Slide 2: 2012 ADRC National Survey Results
Question: Do you regularly assess a callers Veterans Status?
Always 57.9%
Never 5.3%
Usually 36.8%

Staff Challenges:
Lack basic information about most VA benefits
VA resources are not very helpful
Most positive feelings about resources was having a personal contact at the VA

Slide 3: Understanding Veterans Benefits
2010 Report – Only 41% of Veterans stated they understood their VA Benefits “a lot” or “some”. 
Many Veterans have misperceptions about VA Benefits that:
Believe income is too high for any assistance
Aren’t eligible because they didn’t serve in combat
Other Veterans are more deserving
Negative attitudes about VA  

Thus, many Veterans do not seek help from the VA or the State Department of Military Affairs Instead, they turn to community agencies…	

Slide 4: COVER to COVER Objectives
Train community agency staff members to become Veteran Benefits Specialist 
Create a New Access point for Veterans within their communities 
Build relationships between community agencies, State Veteran Agencies and the VA

Slide 5: What Language do you Speak?
Slide with acronyms laid out for visual effect. 
BIP VHA ACL VSO FULLY DEVELOPED CLAIM GOLDEN TICKET PRESEUMPTIVE CONDITION

Slide 6: VA Benefits Training
VA Organizational Structure
Military Culture
VHA Healthcare
VHA In Home Services
Pension
Aid and Attendance
VA State Nursing Home
Burial Benefits
Disability Compensation
Caregiver Support
Home Modifications

 Slide 7: Changing Agency Protocol 
New Direction…Screening callers
“Have you or a loved one served in the Military?”
“Have you ever accessed your Veteran benefits?” 
“Would like more information on VA Benefits?”
“Would you like to talk to our VA Benefits Specialist?”

Slide 8: Who do we serve?  Older Veterans and their families
April 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016
Unique Veteran Clients: 2498 (based on Utah’s program data only)
Veterans served by Age:

80+= 45%
70-79= 19%
60-69= 16%
59- = 4%
Surviving Spouses= 16%

Slide 9: Cover to Cover Expansion Map
Map of the United States
Cover to Cover original states is Utah
Expansion states include Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado.
Logo in right hand corner: Administration on Community Living, Utah Aging and Disability Resource Connection, Department of Veterans Affairs.

Slide 10: Active Re-e ntry Independent Living Programs Logo

Slide 11: Services
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Picture of solider holding books
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Picture of doctors in white coats
National Cemetery Administration (NCA) Picture of solider holding an American Flag

Slide 12: State Offices of Veterans Affairs
Picture of United States Map
www.va.gov/statedva.htm

Slide 13: Veterans VA Benefits
Health Care
Compensation
Veteran Pension
Spouse Pension
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
Vocational Rehab/Independent Living
Aid and Attendance
Housebound
Burial
Home Loan Guaranty
Home/Auto Modification

Slide 14: Eligible Wartime Periods
Under Current Law, VA recognizes the following wartime periods to determine eligibility for VA Pension Benefits:
World War 1 (April 6, 1917-November 11, 1918)
World War II (December 7, 1941- December 31, 1946)
Korean Conflict (June 27, 1950-January 31, 1955)
Vietnam era (February 28, 1961-May 7, 1975 for Veterans who served in the Reupublic of Vietnam during that period; otherwise August 5, 1964-May 7, 1975
Gulf War (August 2, 1990-through a future date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation)

Slide 15: Veterans Health Care
Hospital/Enrollment
Primary Care
Emergency Care
Specialty Care
Hearing 
Medication
Vet Clinic/Counseling
Womens Clinic
Substance Abuse
Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS)
Choice Program

Slide 16: More Veterans Health Care Benefits
Catastrophic Services
Telehealth Services
Auto Adaptive
Home Improvement
Home Health Care by VA Social Workers
Medical Equipment 
In Home Services

Slide 17: Community Based Living
Aid & Attendance – a special monthly pension designed to enable a home bound veteran,  veteran’s spouse or surviving spouse to maintain their independence, or to assist in paying for long term care (income based).

Home Health and/or Hospice care

Adult Day Health Care

Palliative Care  

Veteran Directed Care - 
http://www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/Guide/LongTermCare/Home_and_Community_Based_Services.asp

Slide 18:Home & vehicle modification & assistive technology
Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH)
Special Housing Adaptation Grant (SHA)
Temporary Residence Adaptation Grant (TRA) 
Automobile Allowance

Slide 19: SAH (Specially Adapted Housing Grant)

Helps Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities adapt or purchase a home to accommodate the disability.  A disabled Veteran can use SAH Grants in one of the following ways:  

Construct a specially adapted home on land to be acquired 
Build a home on land already owned if it is suitable for specially adapted housing 
Remodel an existing home if it can be made suitable for specially adapted housing 
Apply the grant against the unpaid principal mortgage balance of an adapted home already acquired without the assistance of a VA grant
The maximum dollar amount allowable for SAH grants in fiscal year 2016 is $73,768 up to 3 times in the veteran’s lifetime.
	
Slide 20: SHA (Special Housing Adaptation Grant)
SHA Grants help Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities adapt or purchase a home to accommodate the disability. A disabled Veteran can use SHA Grants in one of the following ways:	

Adapt an existing home the Veteran or a family member already owns in which the Veteran lives 
Adapt a home the Veteran or family member intends to purchase in which the Veteran will live 
Help a Veteran purchase a home already adapted in which the Veteran will live
The maximum dollar amount allowable for SHA grants in fiscal year 2016 is $14,754 up to 3 times during the veteran’s lifetime.

Slide 21:Temporary SAH & SHA Grants
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grants are for eligible Veterans and Service Members who are temporarily residing in a home owned by a family member that needs modifications to accommodate the Veteran’s or Service Member’s needs. In FY 2016, the maximum TRA grant is $32,384 for SAH-eligible Veterans and Service Members, and $5,782 for SHA-eligible Veterans and Service Members.

Slide 22: Automobile Allowance
Veteran may be eligible for a 1 time payment of up to $19,817 toward the purchase of an accessible vehicle.  

Veteran may be eligible for adaptive equipment, & for repair, replacement or reinstallation of adaptive equipment on a vehicle.     

Slide 23: Home Improvement & structural alterations (VHA)
VA provides up to $6,800 lifetime benefits for service-connected veterans/service members & up to $2,000 lifetime benefits for nonservice-connected veterans to make home improvements and/or structural changes necessary for the continuation of treatment or for disability access to the home and essential lavatory & sanitary facilities.  
(improvements can include, but are not limited to: ramps, widening of doorways, raising/lowering kitchen or bathroom sinks & counters, improving entrance paths or driveways in the immediate are of the home to facilitate access to the home)

Slide 24: Assistive Technology, Durable Medical, prosthetic and Sensory Aids
Veterans receiving VA care for an condition may receive VA prosthetics appliances, equipment and services, such as home respiratory therapy, artificial limbs, orthopedic braces and therapeutic shoes, wheelchairs, powered mobility, crutches, canes, walkers, special aids, appliances, optical and electronic devices for visual impairment and other durable medical equipment and supplies. 

Veterans who are approved for a guide or service dog may also receive service dog benefits including veterinary care and equipment.

Slide 25: Vocational rehabilitation & Independent living
Vocational Rehabilitation -Veteran must have a service connected disability rating, proposed disability rating of at least 20%.  Veteran will work with a counselor to develop a plan based on the 5 tracks to employment.

Reemployment with previous employer
Rapid Access to employment
Self-Employment
Employment through Long-Term Services
Independent Living – for Veterans who are not currently able to work due to their disability, and services are needed to improve their independence in daily living.

Slide 26: CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES!
VA Acronyms: http://www.advocacymonitor.com/acronyms-breakdown-from-the-ncil-veterans-subcommittee/
 
Psycharmor - VA Training Modules (Military Culture) http://psycharmor.org/military-culture/

VA Benefits 
http://explore.va.gov/

Home and Community Based Services
https://www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/Guide/LongTermCare/Home_and_Community_Based_Services.asp

Slide 27: Contact information:
Joey Allred
Independent Living Coordinator & Veteran Services Officer
Active Re-Entry/ADRC
(435)259-0245
jallred@arecil.org 

Jennifer Morgan Utah ADRC Director Cover to Cover Program Manager
Jen.morgan@utah.edu