VAAC Staff Report September 2021

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

REPORT TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Oregon Guardsmen complete training and prepare for Wildland Fire season (National Guard photo

by Master Sgt. John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

ADVISORY COMMITTEE September 8, 2021 ADVISORY COMMITTEE John Howard, USN, Chair .................................................................................. Medford Reynold “Reyn” Leno, USMC, Vice Chair ................................................... Grand Ronde Christine Gittins, USA, Secretary...................................................................... Redmond James Gardner, USA ........................................................................................... Eugene Robert “Bob” Van Voorhis, USA ....................................................................... John Day Nell Stamper, USCG………………………………………………………………………………………...Astoria Christina Wood, USAF…………………………………..………………………………………….…..Portland Micah Ashby, USN………………………….......................................................................Bend Mayme Cawvey, USA………………………………….………………................................... Portland ODVA STAFF Kelly Fitzpatrick, USA ......................................................................................... Director Martha-Estela Garcia, USA ........................................... Special Assistant to the Director Jennifer Donovan ......................................................................Interim Deputy Director Stacey Jochimsen ............................................................................. Legislative Director Lisa Durden ............................................................................................Internal Auditor Rebecca Cameron ............................................................... Human Resources Manager Ana Potter ...................................................... Aging Veteran Services Division Director Kelly Breshears.……………………………….…. Aging Veteran Services Division Asst. Director Helen Ireland………………………………………………………………………. Conservatorship Manger Sheronne Blasi, USN................................ Statewide Veteran Services Division Director Joseph Glover, USN ....................... Statewide Veterans Services Division Asst. Director Martin Ornelas, USCG….……………………………………………………...ODVA Portland Manager Aaron Hunter ............................................................................... Chief Financial Officer Rich Kline…………………………………………………………………………………………………… Controller Cody Cox ........................................................ Veteran’s Home Loan Program Manager John Osborn, USN ................................................. Facilities and Construction Manager Nicole Hoeft ............................................................ Communications Division Director David Kampff ................................................................. Information Services Manager

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Quarterly Meeting Agenda Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Join by Zoom via Videoconference: You may pre-register for the meeting by clicking on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtc-qvrzgjG9Pvvtlof8M81YNZ1aga1FuA Once pre-registered you will receive a link to the meeting. To prevent background noise, all attendees will be muted upon joining the meeting. To improve bandwidth during the meeting, only members of the Committee and Department staff will appear on video feed. We ask the public to turn their cameras off.

Join by Zoom via Telephone: You may join the meeting by dialing 1 (253) 215-8782. When prompted, enter the meeting ID: 880 4371 3917 # and password/participant ID: 523236# To prevent background noise, all callers will be muted upon joining the meeting.

Meeting Materials: Staff reports for individual agenda items, when available, can be found on the Committee’s website by clicking on the following link: https://issuu.com/odva/stacks/38107bb40c054695831edf5634865ca4 I. WELCOME AND ADMINISTRATION – Business Meeting • Call to Order – Chair James Gardner • Pledge of Allegiance – Chair James Gardner • Moment of Silence – Chair James Gardner • Meeting Rules – Vice Chair Christine Gittins • Oath – Director Fitzpatrick • Committee Member Introductions II. ODVA DIRECTOR’S REPORT • ODVA Director, Kelly Fitzpatrick III. REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS • Portland VA Regional Office – Director Renaye Murphy • ODVA Portland – Martin Ornelas and Deanna Erhardt • ODVA Legislative Update – Stacey Jochimsen, Legislative Director IV. OLD BUSINESS ITEMS • Continue to share with veterans that they can apply at any time to be an Advisory Committee member through the ODVA website. Applications remain in the queue for consideration for two years.

• Open for Committee Members

V. NEW BUSINESS • Discuss updating By-Laws  Adjust September meeting verbiage  Sub-Committees • Topics for the next years meetings • Locations for the next years meetings • Open for Committee Members • Next Advisory Committee Quarterly Meeting: Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2021| Time: 9:30 – Noon Location: TBD VII. BUSINESS MEETING ADJOURNED TOWN HALL (Speakers Limited to 3 Minutes) The town hall time is for individuals to bring up broader veteran community issues. Members of the community may also submit written public comments to the Committee at the following email address: vaac@odva.state.or.us

CONNECT WITH ODVA

WEBSITE www.oregon.gov/odva BLOG www.oregondva.com FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/odvavet TWITTER @oregondva or www.twitter.com/OregonDVA ADVISORY COMMITTEE vaac@odva.state.or.us PUBLIC INFORMATION ODVAinformation@odva.state.or.us SUBMIT AN EVENT www.oregon.gov/odva/Connect/Pages/Events.aspx SUBMIT A STORY VetsNews@odva.state.or.us EMAIL SUBSCRIBE & Vets News www.oregon.gov/odva (Under “Connect with ODVA then Agency Publications”) LEGISLATIVE Page www.oregon.gov/odva/Connect/Pages/Legislation.aspx

Director’s Message Kelly Fitzpatrick The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 necessitated a change in the way we work not only at ODVA, but also as the State of Oregon. In order to continue to slow the spread of the virus, the majority of Oregon state agencies quickly transitioned employees to remote work options. Since April 2020, the majority of state offices have remained closed or have had limited public access. As the pandemic continues to evolve, Governor Brown tasked a Reopening Advisory Team with developing a report to guide agencies into the full reopening of state offices to the public with focus on public access, workforce re-entry to state office buildings, discussions on hybrid workplaces, among many other important considerations.

ODVA’s leadership team is currently engaged on the agency’s re-opening plan, recognizing that our workplace has fundamentally changed. In the last 18 months we’ve learned that embracing flexibility and technology now will ensure a successful future for all state of Oregon employees – a workplace that takes a holistic and nimble approach to attracting and supporting employees while optimizing our service delivery to all Oregon veterans.

We will not only look beyond the pandemic in our planning efforts, but also help the state envision a workplace that welcomes outside-of-the-box ideas and creative approaches to develop recommendations for the Oregon state government of the future. We have an opportunity to update practices and policies, including how we address diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and in our programs. If we do so and do it well, we’ll be better positioned to become an employer of choice, and to recruit and retain diverse talent.

In late August, the federal VA's Advisory Committee for Women Veterans conducted a virtual site visit of VAHCS Portland to collect and compare information of VAHCS Portland healthcare services being provided to women veterans in Oregon. Each year, the Committee conducts an annual site visit to see how VA’s programs and services are implemented in the field and to get a picture of the needs of women veterans across the nation, specifically given the federal VA Secretary’s priority of improving access to care for underserved populations.

ODVA was invited to participate and provide a briefing to the Advisory Committee during the site visit to inform the Committee about how ODVA programs support VAHCS Portland’s services to women veterans across the state. Specifically, I had the opportunity to provide an overview of ODVA and our LGBTQ veterans program to the committee, and ODVA’s Women Veterans Coordinator Jessica Bradley presented on the program she manages. This briefing will help efforts to craft recommendations for its Congressionally-mandated biennial report to SECVA and Congress.

Also, in August, the first Campus Veteran Coordinator Summit was held virtually to host discussion and learning opportunities for universities and community colleges that currently operate on-campus veteran resource centers. This fall, ODVA will once again release grant

Director’s Message Kelly Fitzpatrick funding opportunities to all eligible Oregon educational institutions to provide on-campus veteran resources and support and to help foster successful transition and completion of educational goals for our returning service members.

Statewide Veteran Services is looking forward to a busy fall. In September, in addition to starting the cycle for the Campus Veteran Resource Center grant, the division will begin accepting grant applications for the Veteran Services Grant. This grant provides funding to state, local and non-government organizations delivering direct services and programs to veterans in their communities. In October the Training Certification and Outreach team will virtually conduct the annual Fall VSO Training Conference. More than 100 veteran service officers will receive training and recertification in order to represent the state’s nearly 300,000 veterans in filing disability claims and obtaining other critical services.

During such a historic moment in Oregon’s history, I believe the work of our agency will place us on an even better path forward. I’m proud of the entire ODVA team as they continue to show great resilience and rise to every challenge in order to continue to serve and advocate for Oregon veterans and their families. As we soon head into the holiday months, I hope that the members of our Veterans Advisory Committee remain safe and well.

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Stacey Jochimsen, Director The 2021 Legislative Assembly adjourned Sine Die on June 26th, 2021, ending an unprecedented legislative session. The 2021 long session began with serious concerns about the State budget amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic and historic wildfires, and ended with the Oregon Legislature anticipating strong revenue returns, receiving billions in federal aid dollars, and subsequently passing a record-high statewide budget of $29.4 billion.

As you are aware, ODVA introduced three bills this session: HB 2139, HB 2140 and HB 2141.

Two of the bills – HB 2139 and HB 2140 passed; HB 2141 did not pass, but was addressed in the budget bill, HB 5006. HB 2139 codified the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation Grant Program, a partnership with Oregon Department of Transportation that awards grant funds to rural public transportation agencies in order to provide transportation to veterans to access physical, mental, and behavioral healthcare. HB 2140 expands ODVA’s home loan program to reinstate language to allow home improvements and refinancing as permissible uses of the loan. This language previously existed in state statute but was removed in 2019; House Bill 2140 reinstates this language.

HB 2141, which would have extended the sunset on the Veterans’ Emergency Bridge Grant program from January 2, 2022, to January 2, 2024, was amended by the House Veterans’ and Emergency Management committee (now HB 2141A) to remove the sunset of the program.

This specific bill did not pass; however, the Veterans’ Emergency Bridge Grant received $175,000 in funding and an extension of the sunset to January 2, 2024, in HB 5006, the end of session Budget Reconciliation Bill (also known as the Christmas Tree Bill).

A number of other bills regarding veterans passed in the 2021 Legislative Session. The following is a list of relevant bills that will have an impact on Oregon veterans: Memorials •

•

•

SB 319 relating to the Vietnam Veterans’ memorial - dedicated the southwest corner of the State Capitol State park grounds, just south of the WWII memorial, for a Vietnam War memorial. This project also received $400,000 in the budget.

HB 2700 relating to roadside memorials - expands roadside memorial signage to include not only veterans killed in action, but now also veterans who were prisoners of war or unaccounted for. This bill also changes the process for installing memorial signage and will no longer require the adoption of a concurrent resolution by the Legislative Assembly.

SB 2644 relating to renaming part of I-5 – renames the portion of I-5 from Albany to Salem the “Atomic Veterans and Atomic Cleanup Veterans Memorial Highway”

Housing

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Stacey Jochimsen, Director •

HB 2094 relating to the definition of “veteran” for Oregon Housing programs passed.

This bill authorizes Oregon Housing & Community Services to define “veteran” through agency rulemaking specifically for programs the agency administers. This does not change the statutory definition of a veteran under 408.225. OHCS will be working with ODVA as they go through rulemaking, but the intent is to expand the definition in an effort to provide more housing services to more veterans.

Employment •

Senate Bill 184 relating to changes in veterans’ preference - changes the application of veterans’ preference from a point-based system to a percentage-based system in an effort to equalize scores across sectors. Furthermore, the bill allows a service member who is within 120 days of discharge to provide an official letter stating they will be honorably discharged in order to claim veteran preference in public employment. This is an effort to allow veterans to enter into the civilian job market with veterans’ preference more quickly. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) will go through the rulemaking process as this is a bill that will impact all state agencies and they will be consulting with ODVA throughout the process.

Other Benefits •

•

SB 307 relating to fees for medical marijuana cards - waives the fees issued by Oregon Health Authority for obtaining medical marijuana cards for veterans with service related total disability of 50% or higher and a discharge status of any status other than dishonorable.

SB 320 relating to angling and shellfish permits - allows the State Fish and Wildlife Commission to issue angling and shellfish licensing, tags, or permits at no charge to nonprofit organizations who are conducting angling or shellfish excursions for groups of veterans or armed forces members.

ODVA’s Legislatively Adopted Budget for the 2021-2023 biennium was codified via HB 5006.

The Agency is very pleased with the outcome of the budget – a total of $357,405,018 - and is excited to be able to continue serving Oregon’s veterans through our various programs, grants, and pass-through funds to partner organizations. Please see the ODVA 2021-23 Legislatively Adopted Budget one-pager included with this document for more details.

I am looking forward to partnering with you in my new role as the Legislative Director and am excited to see what we can get done in the coming years. As you know, the 2022 legislative

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Stacey Jochimsen, Director session will be a short-session during which we as an agency are not able to bring forward our own legislation. ODVA will be working with the Legislature to ensure that veteran issues continue to be a priority for the State of Oregon.

2021-23 LEGISLATIVELY ADOPTED BUDGET

ODVA VISION

Veterans and their families thrive in Oregon

ODVA MISSION

To serve and honor veterans through our leadership, advocacy and strong partnerships

AGENCY LEGISLATION House Bill 2139: Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation Grant Establishes in statute the Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation Grant program, which provides veterans free transportation from rural areas to healthcare (physical or mental) appointments at Veteran’s Administration (VA) facilities, VA-authorized health centers, and other healthcare facilities.

House Bill 2140: Veteran Home Loan Program Technical amendments relating to the Home Loan Program.

House Bill 2141: Veterans’ Educational Bridge Grant Program Establishes in statute the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program, which provides grants to veterans experiencing a gap in GI Bill benefits due to a course/ class not being available.

LEGISLATIVELY ADOPTED BUDGET INVESTMENTS The 2021-23 Legislatively Adopted Budget continues investments to address many of the challenges facing today’s veterans across a broad spectrum of needs and experiences. Investments support ODVA and its mission to provide services to a diverse Oregon veteran community across five generations of veterans.

To meet the needs of the state’s veterans, ODVA provides leadership and leverages partnerships across local, state and federal organizations to deliver veteran services across several key areas and administers grant programs that further invest in local and direct services and support for veterans and their families. This work and the state’s investment in Oregon veterans programs result in a stronger, fairer, and more resilient Oregon – for everyone.

AGENCY BUDGET COMPARISON 2019-21 Legislatively Adopted Budget*

2021-23 Legislatively Adopted Budget

General Fund

$

7,948,133

$

8,927,158

Lottery Funds

$

19,272,830

$

21,091,851

Other Funds

$

109,395,643

$

121,247,139

Other Funds (NL)

$

408,779,089

$

204,521,026

Federal Funds

$

3,267,259

$

1,617,844

Total Funds

$

548,662,954

$

357,405,018

Positions

105

104

*Includes actions through January 2021 Emergency Board.

2021-23 LEGISLATIVELY ADOPTED BUDGET INVESTMENTS BY PROGRAM Veteran Home Loan Progam

Statewide Veteran Services

Aging Veteran Services

Oregon Veterans’ Homes

General Fund

$

- $

748,730 $

371,660

Lottery Funds

$

- $ 17,239,632 $ 3,852,219 $

-

Other Funds

$

Other Funds (NL)

$ 204,521,026 $

- $

- $

-

Federal Funds

$

- $

1,617,844 $

- $

-

Total Funds

$ 222,777,327 $ 32,914,781 $ 4,600,949 $

97,111,961

7,806,768 $

18,256,301 $ 6,250,537 $

- $ 96,740,301

2021-23 LEGISLATIVELY ADOPTED BUDGET

AGENCY GENERAL AND LOTTERY FUNDS

HOUSE BILL 5006

$14,000,000

House Bill 5006 included the following adjustments to ODVA’s budget:

$12,000,000

$2,082,693 $2,082,693 GF

$10,000,000

$5,240,396 GF

$8,000,000 $6,000,000 $4,000,000

$5,724,075 GF $10,908,967 LF $10,508,967 LF $5,831,481 LF $6,378,528 LF

$2,000,000 $-

$748,730 $561,540 GF

Grants & Pass-Through to Partners Grants & Pass-Through

General Fund

to$2,082,693 Partners

Lo�ery Fund

$10,508,967

*Excludes Debt Service

Statewide Veteran Services Statewide Veteran

Services $5,240,396

$3,852,219 LF $3,667,936 LF Aging Veteran Services Aging Veteran Services $561,540

$6,378,528

$3,667,936

GRANTS AND PASS-THROUGH TO PARTNERS General Fund Lottery Funds

Total Funds

County Veteran Service Offices

$

1,954,773 $

National Service Organizations

$

127,920 $

497,880 $

625,800

Tribal Veteran Service Offices

$

- $

208,600 $

208,600

Veteran Services Grant

$

- $

938,118 $

938,118

Rural Veteran Healthcare Transp. Grant

$

- $

650,000 $

650,000

Campus Veteran Resource Grant

$

- $

600,000 $

600,000

Veterans’ Educational Bridge Grant

$

- $

175,000 $

175,000

Suicide Prevention Hotline

$

- $

364,700 $

364,700

7,474,669 $ 9,429,442

YMCA Veterans Housing Project $6,113,208 Lottery Bond Funding YMCA Veterans Housing Project Debt Service $499,184 Lottery Funding Veteran Educational Bridge Grant $175,000 Lottery Funding Various Budget Adjustments Reductions in State Government Service Charges, DOJ Charges, DAS Assessments, Debt Service Adjustments

$ 2,082,693 $ 10,908,967 $ 12,991,660

POLICY OPTION PACKAGE 101: $3,400,000 OF/ $1,035,000 LF Strengthen Outdated IT Systems And Operations $ 750,000 LFLF $750,000 Conservatorship System Modernization Conservatorship IT IT System Modernization $400,000 OF

Home Loan Program IT System Modernization $ 400,000 OF Home Loan Program IT System Modernization $185,000 LF

One new operational HR support staff $ 185,000 LF One new operational HR support staff $100,000 LF Program Stabilization and Funding Alignment Program Stabilization and Funding Alignment $ 100,000 LF $3,000,000 OF Anticipated higher operation costs at Oregon $ 3,000,000 OF Anticipated higher operation costs at Oregon

Veterans’ Homes due to COVID-19 Veterans’ Homes due to COVID-19

POLICY OPTION PACKAGE 102: $1,692,669 LF Mobilize Partnerships To Support Veterans $500,000 Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation Grant $ 650,000 LF LF Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation Grant $192,669 LF Veteran Services Grant $ 342,669 LF Veteran Services Grant $500,000 LF Campus Veteran Resource Grants $ 600,000 LF Campus Veteran Resource Grant $175,000 LF Veterans’ Educational Bridge Grant $ 100,000 LF Emergency Assistance

Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2021-23 Legislatively Adopted Budget will be available approximately September 2021 at www.oregon.gov/odva.

LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR Stacey Jochimsen stacey.jochimsen@odva.oregon.gov

VETERAN LEGISLATION View 2021 Session legislation impacting Oregon veterans at www.oregon.gov/odva/ Connect/Pages/Legislation.aspx

AGING VETERANS SERVICES Ana Potter, Director Report Regarding the State Veterans’ Homes and COVID-19 Care at the Oregon Veterans’ Homes is an earned benefit meant to provide first-class, longterm care at an affordable price exclusively to veterans, their spouses, and parents whose child died while serving in the Armed Forces. The Homes offer skilled nursing care, which individuals may need short term for rehabilitation after medical procedures or to recover from medical events such as a stoke. The Homes also offer long-term care, and memory care.

To qualify for admission (beyond the basic qualification of veteran/spousal status) the individual must need 24-hour nursing care as recommended by their Primary Care Physician (PCP), and the USDVA must concur with the physician on this assessment. Skilled nursing includes individualized, goal-oriented care that includes comprehensive around-the-clock services, on-call physician coverage, medication administration, certified physical rehabilitation, and speech and occupational therapists.

Staff at the Oregon Veterans’ Homes are dedicated to serving the medical needs of all veterans, including those with dementia and other memory related illnesses. ODVA is proud to have both of our Homes endorsed to provide memory care for our residents. 1 Staff in the memory care portion of the facility focus on the unique needs of each resident and family we serve. The care in this unit is a partnership among staff, residents, and their families. Beginning with the resident’s life story and continuing with collaborative care planning, staff welcomes the involvement of residents and their families in all aspects of life in this department. Many different elements are used to contribute to the daily living and compassionate care of residents. One example of this is The Dalles Veterans’ Home’s purchase of a Snoezelen 2 multisensory therapy device for the memory care wing. The Snoezelen displays optical illusions with combined lighting effects, aromas, colors, textures and sounds to stimulate a person’s olfactory, auditory and gustatory systems which have shown to have therapeutic benefits for patients with dementia.

Part of the Homes’ affordability comes from an established benefit which allows veteran residents to combine private, federal, and/or Medicare or Medicaid funding to cover daily costs. Both Homes typically experience a higher than state average occupancy rate due primarily to the commitment to providing the highest quality of care at lower costs to veteran residents.

The cost of care for veterans varies between the two homes. The daily rate at The Dalles is $218 for general care and $225 for memory care. The cost of spouses is a bit higher; $270 for general care and $277 for memory care. The Lebanon home provides private rooms which increases the cost of care to a daily rate for veterans being $291 generally and $301 for There are over 130 nursing homes in Oregon, with only 11 endorsed to provide memory care services. Of those 11, two are Oregon Veterans’ Homes 2 https://www.snoezelen.info/ 1

AGING VETERANS SERVICES Ana Potter, Director memory care. Care for spouses costs $318 generally and $328 in the memory care portion.

Daily rates include room, board, medication management and skilled nursing care, as well as amenities and activities. The cost of care is reviewed every year and any increases take effect on October 1st each year. In comparison, the average cost of nursing home care in Oregon as of October 1, 2020 is $263 for general, non-memory care.

At the Oregon Veterans’ Homes, we provide an environment filled with comfort and familiarity.

For many veterans, the comradery and friendship they found in service is found again with fellow residents. We strive to honor traditions and provide an atmosphere entrenched in military culture.

There are many examples as to what sets our Homes apart from other nursing homes. Some of these are: • • • •

Nearly 90 residents, employees and volunteers have been presented with their earned military awards in frames.

The Homes involve volunteer uniformed military members at events, coordinate trips to military bases, and ceremonies.

Secured a free helicopter ride for a resident of The Dalles home who was a pilot while in service.

Both homes offer music therapy with personalized playlists, and massage therapy.

One of the most important ways the Homes’ honor residents is the “Walk of Honor”. When a veteran passes, a burial flag is draped over them while they are escorted out of the facility.

Fellow residents and staff line the hallways to salute their fellow veteran and pay their respects.

The flag is then folded in appropriate military protocol and presented to the family.

Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 has significantly impacted all long-term care facilities and our veterans’ homes are no exception. In general, the average occupancy rate for Lebanon Veterans’ Home was at or above 95% for 2019 and 2020. Currently the average occupancy rate for 2021 is 85%. The Dalles, which has historically had a lower occupancy rate, averaged 85% or higher for 2019 and 2020. The current occupancy rate for The Dalles is 71%. While the 2021 occupancy rate is lower than prior years, we are still above the average occupancy rate for Oregon skilled nursing facilities which is between 66-68%.

Both homes have experienced COVID-19 positive residents and staff. Each time one of the Homes has had COVID-19 positive case in the building, the State of Oregon has conducted an Infection Prevention Survey to ensure facility staff are following the appropriate measures. We are proud that neither home has been cited during an infection prevention survey for any infection prevention violations. As of August 16, both homes are free of COVID among residents; one staff member at The Dalles home is positive and is in quarantine pending recovery. The total number of COVID-19 positive residents for both homes since March 2020 is

AGING VETERANS SERVICES Ana Potter, Director forty. Sadly, thirteen of these honored residents passed away from COVID-19 as the primary or a contributing factor. Both homes have been, and will continue to encourage staff and residents to get vaccinated. As you can see from the data below, we are above the national average in all populations except one. % of Residents Fully Vaccinated

% of Staff Fully Vaccinated

National Average

81%

59.3%

Lebanon Veterans’ Home

94%

58.7%

The Dalles Veterans’ Home

99.1%

71.7%

We also wanted to highlight some of the great activities that have been done at the homes during the pandemic. Some of these are favorites that have been adapted to meet COVID-19 Infection Prevention protocols with new technology and outside the box thinking.

Nursing home residents have had a significant decrease in their ability to physically interact with the outside world for much of the pandemic. Special focus has been placed by both facilities in helping the residents access technology that enabled them to “virtually visit” with their families and friends. Recreation staff worked diligently to set times for these visits, especially on special days, and even altered their schedules to work later in the evenings to help with video calls. Another popular activity has been the virtual reality systems which allow residents to “travel the world” from the safety of home.

Despite the restrictions due to the pandemic, the staff at The Dalles Veterans’ Home were able to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of their residents last year with a parade. His children, grandchildren and friends were on hand to celebrate the event while meeting appropriate COVID-19 safety precautions. It took a little creative thinking, but the dedicated activity staff came up with the solution to have the resident comfortably ensconced in one of the transportation vans so he could see all the classic cars, motorcycles, horses, fire trucks and law enforcement vehicles as they went by. There was even a classic airplane fly-over!

Staff also worked creatively to bring the outside world to the residents in other ways. For example, the Lebanon Home had a diversity luncheon that featured traditional Native American menu, décor, attire and a performance of the Gathering of Nations from 2019 on the television.

Veterans were able to watch and experience the Grand Entry Ceremony of all the different tribes in the country.

Weekly carts, including media and individual activities have played an important role in keeping residents engaged. Media carts are made available so veterans can refresh their DVDs, CD’s, books and magazines more regularly. A favorite of the many themed weekly one-on-one cart

AGING VETERANS SERVICES Ana Potter, Director activities was the “Brews and Tattoos” cart. Residents had a choice of many different temporary tattoos to put on themselves with water and given the choice of a beer or a nonalcoholic beverage option. Residents have also enjoyed a new favorite, Ted Talks. Staff utilize a tablet and Bluetooth speaker to talk with veterans regarding diverse topics picked by the residents such as poetry, procrastination and comedy in the healthcare system.

Volunteers make up a big part of why our homes are unique. In non-pandemic years, volunteers come in daily to help increase the quality of life for our veterans. For a significant amount of time during the pandemic, volunteers have not been allowed into the building. Not to be deterred, many continued to volunteer, just in different ways. For example, veterans who normally go on an outing to do their own shopping have been giving recreation staff a list of comfort items once a month. A wonderful volunteer will then spend days purchasing items listed by veterans, often going to multiple stores to ensure all requested items are purchased.

FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION

Aaron Hunter, Chief Financial Officer Finance and Accounting: Department’s Legislatively Adopted Budget for the 2021-23 Biennium The 2021 Legislative Session adjourned in June, but not before passing a sizable increase in the Department’s 2021-2023 Legislatively Adopted Budget (LAB) as compared to the 2019-2021 LAB and the 2017-2019 LAB. Some of the key highlights and funding sources (General Fund – GF; Lottery Fund – LF; Other Fund – OF) contained within the Department’s 2021-2023 LAB include the following: •

Grants and Pass-Through to Partners o Country Veteran Service Offices: $9,429,442 ($7,474,669 LF, $1,954,773 GF) o National Service Organizations: $625,800 ($497,880 LF, $127,920 GF) o Tribal Veteran Service Offices: $208,600 (LF) o Veteran Services Grant: $938,118 (LF) includes $595,449 in ongoing funding and $342,669 in renewed one-time funding. o Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation Grant: $650,000 (LF) in renewed one-time grant funding. o Campus Veteran Resource Grant: $600,000 in renewed one-time grant funding. o Veterans’ Educational Bridge Grant: $175,000 in renewed one-time grant funding. o Suicide Prevention Hotline: $364,700 (LF) o Emergency Assistance: $212,270 includes $112,270 (GF) in ongoing funding and $100,000 (LF) in one-time funding. o Salem Y Veterans Housing affordable housing project: $642,072 (LF) of expenditure authority is carried forward to 2021-23 as it relates to the pre-development grant between the YMCA and ODVA. Additionally, the State of Oregon will issue lottery bonds in an amount that provides $6 million in net lottery proceeds for the construction of the veterans affordable housing project. Debt Service of $499,184 (LF) was also provided.

•

Other Funding and Budget Actions o $750,000 (LF) – Conservatorship IT System Modernization (one-time funding) o $400,000 (OF) – Home Loan IT System Modernization (one-time funding) o $185,000 (LF) – One new operational HR support staff o $100,000 (LF) – Program Stabilization and Funding Alignment o $3,000,000 (OF) – Anticipated higher operational costs at Oregon Veterans’ Homes due to COVID-19 (one-time funding) o Permanently moving two positions ($145,727 LF and $161,778 GF) from Statewide Veteran Services to Aging Veteran Services. These positions were moved operationally during 2019-21 and this aligns the budget as needed. o Increasing two positions to be 100% funded to ensure positions can be filled without incurring unfunded personal service expenditures ($35,831 LF).

For comparative purposes, the operational budgets (excluding bond debt service, capital construction and other non-limited expenses) of the 2021-23 LAB, 2019-21 LAB and 2017-2019 LAB are presented in graphical form on the following page.

FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION

Aaron Hunter, Chief Financial Officer

Facilities: In anticipation of applying for a USDVA State Home Construction Grant in 2022, the ODVA Facilities team is preparing preliminary information for a grant application. The application would request funding to replace the five Air Handling Units (AHU’s) at The Dalles Veterans’ Home with new AHU’s

FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION

Aaron Hunter, Chief Financial Officer and a new electronic control system. The project would also involve altering air circulation and ventilation ductwork at various locations within the building. A mechanical engineering firm is presently developing specifications and drawings for this work and should be completed by January 2022. The projected cost for this project is $1.6 million to $2 million.

ODVA’s grant applications in the previous quarter for a USDVA State Home Construction Grant at both Oregon Veterans’ Homes for COVID-related projects did not make the funding list from USDVA. ODVA remains committed to the health and safety of residents in the Oregon Veterans’ Homes and will continue to identify projects and potential funding sources (such as the 2022 grant application identified above) that will continue to provide the highest level of care to our veteran residents.

Home Loans: The quarter-ended June 30, 2021, showed a significant uptick in mortgage production over the previous quarter. As the ODVA mortgage rates have maintained a competitive position against conventional mortgage rates, ODVA experienced more than a 200% increase in loan production over the quarter-ended March 31, 2021. After experiencing loan portfolio run-off over the last 9-12 months, the volume of loan prepayments has decreased. As of June 30, 2021, ODVA had 1,417 loans, totaling $275.4 million, in the servicing portfolio. ODVA continues to maintain a high performing servicing portfolio, with 1.2% of the portfolio 30-days or greater delinquent.

On a staffing note, Home Loans completed a recruitment for a Business Development Representative.

Charity Knight accepted the position and her charge is to enhance our loan production through our current group of lending partners, seek out new lending partners in underserved markets, and be the primary contact point for these partners for inquiries about our program. We welcome Charity to this important role.

STATWIDE VETERANS SERVICES Sheronne Blasi, Director SVS Training, Certification & Outreach Team The Training Team is responsible for the initial and ongoing training, testing, and certification of ODVA, county and tribal Veteran Service Officers (VSO) across the state, for whom ODVA hold Power of Attorney for. Once certified by ODVA, a VSO becomes accredited by the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs (USDVA), and is able to file claims and appeals on behalf of Oregon veterans and their eligible family members. The path to accreditation for a VSO takes a minimum of one year to learn all aspects of federal, state, and local benefits for veterans and their families. For those VSOs who are seeking accreditation, the Training Team provides additional focused support and research for them with regular check-ins.

The Training Team conducts multiple training and outreach events throughout the year for VSOs, including ODVA’s annual Fall VSO Training Conference, regional trainings, and new VSO introductory courses. In order to assist county and tribal Veteran Service Officers that are staffed by only one VSO, the Training Team has begun offering a single-VSO office bi-weekly meeting, to create a cohesive networking space and offer additional assistance to these VSOs. Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic, the Training Team has expertly pivoted to a remote learning environment, including hosting ODVA’s annual Fall VSO Training Conference virtually.

The team has also conducted remote regional and introductory VSO trainings, as well as a remote Tribal Veteran Representatives (TVRs) training event. This annual event, co-hosted by the USDVA Office of Tribal Government Relations, was attended by almost 40 TVSOs, TVRs, and other tribal veteran advocates from Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia. The host tribal nation this year was the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and their accredited Tribal VSO, the first accredited Tribal VSO in Oregon.

The Training Team addresses constituent inquiries ODVA receives from members of Congress, the Governor, the Oregon Legislature, and County Commissioners. These inquiries are often complex cases regarding a veteran’s (or their eligible dependent’s) access to USDVA earned benefits, including monetary compensation and healthcare. The Training eam also assists ODVA special advocacy Coordinators (and county/tribal VSOs), on complex situations impacting women, LGBTQ, tribal, and incarcerated veterans.

A great example of the collaborative work of the Training Team is a recent case where the Team worked directly with ODVA’s new Women Veterans Coordinator and new Houseless Veterans Coordinator to assist a woman veteran at risk of becoming houseless. The Team

STATWIDE VETERANS SERVICES Sheronne Blasi, Director guided the new Coordinators through the process of assisting the woman veteran, and looped in the County VSO to provide additional local assistance and resources. The woman veteran is now in stable housing and has access to other supportive services thanks to the collaborative work led by the Training Team.

Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance Program (VEFAP) ODVA provides one-time funds to support veterans and their immediate family (spouse, unremarried surviving spouse, child, or stepchild) who need emergency financial assistance.

Assistance includes, but is not limited to, emergency or temporary housing and related housing expenses, such as expenses for utilities, insurance, or house repairs; mortgage or rental assistance; emergency medical or dental expenses; and emergency transportation expenses.

This assistance is granted one time only, and average award amounts vary.

Veterans in need of emergency financial assistance can apply directly to ODVA, but are often assisted by their County or Tribal VSO in completing and submitting the application. Awards are made on a monthly basis and amounts depend on demonstrated need and availability of funds.

In addition to providing funding, ODVA also assists veterans and their County or Tribal VSOs in locating other financial resources to help address immediate or ongoing needs, such as rental and utility assistance, through local Community Action Agencies or non-profit/community organizations. Throughout the pandemic, ODVA has made information on these and other resources, available on our website.

Since the program’s inception in 2006, ODVA has awarded over $ $1,744,475 to 1,423 veterans.

Most requested assistance types are for rent, utility payments/repairs, car payments/repairs, mortgage payments, dental and medical expenses.

In July, 2021 the Oregon Legislature increased total funds for this program by $100,000 to $212,270 for the 2021-23 biennium, almost doubling total funding available for veterans in need.

A few examples of how ODVA has been able to assist veterans and their families who find themselves in need of emergency financial assistance are:

STATWIDE VETERANS SERVICES Sheronne Blasi, Director •

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) referred a 90% disabled veteran to ODVA to seek emergency financial assistance for stable housing. The veteran had been victim to a suspected housing scam which took a sizable financial down payment, and his savings to cover the first few months of his rent. Due to COVID-19, the veteran and his significant other were living in a rental car in a state park to avoid possible exposure to the virus in homeless shelters. Through the OVEFAP grant, ODVA was able to place them in an extended stay hotel for two weeks. OHCS then worked with the veteran and his local Community Action Agency to register him for HUD VASH, and get him into stable housing. The veteran was also connected to his local County Veteran Service Office to monitor his stability, and link him to other local resources, as needed moving forward.

•

Crook County Veteran Service Office assisted a veteran in applying for OVEFAP to cover a dental procedure to perform a biopsy on the veteran’s upper jaw. The veteran was ineligible for VA benefits and both VHA and Medicare could not cover his procedure. For this case, OVEFAP was a last resort. The veteran was fully awarded through OVEFAP to cover the procedure.

•

During the COVID Pandemic, OVEFAP covered rent for an 80-year-old veteran who had lost his job because he was designated as “high risk of severe illness” if he contracted COVID. In addition to stabilizing his rent, the team was able to assist the veteran and his daughter in applying for the VA’s Caregiver program and performed a review of eligibility for additional service connected benefits.

•

The Transition Projects, in Portland, was working with a pregnant veteran with four minors, who recently moved into permanent housing. This new housing did not have an air conditioning unit and the temperatures for that summer weekend were expected to be above 90 degrees. After contacting ODVA, OVEFAP funding was used to purchase a portable air conditioning unit for the family and have it delivered and professionally assembled in the home.

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICES Nicole Hoeft, Director Communications ODVA Communications continues efforts to direct agency messaging in support of mitigation of the community spread of COVID-19. This summer ODVA helped facilitate direct communication to all veterans, family and caregivers vaccinated at federal VA locations in Oregon who were not automatically included in the state’s vaccine lottery drawing about how to enter the drawing.

In July, ODVA partnered with the Oregon State Marine Board, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation to promote the use of state veteran recreational benefits and programs. The campaign aims to increase awareness of the healing power of being in the outdoors and improve access and visibility of these earned benefits to the veteran community. The communication campaign will run through fall 2021.

Information Services The agency completed its migration of ODVA’s email services to the state’s Microsoft 365 enterprise solution the weekend of June 25. As part of a statewide IT project to align with the Governor’s technology modernization initiative, the agency’s migration will improve agency project coordination and workflows, better support remote work and increase efficiencies in virtual work spaces.

Cyber Security Assessment: As part of an on-going statewide initiative to modernize the state’s technology, the agency is participating in a Cyber Security Assessment by the states Cyber Security Services Division under Enterprise Information Services. This engagement is assessing our agency’s technology securities and the practices in place to best protect the agency’s data.

Following the engagement, ODVA will continue to work in partnership with CSS to implement any best practices and technology needed to continue to improve the overall security of the State of Oregon’s technology.

Modernization Projects: IS continues to provide project management coordination and business solution work to support modernization efforts to the Home Loans origination system and the Conservatorship application.

Records and Information Management Services Records and Information Services continues to support the agency’s records functions and mandates including the management of more than 100,000 military service discharge records for Oregon veterans. Requests for records can be made online or by calling ODVA.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

VA 101

Renaye Murphy Portland and Anchorage Regional Director September 2021

1

Hof VA of VA History First Home for VA The National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Togus, Maine opened its door to Union Soldiers

There were three federal agencies administering benefits for Veterans during this period

1866

1920’s

1917

Congress established a new system of Veteran Benefits

Dayton VAMC Grotto and Gardens, constructed 1868

Second consolidation Veteran’s Bureau elevated to a federal administration

1921

First consolidation Congress combined all World War I Veterans programs to create the Veterans Bureau

1930

1945

General Omar Bradley took the reins of the VA and steered its first transformation

History of VA VA Motto: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” -President Lincoln

1959

The VA’s Department of Medicine and Surgery becomes the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and the Department of Veterans Benefits becomes the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)

Denis McDonough Secretary of Veterans Affairs

1991

1989

VA is established as a Cabinetlevel position under President Reagan

2021

1998

The National Cemetery System becomes the National Cemetery Administration (NCA)

What Makes VA Special

44

Our Impact We serve those who served….

serve

served, serving

1. to render assistance; be of use 2. to be useful 3. to have definite use

5

5

VA Mission and Values

Integrity Commitment Advocacy

VA Mission: To care for those who have “borne the battle” and for their families and their survivors.

Respect Excellence 6

6

Who We Are

380+K EMPLOYEES

32%

Veterans 54.5% Female

3.7%

6.2%

VA Central Office

Veterans Benefits Administration

VA is the

second largest

.5%

National Cemetery Administration

89%

Veterans Health Administration

federal agency

VA is the largest employer of

Veterans worldwide

7

VA Administrations

Veterans Benefits Administration

Veterans Health Administration VA Central Office

National Cemetery Administration

8

Overview of Benefits and Services

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)

Provides financial and other forms of assistance

Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

National Cemetery Administration (NCA)

Provides health care

Provides burial benefits and manages VA’s National Cemeteries 9

9

Overview of VBA Benefits and Services Veterans Benefits Administration

VBA Overview and Priorities ProvideVeterans with the benefits they have earned in a manner that honors their service

Ensure we are strong fiscal stewards of the money entrusted to us

Foster a culture of collaboration

24,748

55%

$31 billion

EMPLOYEES

VETERANS

in benefits distributed in FY21 Q3

540

Intake sites, out-based facilities, VetSuccess on campus sites, and Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) offices

56

Regional offices

38

Other special processing and call centers

1 1

11

Operations Overview

VBA Field Structure Northeast District

Southeast District

The Veterans Benefits Administration delivers benefits and services through 56 regional offices and other organizational entities, including:

Continental District

Pacific District

•

4 District Offices

•

9 National Call Centers

•

Appeals Management Center

•

Insurance Center

•

Records Management Center

•

Insurance Call Center

•

8 Regional Loan Centers

•

•

6 Fiduciary Hubs

6 Transition Assistance Program Regions (CONUS & OCONUS)

•

3 Education Regional Processing Offices

•

1 Education Call Center

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

1 2

VBA’s District Structure Togus Manchester

Seattle Anchorage

Ft. Harrison

Portland

St. Paul Boise

Sioux Falls Cheyenne

Manila

Boston Milwaukee

Salt Lake City

Oakland

Detroit

Des Moines Lincoln

Reno

Buffalo Pittsburgh

Chicago Cleveland Indianapolis Huntington

St. Louis

Denver Wichita

Louisville

Los Angeles Nashville Albuquerque Honolulu

San Diego

Muskogee

Phoenix

Little Rock

Waco

VA TAP Regions: 1. Eastern 2. Southern 3. Central 4. Western 5. Europe 6. Asia

RO and Education Regional Processing Office (RPO)

White River Jct.

Fargo

Providence Hartford New York Newark Philadelphia Wilmington Baltimore DC Roanoke Winston Salem

Columbia Atlanta Montgomery

St. Petersburg

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

RO and Regional Loan Center (RLC) RO, RPO & RLC RO, PMC, and RLC RO, PMC and Insurance Center Appeals Management Center RO and Fiduciary Hub RO, Fiduciary Hub, and PMC District Director

Did you Know?

Jackson New Orleans

Houston

Regional Office (RO)

San Juan

57% of VBA employees are Veterans

1 3

VBA Programs

Benefits Include: • Compensation (Disability, Dependency) • Pension and Fiduciary (Disability, Survivor) • Insurance (Life, Mortgage) • Home Loan Guaranty • Education Programs (GI Bill, Retraining, and Educational Assistance Programs) • Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

14

14

Portland VARO Organizational Structure • Current FY21 RAM – 214 FTE • FY21 Budget - $505,288.00 • FY21 Overtime - $224,994.00

Director Assistant Director

Veterans Service Center (Compensation)

Veteran Readiness & Education

Support Services Division

• We are 1 of 5 Regional Offices processing Military Sexual Trauma claims

15

VBA Program Review: Compensation VBA’s Compensation program provides monthly benefits to Veterans in recognition of the effects of disabilities, diseases, or injuries incurred or aggravated during active military service.

Disability Compensation Overview:

FY20 Program Highlights:

• Tax-free benefit paid to eligible Veterans with service-related disabilities and with a discharge given under conditions other than dishonorable.

• VBA paid $104.8B in disability compensation to nearly 5.5M Veterans and survivors in FY20

• Benefit amount determined by severity of condition(s)

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

1 6

VBA Program Review: Compensation

$120.0

Disability Compensation Benefits Paid to Veterans by 53%Fiscal Growth Year

$100.0

Billions

$80.0 $60.0

$63.7B

$67.5B

2015

2016

$72.…

$78…

$87…

$97…

$40.0 $20.0 $0.0

2017

2018

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

2019

2020

1 7

Portland Veterans Service Center Total Rating-Related Claims Completed (October 01, 2020 – July 31, 2021) • Ratings Completed: 14,480 • Average Completions-per-Month: 1,448 • Average Days to Complete: 135.1 days MST Claims Completed (May 01, 2021 – July 31, 2021) • MST Ratings Completed: 796 • Average Completions-per-Month: 265.3 • Average Days to Complete: 251.0 days

18

VBA Program Review: Veteran Readiness and Employment VA’s VR&E Program helps Service members and Veterans with service-connected disabilities and a barrier to employment prepare for, find, and maintain suitable jobs through counseling and case management.

For Veterans with a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable, at least a 10% disability rating (serious employment handicap needed to establish entitlement for Veterans rated at 10%) or a memorandum rating of 20% and a barrier to employment, VR&E provides: •

Interest and aptitude testing, and career counseling

•

Job training, job-seeking skills, resume development, and work-readiness assistance

•

Special employer incentives, on-the-job-training, and non-paid work experiences

•

Post-secondary training at a college, vocational, technical or business school

•

Independent living services for individuals who are not currently able to work because of the effects of service-connected disabilities and require intensive and frequent rehabilitation support to become more independent in their homes and communities

Service members with disabilities participating in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) under the NDAA receive automatic VR&E entitlement, as desired.

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

1 9

VBA Program Review: Veteran Readiness and Employment VR&E employs over 1,500 employees and delivers services through a network of over 350 VBA locations, including 56 Regional Offices, the National Capital Regional Benefits Office, approximately 142 out-based offices, 70 Integrated Disability Evaluations Systems (IDES) installations, and 104 VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) schools/sites.

FY20 Program Highlights: • Over 123K VR&E participants • Over 16K Veterans achieved positive outcomes in the VR&E program in FY20.

• Over 33K new plans were developed to assist Veterans with their employment and independent living goals at the end of FY20

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

2 0

VBA Program Review: Veteran Readiness and Employment In VR&E’s 20-year Longitudinal Study that follows three cohorts who entered a plan of services in 2010, 2012, and 2014, the following trends were reported in this year’s 2020 Report to Congress: • For all cohorts, almost 90 percent of Veterans reported moderate to high levels of satisfaction with the VR&E Program.

• Nearly 90 percent of Veterans who have achieved rehabilitation from an employment plan were employed in the past year for all three cohorts.

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

2 1

VBA Program Review: Veteran Readiness and Employment

$2,000

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program Costs ($M)

$1,500 $1,000 $500 $-

$441

$573

$621

$641

$626

$614

$702

$741

$786

$790

$762

$839

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Books, Tuition, Supplies, Fees Etc

Subsistence Allowance

VET ERAN S BEN EFIT S ADMIN IST RAT ION CO N TRO L L ED UN CL ASSIFIED IN FO RMATIO N

2 2

Portland Veteran Readiness and Employment Veterans Served (Presently)

• Veterans Served: 1,847 • Male Veterans: 1,461 • Female Veterans: 386 (26.4%)

Positive Outcomes Achieved (October 01, 2020 – Present)

• Positive Outcomes Achieved: 294 • Male Veterans: 245 • Female Veterans: 49 (16.6%)

Outreach

2021 Oregon Women Veterans Conference o Held Virtually on May 22, 2021 o Hosted by ODVA o VR&E Officer Presented

Connect with us!

For VA customer service,call:

1-800-827-1000

VABenefits

VeteransBenefitsAdministration

VAVetBenefits

VeteransBenefitsAdministration

To learn more about VA benefits,visit:

benefits.va.gov Veterans Crisis Line

1-800-273-8255 and press 1 Homeless Hotline

1-877-424-3838

department-of-veterans-affairs

2 4

24

Thank You 2 5

St atewide Veteran Ser vices Por tland Claims and Appeals Presented to Veterans Advisory Committee | 8 September 2021

Martin Ornelas & Deanna Erhardt Manager of Portland Claims & Quality Control Specialist

SVS PORTLAND CLAIMS

Statewide Veteran Services Portland Claims and Appeals

Statewide Veteran Services Portland Claims and Appeals  Statewide Veteran Services (SVS) - Portland Claims and Appeals (Portland Claims) is a team of 11 ODVA employees that are co-located in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) Regional Office in downtown Portland.  The responsibilities of the Portland Claims staff is varied. Every aspect of the office is critical to ODVA’s vision of helping veterans and families thrive in Oregon.  Veteran Service Officers  Quality Control  Administrative Staff

2

SVS PORTLAND CLAIMS

Partnerships Statewide Veteran Services Portland Claims/ United States Department of Veterans Affairs Portland Regional Office  Typed Signatures  Virtual Reports  Paper Mail Support

3

SVS PORTLAND CLAIMS

COLLABORATIONS

Statewide Veteran Services Portland Claims/ USDVA Board of Veterans’ Appeals  Video Conference Hearings and Travel Board Hearings vs Virtual Hearings  Reduced wait times and it can be done from any internet connected device.  ODVA created a video talking about the new hearing model to help prepare claimants for what to expect and how to connect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muQ_CBwdiF0&t=6s

4

SVS PORTLAND CLAIMS

HEARINGS

BOARD HEARING NUMBERS

Significant Improvement in Hearing Quantities Backlog 1200 1000

575 Virtual Hearings have been held since the pandemic shutdown.

1050

800 600

520

400 200 0

161

100 more are scheduled in September.

130 Video Conference Hearings Travel Board Hearings 5

SVS PORTLAND CLAIMS

HEARINGS

BOARD OF VETERANS APPEALS WAIT TIMES

Wait Times for Claimants Pre-Virtual Hearings to Current (In Months) By switching to the Virtual Hearings, claimants are now able to have their Board Hearing in record time.

80 60

72 48

40 20 0

24 12 Legacy Appeal Video Conference Hearings Legacy Appeal Travel Board Hearings 6

QUES TIONS

Proudly serving veterans since 1945

Learn about veteran benefits at www.oregon.gov/odva or call 800-692-9666