Homeless Veterans Initiatives: Research, Policy, Programs

July 19, 2011

2

DVS Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) is to be the chief advocate for the nearly half-million veterans of the Commonwealth and their families. DVS establishes policy, proposes legislation, ensures that adequate funding for veterans’ programs is included in the Governor's budget, and represents the interests of veterans in matters coming before the General Court. In addition, DVS represents all state agencies and individual veterans before the federal Department of Veterans Affairs in securing federal compensation and other benefits that might be available.

▲ ▲ ▲

▲

■ ■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■ ■

■

■

▲- Veteran Homeless Shelter ■ - Veterans Transitional Housing Project - Local Veteran Outreach Center - VA Vet Center - MA Soldier Home - VA Hospital

- VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic

- One Stop Career Centers with Vet Rep

4

DVS Uniqueness

Massachusetts is the only state in the country to help veterans at the local level. In 1861, the same year the Civil War began, the Legislature provided for support of dependents of the volunteer militia by cities and towns, with a 100% reimbursement up to $12 per family per month.

Municipal veterans’ agents, who are veterans themselves, are uniquely suited to aid veterans and dependents. They provide c.115 public assistance and also help with employment, real estate tax abatements, auto benefits and federal benefits such as VA compensation, VA pension and social security.

Massachusetts is the only state that pays a $2,000 annuity each year to every 100% disabled veteran, every Gold Star parent, and every Gold Star spouse.

5

M.G.L. Chapter 115

• Unique Benefit to Massachusetts• Financial Assistance (Shelter /

Fuel / Food) and Medical Assistance • Administered by a local VSO in the

community• Reimbursed by the Commonwealth

at 75%• Prevented the Loss of Personal

Homes on Average 10 Veterans per year

6

Financial Eligibility

• Financial Benefits (Approximates)• Single applicant up to $1,494• Married applicant up to $1,975

• Medical Benefits• Without Spend Down up to 200% of FPL

• Single Applicant $1,733• Married Applicant $2,333

• No income limit with Spend Down

7

Caseload and Expenditures

Caseload (Mo. Avg.)

-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Expenditures

$-

$10,000,000

$20,000,000

$30,000,000

$40,000,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Expenditures $ 12,804,699.00 $ 15,457,937.00 $ 18,347,700.00 $ 22,889,000.00 $ 29,977,000.00 $ 36,972,000.00

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Caseload (Mo. Avg.) 3,634 4,113 4,687 5,433 6,485 7,537

8

Chapter 115

Eligibility

Single Married

Income $1,800 $2,400

Assets Less Than$3,200

Less Than$7,000

9

Annuity

• $2000 per year (two payments)

• 100% Service Connected Veteran or Spouse

• Gold Star Parent• Gold Star Spouse

10

Tax Abatements

• Motor vehicle excise tax exemption for disabled veterans and ex-prisoners of war*

• Veterans as defined in section 7 of chapter 4 of the Massachusetts General Laws who by reason of service in the armed forces of the United States have suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of the use or one of both feet or one of both hands or has been determined by the medical advisory board within the Registry of Motor Vehicles to be permanently disabled is eligible for motor vehicle excise exemption (applicable for only one motor vehicle owned and registered for personal, non-commercial use).

• *For ex-prisoners of war, and their surviving spouse, the law allowing the exemption for the motor vehicle excise must be accepted by the city or town to be applicable.

• Sales tax exemption for disabled veteransM.G.L. ch. 64H, s.6(u)• Disabled veterans who by reason of service in the U.S. armed forces have

suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of the use of, both legs or both arms or one leg and one arm are eligible for a motor vehicle sales tax exemption (applicable only to one motor vehicle owned and registered for personal, non-commercial use).

11

Tax Abatements

Property Tax AbatementEligible veterans, spouses, and parentsRange from $400 to $2500• To qualify, all Veterans (and spouses* where

applicable) must:• be at least 10% disabled by the U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs• be legal residents of Massachusetts• be occupying the property as his/her domicile on July 1 in

the year of application• have lived in Massachusetts for at least six months prior to

entering the service (spouses exempted) or• have lived in Massachusetts for five consecutive years

immediately prior to filing for a property tax exemption.

12

Ch. 130 of the Acts of 2005• The State Treasurer's Office, Veterans' Bonus Division, will

administer the Welcome Home Bonus to veterans of the Global War on Terrorism.

• You are eligible if you meet the following criteria: six months domicile in Massachusetts immediately prior to entry

into the armed forces service, beginning September 11, 2001, and discharge under honorable conditions.

• Servicemembers who served active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan receive $1000. 

• Servicemembers with six months or more active service, stateside or outside the continental limits of the United States, receive $500.

WELCOME HOME BONUS

13

Outreach to Women Veterans

• One of the best women veterans outreach programs in the country

• 27,840 women women veterans reside in Massachusetts

• Network provides direct assistance and referrals to over 220 individual women veterans every year

• Women make up roughly 15% of the Active-Duty population (approx. 2,100 Massachusetts women currently serve Active Duty)

14

Outreach to Newly Returning Veterans

• DVS has mailed individualized letters to each of the 30K+ returning veterans since 2001

• SAVE Program

• DVS sends the names of those resident returnees to the Veterans’ Agents in each City and Town

• DVS participation in Mass. National Guard debriefings to Mass returning veterans

• DVS website for veterans to get information and report problems with VA, other agencies

• Newsletters, webcasts and social media presence

• Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Services

15

SAVE PROGRAM

16

OVERVIEW

• Purpose of the program:• Part of Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray’s

suicide prevention initiative and The Department of Veterans’ Services outreach initiatives.

• Suicide prevention within the Veterans’ community.• Mental health referral service.• Outreach.

• Funding:• Funded by the Department of Public Health.

• Statewide• The S.A.V.E. program is designed to be completely mobile and

was created to reach out to veterans, where ever they may exist.

17

FUNCTION

Advocacy• The SAVE program will:

• Screen veterans for mental health issues.

• Assess veterans’ suicide risk.• Provide case management.• Refer veterans to agencies that

provide mental health services and other non-mental health related services.

• Help veterans navigate the bureaucracy of the health care system as it relates to them.

18

Statistics: Necessity for the Program

SAVE servicesrendered

19

Housing

Shelter & Transitional• DVS contracts with over 30 non-profit organizations,

which provide housing services and counseling to eligible veterans. Housing Services include:Emergency Homeless Shelters, Group residences, Single Room Occupancy (SRO) quarters.

• Only Veterans' Hospice in the nation, and a program for veterans with Head Injuries. Services are available to both male and female veterans.

20

# of Emergency

Shelter Beds

# of DVS- Supported Emergency

Shelter Beds

# of Transitional

Beds

# of DVS- Supported

Transitional Beds # of Beds

# of DVS- Supported

BedsBoston 105 105 201 0 306 105Dorchester 0 0 17 17 17 17Fitchburg 0 0 67 25 67 25Gardner 0 0 15 15 15 15Haverhill 0 0 47 22 47 22Hyannis 0 0 10 10 10 10Leeds 40 40 180 120 220 160Lynn 0 0 16 16 16 16New Bedford 10 10 35 35 45 45Roxbury 0 0 10 10 10 10Springfield 0 0 12 12 12 12Springfield YMCA 0 0 22 22 22 22Williamstown 0 0 9 9 9 9Worcester 50 50 41 0 91 50

0 0

Total: 205 205 682 313 887 518

Emergency Shelter & Transitional

Bed Report