Max Cleland DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICES 30TH NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE
Max ClelandDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICES 30TH NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE
Max Cleland’s Strategies for Coping with the Aftermath of Exposure to War
1. TELL THE STORY
2. HAVE A LOVING RELATIONSHIP- BEST FRIEND, DOG, HORSE, GROUP MEETINGS.
3. DOING SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE OUTSIDE YOURSELF. VOLUNTEER, PARTICIPATE IN HELPING OTHERS.
4. DEVELOP/HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR. IT COMBATS DARKNESS AND THE SENSE OF LOSS. LAUGHTER IS AN INSTANT VACATION.
Image credit: Michael Sears
West Michigan
Veterans Coalition
www.westmich iganveterans .com
2016 Hidden Wounds of War Conference
May 20, 2016
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As a 501c3 non-profit institute,
Altarum has a mission to serve
Altarum Institute
• Organizational overview – non-profit
health systems research and consulting
organization
• Mission – Altarum serves the public
good by solving complex systems’
problems to improve human health
through research, technology, and
consulting
Veterans Community Action Teams
• VCAT was developed in 2008 by Altarum
Institute as part of an internally-funded
Research & Development initiative
• Altarum Institute was selected to create
the MiVCAT project in 2013
Coalitions in San Antonio, TX and San Diego, CA were guided by the
VCAT Model and are sustained by local Veteran leadership today
Altarum Institute and VCAT
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VCAT Planning – Progression Through The Maturity Steps
From Stand Alone: “My organization is doing this…”
To Collaboration: “My organization is doing this and you are invited…”
To
Coordination: “What should we do and how should we do it?”
To Integration: “What are we doing collectively and using the same processes and tools?”
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Michigan Veterans Community Action Teams:
Project Objectives
Create a sustainable community collaborative, effectively implementing the “no-wrong-door” concept supporting Veterans and their families*
Complete a community assessment of needs, challenges, experiences and recommendations for working collaboratively to serve Veterans
Achieve progress in effective collaboration and delivery of services along with benefits to Veterans
*The term “Veterans” will be used to mean “Veterans and families” from here forward.
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Nov’13, MiVCAT launched in Regions 4 & 10. In 18 months, membership grew significantly. Members offered a diverse set of services to Veterans. Members reported that they are better serving
Veterans.
Dec’15, VCATs launched in all 10 regions VCATs launched in Regions 5, 6, 7 and 9 in Spring 2015. Initial membership exceeded experience from 4 and 10.
Across the state, VCATs have a total of 3,190 individual and 1,939 organization memberships.
What has the Michigan VCAT accomplished?
Michigan Veterans Community Action Teams
Regional VCAT POC Email
Region 1, Upper Peninsula Veterans Coalition
Michael Bachand [email protected]
Region 2 VCAT Carol Turner [email protected]
Region 3 VCAT Steve Rollins [email protected]
Region 4 VCAT West Michigan Veterans Coalition
Elena Bridges, Chair
Region 5 VCAT Great Lakes Bay Veterans Coalition
Brad Blanchard, Chair
Region 6 VCAT Kate Logan [email protected]
Region 7 VCAT Lansing Area Veterans Coalition
Heather Nystrom, Chair
Region 8 VCAT Michael Wilson [email protected]
Region 9 VCAT Troy Schielein [email protected]
Region 10 VCAT Dave Thomas [email protected]
WMVC Mission
To improve the lives of all those who served in the Armed Forces and their families by connecting them with the opportunities, services and resources throughout West Michigan.
Services Provide support to veterans and their families, service providers, employers by:
1. Providing information, tools, and advocacy to help facilitate assistance
2. Creating awareness of veterans’ needs and services3. Implementing the “no-wrong-door” VCAT service model
• Kent County Veterans Treatment Court
• Website www.westmichiganveterans.com
• 258 current members
• Meetings since 2010 open to everyone and free
• Veterans/Employers Networking Events held every other month
• Veterans Resource Fairs
• Hidden Wounds of War Conference
• Monthly Veterans Resource Highlight Webinars
• Region 4 VCAT West Michigan Veterans Coalition Podio workspace.** Podio is an online collaboration platform used in Veterans Community Action Teams (VCATs) across the
state of Michigan. This tool assists service providers in coordinating their efforts and implementing the “no-
wrong-door” approach for Veterans, their families, and their caregivers.
Accomplishments
• First to establish working committees within MiVCAT
• Meet periodically to identify and address issues facing veterans within the community
• Create awareness
WMVC CommitteesEducation, Employment, Healthcare, Quality of Life
Questions
• Next WMVC Meeting – August 9, 2016
• Elena Bridges, Executive Director, WMVC, Veterans Servcies Regional Coordinator, Altarum Institute [email protected].
• WWW.WestMichiganVeterans.com