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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

NCIL Veterans Subcommittee 2016 Survey Results

Mark Derry & Sarah Launderville
Co-Chairs
NCIL Veteran Subcommittee

June 2016

Executive Summary

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Veterans Subcommittee was established recognizing that veterans with disabilities and/or their families need access to community-based independent living services, whether they are returning to civilian life and/or continuing their military careers.

The NCIL Veterans Subcommittee strives to promote greater awareness of and to promote to Centers for Independent Living (CILs) community-based independent living services that are available for veterans and their families in the communities where they live.

In July 2015 the subcommittee was reestablished after the NCIL conference when veterans at the conference organized and came forward to serve. In March 2016 the subcommittee sent a survey to CIL Executive Directors. This report represents the findings of that survey and, it is hoped, will serve as a guide for the subcommittee in moving forward with activities to support CILs, SILCs and in building relationships with other organizations and federal agencies to enhance, promote and develop independent living services and supports to enhance the lives of veterans with disabilities.

Survey Method

In March 2016 the Veterans Subcommittee developed a survey for executive directors of Independent Living Centers using the online tool Survey Monkey. The link was sent by NCIL staff to the CIL executive director listserv, and promoted through the NCIL Weekly Advocacy Monitor, and by members through Facebook, Twitter and email listservs. The survey tool was officially closed in June 2016.

Summary

The survey results are listed below. We had 33 respondents. Some respondents chose not to answer some questions. Questions focused on how CILs are currently working with veterans and in which programs/services, whether CILS are tracking if they work with veterans, how many veterans they are working with and what would help when working with veterans. The survey also asked if CILS are working with the Veterans Administration and about this relationship, if they are working with other programs and, if so, how that is working, and for any additional feedback about working with veterans or what the NCIL Veterans Subcommittee should be working on in the coming year.

In which state is your Center for Independent Living located?

  • California: 5
  • Kansas: 1
  • North Carolina: 2
  • Wisconsin: 5
  • Washington: 2
  • Colorado: 1
  • Tennessee: 1
  • Utah: 1
  • Virginia: 2
  • Montana: 1
  • Massachusetts: 1
  • Missouri: 3
  • Maine: 1
  • Texas: 1
  • Idaho: 1
  • Minnesota: 2
  • Georgia: 1
  • Vermont: 1
  • Total: 33

How is your CIL currently working with veterans?

* From responses we categorized using key words and then attached those key words to the data.

Key Word(s): Number of respondents engaged in activity (Percentage of respondents engaged in activity)

  • Core services: 16 (51.61%)
  • Peer support: 9 (29.03%)
  • Board/staff: 8 (25.81%)
  • General outreach: 4 (16.13%)
  • Resources: 4 (12.9%)
  • Connection to VA: 4 (12.9%)
  • Advocacy: 3 (9.68%)
  • Farmer Veteran Coalition: 1 (3.23%)
  • Helping w/paperwork: 1 (3.23%)
  • Ramp Build Day: 1 (3.23%)
  • Retreat center: 1 (3.23%)
  • Sports: 1 (3.23%)
  • Not working with veterans: 1 (3.23%)

In what programs/services are you working with veterans?

Category: Number of respondents engaged in activity (Percentage of respondents engaged in activity)

  • Information & Referral: 28 (100%)
  • Peer to peer work: 15 (53.57%)
  • Nursing home transition: 10 (35.71%)
  • Youth transition: 2 (7.14%)
  • Write-in categories
  • IL skill training: 4 (30.77%)
  • Advocacy: 2 (15.38%)
  • Home modifications: 2 (15.38%)

We received one write-in response for each of the following: Assistive technology, core services, court protocol, Employment Network, Home & Community Based Services, housing, outreach, retreats, socialization, none and VA programs.

Are you tracking if you are working with veterans?

  • Twenty-two people responded to this question.
  • Ten (45.45%) responded yes and twelve (54.55%) responded no.

How many veterans are you working with?

  • Sixteen of the 33 respondents answered how many veterans they are working with:
  • October 1, 2014 – September 20, 2015: the answers ranged from “not sure” to 85.
  • Present Day: the answers ranged from “not sure” to 55.

What would help you when working with veterans?

  • Eight respondents stated they needed more funding for their CIL to help serve veterans. Two respondents want funding to hire veterans with disabilities and one respondent was hoping for the Veterans Administration to reimburse the CIL for work completed.
  • Three respondents were looking for suggestions on how to outreach to the veteran community.
  • Other respondent suggestions included:
    • More resources for veterans
    • Ideas on best practices
    • Training on how to navigate the veteran benefits system and what the benefits are
    • More referrals from the VA to CILs
    • A website with lots of resources

Are you working with the Veterans Administration?

  • Twenty-three people responded; eight (34.78%) said yes and fifteen (65.22%) said no.

How is your relationship with the Veterans Administration?

  • Six respondents rated their relationship with the Veterans Administration between okay to wonderful.

Other comments included:

  • When our current staff go to VA for appointments they try to walk around the campus and educate people but no one seems to have a clue and turnover is high.
  • None
  • The updated information on the VA website is better but we feel it’s still confusing to most veterans.
  • We know what Veteran Directed care means, they don’t…they are supposed to talk to their social worker about needs, but social workers don’t know what’s available.
  • They sit on our disability awareness task force which is a community collaborative we created 15 years ago.
  • No relation although we have opened a new dialogue.
  • We contact the VA when we are looking for resources for our veteran consumers. The relationship is okay.
  • Pretty collaborative and they really promote our retreats.
  • Tough entity to really break through.

Are you working with other Veteran programs?

  • Of the twenty-two respondents, 50% stated yes and 50% stated no in regards to working with other veteran programs.
  • If yes, what other programs and how is that working?
  • The other type of veteran program included:
    • Local Disabled American Veteran group
    • Heroes to Hometown – networking opportunity
    • Dry Hooch
    • County Vet offices and programs – mostly I&R
    • State VA programs
    • Health clinics
    • Cover to Cover
    • Veterans of Foreign Wars
    • American Legion
    • Wounded Warrior Project
    • Operation Never Forgotten Disabled American Veterans
    • Local legions
    • Vermont Vet to Vet

Most responded that the relationships were going well. Some reported that resources are needed to keep the programs and relationships going.

Any additional feedback about working with veterans or what the veterans subcommittee should be working on in the coming year?

  • Peer counselors have experienced lengthy wait times when dealing with the Veterans Administration.
  • We feel strongly that the Veterans Administration should see CILs as a strong resource.
  • Our CIL was created by local veterans who wanted community service options.
  • A partnership between the Veterans Administration and CILs would be a great way to build capacity of a veteran serving veterans and bridging the gap between the two groups.
  • Clearing the way for CILs to contract with the VA.
  • Funding to support a staff person who is a veteran to work with other veterans.
  • A way to identify vets with our program reporting systems.
  • Probably should ask my Veterans Service Organization (VSO) vs. the ED of a CIL.
  • N/A.
  • It would be great if the VA would make sure that local VAs had and understand the NCIL MOU.
  • Just more ideas and descriptions of other programs.

We have had an OVERWHELMING response from veterans and their families for the specific things we are doing for them. They are so grateful and excited. They are tired of government and feel much safer and relaxed getting services from a community based setting.

The NCIL Veterans Subcommittee sends a huge THANK YOU to everyone who completed this survey. The information is incredibly valuable as our subcommittee continues this important work.

We want to invite you to join the subcommittee work. If you are interested in serving, we meet the second Monday of each month at 3:00 EST. To sign up, you need to be an individual NCIL member.

For more information, contact Sarah Launderville: [email protected].