Nevada



October 2017 “Veterans In Care” (VIC) UpdateThe NDVS has launched a “first of its kind” initiative that has not been done in any other state. This is a continuation of the commitment to have Nevada be the most veteran friendly state in the nation. The initiative is an effort to find our “silent veteran heroes” who may reside in community settings, and are not enrolled in the VA system or are not aware of benefits and services. The vision of VIC currently encompasses three related components: 1) Education on Benefits and Programs for veterans; 2) Veteran Culture Education and Training for facility staff; and3) Quality of Life Recognition and Communication for the veterans.In late April 2016, NDVS reached out to 417 Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living facility providers to let all know the Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) is seeking to find our many veterans who reside in care facilities. Over the past few months, 100+ facilities have responded helping us to locate veterans in residence. As a result of this first group of responses, NDVS launched 79 recognition events, honoring 1400+ veterans. All have been presented with certificates from the State and pins denoting them as "Nevada's Heroes". In addition, we have recognized over 500 WWII veterans. Recognition events have been held in Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Pahrump, Elko, Lovelock, Fernley, Yerington, Carson City, Reno, Sparks and Gardnerville. We continue to anticipate finding more than 3,000 veterans in care settings as we move through 2017, with additional expansion of outreach to home-based care providers.We have also found and honored a 107-year-old lady veteran of WWII and 10 others over 100 years old. What has been amazing is that fewer than 200 of the 1,400 are noted to be enrolled in the VA medical system or receiving benefits. A few of the comments from those recognized: “I thought I was forgotten”, “I’m going to put this certificate on my wall so my family knows I was important once”, “No one believed I am a veteran, but this proves it because the Governor and the State of Nevada said so”, and “I didn’t want a fuss, but I so appreciate the recognition”.Our Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) have attended these events to share benefit and program information for those who may not know they are eligible for certain benefits. Our team continues to work on scheduling recognition ceremonies with those who have responded for events in 2018.It is NDVS’ statutory mission to assure all veterans, regardless of where they live, receive information, education and support to secure their federal and state benefits. Over the past few years, some of the qualifying criteria have changed and we have found many of our veterans are not receiving benefits they have rightly earned. In addition, many of our veterans have not been able to navigate the VA systems. Our VSOs have been helping interested veterans, as well as the surviving spouses, apply for, obtain and increase benefits when possible. NDVS has developed and delivered CEU training workshops regarding the nuances of providing care to veterans and the military culture. These are being provided at no cost to assisted living and skilled nursing facilities in addition to health care partners. The course, named, “Bravo Zulu” launched in January of 2017 in partnership with the Perry Foundation and Dr. Jennifer Carson of the University of Nevada, continues to be offered. This educational outreach occurred throughout 2017, with 8 total workshops (4 in northern Nevada and 4 in southern Nevada. The overwhelming response was very positive to both instruction and content. We are excited to run another series of "Bravo Zulu" in 2018. Very importantly, all of these workshops offer CEU’s for licensed Administrators, Social Workers and Nurses.As noted, the “Veterans In Care” (VIC) Program was expanded to “home care” partners in 2017. It will expand even further in 2018 with our partnership with "Meal on Wheels." They will help us locate and identify our veterans who are home bound and in many cases in need of the benefits they may be eligible for and have earned. We want to honor their service to the nation and insure those benefits are received one veteran at a time. The "Veteran In Care" (VIC) has proven to be heartwarming and beneficial to the veterans, the families, the facilities staff, and all involved in the program. It continues to demonstrate that we as a State truly care about those who served our country and those who provide care to our veteran population. We are passionate about ensuring that every veteran receive the information and has access to all benefits they are eligible for and so selflessly earned.464820083185-24511081915Most respectfully,Wendy Simons, Deputy Director Wellnesssimonsw@veterans.veterans.Abraham Lincoln Quote: “Honor the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as best he can, the same cause.” ................
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