What Happened?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently awarded a $250,000 grant to the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs to improve transit options for individuals seeking health services.
Goal
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs allocated the grant to the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs in support of expanding transportation resources to veterans residing in rural areas who must travel significant distances to receive health care services.
The grant was administered through the VA’s Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act which allows the federal department to provide expanded benefits to caregivers who support veterans including:
- Monthly stipend based on the personal care needs of the veteran
- Travel expenses, including lodging and per diem while accompanying veterans undergoing care
- Access to health care insurance through CHAMPVA if the caregiver is not already entitled to care or services under a health plan
- Mental health services and counseling
- Comprehensive VA caregiver training provided by Easter Seals
- Respite care
- Appropriate caregiving instruction and training
The Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs received the grant for a three-year period to total $750,000 in total funding. The state is going to use the grant to test new transportation options in cities where veterans typically travel to receive health care.
The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is working with five transportation organizations to ensure transit options are convenient and available for all eligible veterans. Based on the outcome of these pilot programs, the state may expand the services to other communities in the future.
Increasing Care
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs may have an annual budget of $168.8 billion for the fiscal year 2016 in an effort to expand access to high-quality healthcare and benefits for veterans. The additional capital will also be used launch initiatives to end veteran homelessness in key communities across the country. The project breakdown includes:
- Increasing funding for healthcare services
- Expanding access to new and existing care and benefits in local communities
- Improving the efficiency of claims processing
- Eliminate veteran homelessness nationwide
- Supporting national cemeteries
- Investing in IT solutions to modernize the department
- Extending care grants to include major construction projects
Ending Homelessness
The VA’s goal of ending veteran homelessness includes the distribution of $300 million in grants to community partners addressing veteran homelessness directly. The grant program is designed to provide support for nonprofit and community organizations that serve veterans through the VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families program which provides assistance to low-income veteran families to prevent homelessness.
According to the 2015 Point in Time Count, just under 50,000 veterans were reported homeless across the country, which is a 33 percent drop from the count in 2010. In 2014, the VA supported local homeless initiatives that were able to place nearly 70,000 veterans and their family members in permanent housing and avoid homelessness. The VA is increasing funding for these projects as part of a national goal to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.
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