disability Claims and Pensions.– Appeal VA Claims.– Claims Follow-up

• Application for Federal Veterans Benefits – Medical Care– Burial Benefits– Survivor Benefits– Home Loan Guaranty– Education Benefits - Montgomery GI Bill

County Veterans Service Offices

• Transportation to VA Medical Appointments

• Financial Assistance Program

• Linkage to State Veterans Benefits– Employment Training– Ohio War Orphans Scholarship – KIA Service Member Spouse Tuition Waiver– Hunting / Fishing / Boating License– Special License Plates– High School Diploma Program

County Veterans Service Offices

• Veterans Referral Support– Ohio Cares (Mental Health)– Vet Centers (Mental Health)– Inter Service Family Support– Educational Assistance– Employment (Local and Ohio Job Family Services)– Medical Assistance– Homeless Programs– Local Veterans Organizations– Ohio Veterans Home

County Veterans Service Offices

• Military Discharge Appeals

• Request for Military Records.– National Archives– Ohio Department of Veterans Services.– Federal Department of Veterans Affairs– Ohio National Guard Library– Various Other Military Records Depositories

• Military Awards

Basic Statistics & Measures

Ohio Currently has the 6th Largest Veterans Population in the Nation.

Rate of Increase06 – 07 405 Million07 – 08 533 Million08 – 09 874 Million

What Makes Up The 4.3 Billion

How Does Ohio Stack Up – (2009)Total VA Expenditure Per Veteran

1. West Virginia $9,3752. South Dakota $5,9953. Arkansas $5,8354. Oklahoma $5,6725. New Mexico $5,4366. Mississippi $5,2727. Nebraska $5,1848. Maine $4,9409. Alabama $4,80910. Kentucky $4,806

11. Ohio $4,794

Mid West32. Wisconsin44. Illinois47. Indiana50. Michigan

Large States40. Pennsylvania30. California23. New York21. Florida12. Texas

Rate of Increase07 – 08 151 Million08 – 09 251 Million

Rate of Increase06 – 07 65 Million07 – 08 144 Million08 – 09 170 Million

How Does Ohio Stack Up?

Pension Vets Per Pension Claim National Rank

2006 66.88 19th2007 63.18 17th2008 59.71 11th2009 58.49 10th

Dollars Per Pension Claim National Rank 2006 $8,670 9th2007 $9,186 11th2008 $9,635 6th2009 $10,461 6th

How Does Ohio Stack Up?

Compensation

Vets Per Compensation Claim National Rank2006 11.83 46th2007 10.95 45th2008 10.42 46th2009 9.88 46th

Dollars Per Compensation Claim National Rank 2006 $8,090 49th2007 $8,547 49th2008 $9,047 48th2009 $9,830 45th

Local EconomicStimulus

• Compensation and Pension $1.3 Billion– Tax Dollars (How Many Times Do They Flip?)

• Medical Care $1.6 Billion– Mental Health Services (Vets and Family)– Jobs ?

• Education and VOC Rehabilitation $111 Million– Federally Funded

• Home Loans• Small Business Incentives

Lake County Pop Budget

SpentComp & Pension

Education & Voc Rehab

Insurance & Indem

MedicalCare

Total VAExpenditure

2006 21,963 $1,155,114 $15,588,000 $1,404,000 $1,409,000 $19,871,000 $38,272,000

2007 21,026 $1,201,189 $16,757,000 $1,652,000 $1,546,000 $22,893,000 $42,848,000

2008 20,471 $1,269,563 $19,439,000 $1,446,000 $1,481,000 $24,814,000 $47,181,000

2009 19,912 $1,265,097 $22,435,000 $2,698,000 $1,545,000 $28,336,000 $55,013,000

$16.7 Mil

Dollars Invested Dollars Returned

2009 $1,265,097 $55,013,000 = 43 to 1 Return

Our MissionOur Mission“To Actively Identify, Connect With, and

Advocate for Veterans and Their Families”

OOhio Department Of Veterans hio Department Of Veterans ServicesServices

Enhanced PartnershipsEnhanced Partnerships

• Cleveland VA Regional Office• VA Healthcare System Network VISN 10 & 11• Ohio State Association of County Veterans Service Officers• Ohio State Association of Veterans Service Commissioners

• Various State Departments• State and Federal Legislators• Veterans Service Organizations• County Commissioners Association of Ohio• Plus Many Others..

““Wouldn’t it be nice if we had the Wouldn’t it be nice if we had the name and address of every veteranname and address of every veteranliving in the State of Ohio.”living in the State of Ohio.”

Direct Marketing / OutreachDirect Marketing / Outreach

Direct Marketing / OutreachDirect Marketing / Outreach• Over 400,000 Ohio Vets located as of 1 March 2010• Adding approximately 20,000 new Vets a month

• Primary Data Sources• Sharing Agreements BMV / ODJFS • Scanning DD 214s• Continuing to Expand Sources

• ODVS Website• Veterans Organizations• State Agencies• Plus Many More

• Created in conjunction with

the Ohio Department of Development.

• County Veteran Services Network

• Standard Message• State Wide Phone Number

Indirect Marketing Indirect Marketing

• County Veterans Service Offices • All Public Colleges and Universities• State Government

• Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services• Ohio Dept. of Agriculture• Ohio Dept. of Rehab and Corrections• Plus Others

• County Commissioners Association of Ohio

• Ohio Association of Police Chiefs• County Auditors Association of Ohio• Ohio Fire Chiefs Association• Ohio Association of Career Colleges and

Schools

Early Poster DistributionEarly Poster Distribution

• County Commissioners Association of Ohio, Ohio

Recorders Association, Ohio Library Council, Ohio Assoc. of Community Action Agencies, Ohio United Way, Coalition of Homeless and Housing in Ohio, Ohio Assoc. of Second Harvest Food Banks, Ohio Township Association, Ohio Association of Police Chiefs, Ohio Fire Chiefs Association, Ohio Chief Probation Officers Association, Assoc. of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio, County Auditors Association of Ohio, County Engineers Association of Ohio, Ohio Association of Municipal/County Court Clerks, Ohio Municipal League, Ohio Association of Community Colleges, Ohio Assoc. for Adult and Continuing Education, Ohio Assoc. of Career Colleges and Schools

Early E-Poster DistributionEarly E-Poster Distribution

1-877 Ohio Vet1-877 Ohio Vet

Early Returns

2X

February March

Table Top Display Table Top Display Cards Cards

Drop Box Postcard Drop Box Postcard • Postage Paid Post Card

• E-mail Address• Branch of Service

• Ideal for..• County Fairs• Doctor Offices• Any Place People Wait• Works with Table Top Display Cards / Poster

The Ohio Council of The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants Retail Merchants

• Working To Formalize A Relationship• Drop Box Postcard• Over 25 Companies Have Expressed an Interest in

Working With ODVS.• Wal-Mart• Target• Best Buy• Giant Eagle• Kroger• Lowes• Plus Many More…

Tracking and MeasuringTracking and Measuring

• 1 (877) Ohio Vet Phone Number• By County Tracking

• Ohio Department of Veterans Service Web Site• By County Tracking

• County Self Reporting

• Drop Box Post Cards

In The Works!! In The Works!!

• Web Site Redesign (Job Posted)• Large County Coordination Meeting (April 16th) • Ohio OIF / OEF Bonus Outreach• Public Service Ads• Facebook Page• Ongoing Networking

• ALS /Parkinson’s / Cancer

US. Department of

VeteransAffairs Claims

Process

ACCREDITATIONS

Communication Challenge Communication Challenge

CVSO

VADevelopmen

t

ServiceOrg’s

RatingDecision

What Are the Issues ……- No Overall System for Feedback- All CVSOs Do Not Get Rating Decisions - No Quick Corrections of Claims- No Feedback for Training – Training Focus- Lack of Best Practices – ID Common Errors - VA / VSO may Not be Legally Allowed to Communicate with CVSO- Access to the Phone Room or IT Alternative- Overall Breakdown of the Communication (VARO/VSO/CVSO)

VA Phone Center

VARater

Veteran

ACCADATIONS

Communication Challenge Communication Challenge

CVSO

VADevelopmen

t

ServiceOrg’s

RatingDecision

What We Are Working On……- Open the Lines of Communication- Expedite the Corrections of Claims- Improve Claims Input Quality (Feedback & Training)- Establish Best Practices – ID Common Errors- Accredit CVSOs with Veteran Organizations- Provide Rating Decisions Directly to CVSO- Improve Access to the Phone Room or IT Alternative

VA Phone Center

Veteran

VARater

ODVSLiaison

Cleveland VAROCleveland VAROCompensation Checklist Compensation Checklist

For Fully Developed Claims• Reduce Claims Preparation Errors.• Links Claims Preparer to Claim.• Expedites the Compensation Claims Processing.• Quick Claims Corrections Process.• Claims Quality Feedback to ODVS.• Allows ODVS to Provide Rating to preparer • Encourages preparer to provide a higher quality of

input.

Training Improvement Training Improvement CommitteeCommittee

• Formed to Conduct a Formal Review of CVSO and VSC Training Programs.

• OSAVSC, OSACVSO, and ODVS.• Multiple Meetings over 4 Months. (Jul – Oct)• The New 2010 Training Policy. • A Policy is a Policy.

County Veterans Service County Veterans Service Office Accreditation Office Accreditation

• ODVS Certification and Training – American Legion– VFW– AMVETS– VVA

• Working with Other Vet Service Organizations• National CVSO

– Highly Recommended– Accreditations Course In Ohio - May 2010– Continuing Education Credits

County Veterans Service County Veterans Service Office Staff Training Office Staff Training

• Mandatory CVSO Testing Every Five Years.• Established Mandatory Training Subjects• Replaced District with Regional Training Format.• Eliminated Alternate Training Credit. • Increased New Commissioners Training.• Annual Training Strategic Planning Session.• ODVS Training Position.• Enforcement of Standards.