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If you know a veteran, please forward this issue to them (you can sign up for my mission reports here). There are some important updates, resources and information they can use. In this Update:
Expanded Access to Benefits for PA Disabled Veterans
A new Pennsylvania law that went into effect last month exempts 100% of disabled veterans’ benefit payments from income calculations for any Commonwealth program or benefit. Act 27 of 2024 ensures veterans who receive disability compensation will not have those payments counted against them when applying to programs such as the Real Estate Property Tax Exemption, the Educational Gratuity Program, the Veterans Temporary Assistance Program and the Military Family Relief Assistance Program. The exclusion also applies to unspent veterans’ benefit payments and is extended to the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran upon that veteran’s death. Grants Awarded to Area Organizations to Help with Veteran Homelessness
Last month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced more than $800 million in grants were awarded to help homeless and at-risk veterans through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) programs. In our region, recipients included the PA Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, Inc., which serves many counties, including Senate District 25’s Centre, Elk and McKean counties, and Soldier On of Delaware, Inc., which serves several counties including Senate District 25’s Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties. PA Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. received $435,737 in GPD funding and $3.86 million in SSVF grant funding; Soldier On of Delaware, Inc. received $4.22 million in SSVF grant funding. SSVF program funding is used to rapidly rehouse veterans and their families, prevent the imminent loss of veterans’ homes or identify more suitable housing situations. The GPD funding allows organizations to provide veterans with transitional housing and case management, including connecting eligible veterans to VA benefits, community-based services and permanent housing; PA Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. will be using its GPD grant to focus on helping women veterans. Guitar For Veterans Program Helps Veterans Cope with PTSD Through Music
Last month, a story on the WTAJ-TV website caught my eye. WTAJ reported about a musical program for veterans — Guitar for Veterans (G4V) – that is helping those who served deal with their PTSD. There are more than 130 chapters of G4V across the country; in Pennsylvania, there are chapters in Altoona, Butler, Pittsburgh and Lebanon, but the national non-profit organization is expanding and looking for more volunteers to start new chapters. If you’re just interested in learning to play guitar, the one-on-one lessons are free for all veterans and run for ten weeks. The organization also has a cyber chapter that allows veterans to enroll in the G4V program free of charge and complete 11 weekly online private lessons. These lessons are individualized and designed to help veterans learn guitar at their own pace. Upon completing the 11-week program, veterans will receive a new acoustic guitar and all the accessories needed to continue playing the instrument. You can learn more about the cyber program here. Claims Predators Want to Prey on Your Benefits
More veterans are getting VA health care and benefits than ever before, which also presents opportunities for scammers to commit fraud against veterans and their families. There are companies and individuals, not accredited by VA, offering claims assistance services and charging hefty fees when they do. There are also individuals and companies who are misleading veterans to think it is okay to exaggerate disability symptoms to get higher disability ratings. These are what the VA refers to as “claims predators”; they aggressively prey on veterans’ benefits through various channels such as mail, telephone or online platforms. They try to take advantage of veterans and their beneficiaries by using high-pressure tactics, sharing misleading information and making false promises to convince veterans to sign up for their services. These services usually come at a high cost to veterans with little to no actual benefit. Always verify the legitimacy of the individual or company before providing any information. Remember: you should never pay a fee to file an initial claim for benefits; it’s unlawful for anyone to charge a fee for preparing an initial claim. Only VA-accredited attorneys, claims agents and VSO representatives can lawfully assist veterans with their initial benefits claims. You can find VA-accredited claims agents, attorneys and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) here. These individuals and organizations are recognized by the VA, having established the good character and competence necessary to navigate the VA benefits system, ensuring veterans and their beneficiaries receive the benefits they have rightfully earned. To learn more about fraud scams and how to safeguard your benefits, visit the Protecting Veterans from Fraud website. There’s also the new government-wide website – VSAFE.gov – and call center (1-833-388-7233) designed to protect veterans, service members and their families from fraud and scams. VA Redesigns Burn Pit Registry
In response to veteran and service member feedback, and to help reduce the burden of participating in the registry, the VA redesigned its Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, i.e. the Burn Pit Registry. The Burn Pit Registry is a database that combines veteran and service member data to help the VA better understand, research and ultimately improve treatment for the health challenges faced by veterans exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits during their military service. According to the VA, veteran and service member data provided to the registry is accessible to select VA epidemiologists, researchers and institutional review board-approved researchers, with the data to be used to conduct medical and public health research to improve treatments, predictive medicine, decisions related to presumptive conditions, and targeted proactive and preventative care. The VA notes that if you enrolled in the registry any time before the launch of the redesign, you will be automatically rolled into the new registry. Additionally, if you deployed to an eligible theater of operation or location for specific time periods, you will be automatically included into the registry; this includes deceased veterans or service members who meet the eligibility criteria. You can opt out of the registry by visiting the registry webpage and submitting an opt-out form. For more information about the registry, you can check out the registry webpage or contact your local Environmental Health Coordinator. Veterans Job Listing
Every week, the Pennsylvania Nation Guard Associations updates its free job board with good openings for National Guard members, veterans and their families across Pennsylvania and in nearby states. The board features nearly 10,000 employment and internship postings. What are Vet Centers?
I’ve been asked this question by several of my fellow vets and feel it’s important to provide an answer to those who haven’t reached out yet. VA Vet Centers provide free and confidential readjustment counseling for War-Zone Veterans and their families, World War II to the current Global War on Terror. Vet Centers are small, non-medical, counseling centers conveniently located in our region. They’re staffed by highly trained counselors and team members dedicated to seeing you through the challenges that come with managing life during and after the military. Our region is served by the DuBois Vet Center, which is one of 12 Vet Centers in Pennsylvania and over 300 across the country. Whether you come in for one-on-one counseling or to participate in a group session, at Vet Centers you can form social connections, try new things, and build a support system with people who understand you and want to help you succeed. The Dubois Vet Center’ website is designed to provide veterans, family members, and community partners the ability to see what services the center offers, as well as the center’s Community Access Points with a picture of the entrance so first time visitors have a frame of reference to help guide them in. From my time in the State House through my current position, I’ve had a strong relationship with the Dubois Vet Center. They have helped me help many of my fellow vets. Two Recreational Therapy Groups Available at the Dubois Vet Center As part of a national competition, the DuBois Vet Center was approved for initial funding for two recreational therapy groups. One of the groups is an introduction to fly tying for fly fishing, with one of the center’s counselors being an avid fly tyer and fisherman. The other group is a no sew blanket group, which the center hopes will generate interest from women veterans, but the group is open to anyone who would like to join. The groups will be held at the Vet Center with approximately 4 cohorts to run quarterly with 6 vets in each cohort. The center says it hopes to grow these groups and potentially be able to have them at the center’s Community Access Points (CAPs) in McKean, Centre and Blair counties, with the possibility of adding more recreational therapy groups in the future. The center noted the initial funding will help them launch the groups, but they will be actively trying to obtain additional funding they can expand on them. Who is eligible to receive services at Vet Centers? Vet Center services are available to Veterans at no cost, regardless of discharge character, and without the need to be enrolled in VA health care or having a service-connected disability. If you are a Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, you can access Vet Center services if you:
Contacting your local Vet Center Even if you are unsure if you meet the criteria to receive services from a Vet Center, please contact a center. From personal experience I can tell you that, if the center can’t help you, they’ll find someone who will. Center services are also available to family members when their participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or active-duty service member. If you consider them family, so does your local center. Bereavement services are also available to family members of Veterans who were receiving Vet Center services at the time of the Veteran’s death, and to the families of service members who died while serving on active duty. The DuBois Vet Center, located at 100 Meadow Lane, Suite 8, DuBois, PA 15801, can be contacted at 814-372-2095 or toll free 24/7 at 1-877-WAR-VETS (927-8387). The DuBois Vet Center recently announced counseling and referral services are now being provided at the State College American Legion Post 245, in addition to the many services they offer at their locations in DuBois, Altoona, Bradford, Penn State-DuBois, Smethport and their mobile Vet Center. The other Vet Center locations in Pennsylvania are:
For more information, please visit www.vetcenter.va.gov |
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