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Max Cleland DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICES 30TH NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE

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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

[email protected]

Region 5 VCAT Great Lakes Bay Veterans Coalition

Brad Blanchard, Chair

[email protected]

Region 6 VCAT Kate Logan [email protected]

Region 7 VCAT Lansing Area Veterans Coalition

Heather Nystrom, Chair

[email protected]

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