Assessing Veterans’ Needs and Improving the Network of Care 1 Applied Survey Research Melanie Espino & Samantha Green

Homelessness: The Ultimate Indicator of Community Wellbeing 499,933 veterans experiencing homelessness Economy Unemployment Affordable Housing Social Environment Child Welfare Public Safety Criminal Justice Health Hospitals and Health Homes Education Schools Employment Training 2 Locations on the Central Coast and the Bay Area | (877)

Veteran Homelessness Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress

Homelessness: San Mateo County Number of Persons Experiencing Homelessness by Veteran Status, San Mateo County, 2013 Number of Persons Receiving Homeless Assistance by Veteran Status, San Mateo County, Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2014) PIT Count by COC. Retrieved 2014 from Source: San Mateo County Homeless Management Information System. (2014). Personal Correspondence. Received * 2014 data include the months of January through September.

ASR’s 5 Steps for Community Transformation 5

US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) US Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Health Care Employment Department of Defense Federal Departments Department of Veterans Affairs (Cal Vet) Employment Development Department (EDD) State Agencies Human Services Agency Department of Housing Veterans Treatment Court Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health and Recovery County of San Mateo Colleges Non-profit Agencies Rehabilitation Programs Volunteer Groups Seniors Centers Other Veterans Service Officers Legal Services Community Resources Veterans Resources in San Mateo County

Collaboration and Data Collection Qualitative Data Focus Groups Key Informant Interviews 7 Quantitative Data Existing data sources Archival data Records review Our process Needs, assets, and opportunities Guided by: »Steering Committee »Executive Committee »Local experts »Veterans

Population 8

Population Estimates Veteran and Non-Veteran Adult Population Estimates, San Mateo County, Year Estimates 9 Source: US Census Bureau. (2013). S2101: Veteran Status American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from

Age and Gender 10 Veteran Population by Age and Gender, San Mateo County, Year Estimates Source: US Census Bureau. (2013). B21001: Sex by Age by Veteran Status American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from Note: Population estimate excludes children under 18 years.

Period of Military Service 11 Proportion of the Veteran Adult Population by Period of Military Service, San Mateo County, Year Estimates Source: US Census Bureau. (2013). S2101: Veteran Status American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from

Self-Identification as Veterans Veterans are not always sure if they are “veterans” »Some thought being a veteran meant receiving VA benefits »Some felt they were less deserving than others or didn’t want to take away benefits from other veterans The term veteran is defined differently by different organizations 12 A participant who exited from military service in 1994 said, “I did not know I was a veteran. I thought a veteran was someone who got hurt and fought in the war. I was in there in the Persian Gulf when it first started…I also went to Korea. But, I did not know that I was a veteran. No one told me.”

Income and Education 13 Educational Attainment of San Mateo County Residents by Veteran Status, Source: US Census Bureau. ( ). B21003: Veteran Status by Educational Attainment. American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from Median Individual Income by Veteran Status, San Mateo County,

Unemployment Percentage of Unemployed Adults in the Labor Force by Veteran Status, U.S., California and San Mateo County, Source, CA and SMC: US Census Bureau. ( ). B21005: Age by Veteran Status by Employment Status for Civilian Population 18 years and over American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from

Employment and Education Employment #1 need identified in focus groups »Veterans need assistance translating military skills into civilian jobs Reintegration into campus / workplace »Prejudices »Difficulty for those with mental health issues (authority, crowds) »Can provide camaraderie, sense of purpose 15 Utilization of the G.I. Bill »Compensation is dependent on years of service »Veterans are sometimes asked to pay up front and get reimbursed »Unaware of what they qualify for

Veteran Benefit Claims 16 Number of Pending Benefit Claims, Veterans Benefits Administration Oakland, 1st Week of December Counts, Source: National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. (n.d.) Compensation and Pension by County Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved 2014 from Note: Data presented are from the first week of December each year.

Veterans Benefits Administration Veterans have a general lack of knowledge about eligibility for benefits Forms and applications are difficult to understand and change frequently Many applications are online and require computer skills Veterans need professional help applying for benefits 17 “I’d ask for help because I didn’t know how to do it, but the person who is supposed to help you just gives you this paperwork… I want them to do it because I don’t know how to do it.”

Disability Veterans with Service-Connected Disability by Percent, San Mateo County, Year Estimates 18 DISABILITY STATUSNUMBERPERCENT 0% % 10-20% % 30-40% % 50-60% % 70% or higher % Not reported3699.9% Total3,730- Source: US Census Bureau. (2013). B21100: Service-connected disability status American Community Survey 5- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) VETERAN GROUP ESTIMATED NUMBER OF VETERANS ESTIMATED PTSD ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTED IN SAN MATEO COUNTY Gulf War5,39210%539 Vietnam War9,84130%2, Estimated Occurrence of PTSD for San Mateo County Veterans Source: US Census Bureau. (2014). B21002: Period of Military Service for Civilian Veterans 18 Years and Over American Community Survey 3- Year Estimates. Retrieved 2014 from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014). How Common is PTSD. Retrieved fromhttp:// overview/basics/how-common-is-ptsd.asp

Health and Wellbeing Counseling a top need for veterans »Trauma/PTSD »Marriage »Reintegrating »Alcohol/drug issues Veterans are often unaware of their own mental health needs and how to seek services Many veterans with disabilities were aware of and willing to seek out VA benefits 20

Prevention Assumptions about veterans with “high needs” and “low needs” Veterans’ needs are the community’s needs Specific Needs: Community connectedness (camaraderie) Transitioning back / reunification Purpose and structure 21

Data Collection and Identification Self-identification Lack of data on veterans / families connected to services »Data systems / entry »Barriers to asking (discomfort?) »Barriers to telling (mistrust?) VA-recommended measures Veteran families 22

San Mateo County Action Formed Veterans' Commission (meeting Nov 2015) Increased partnership and collaboration »SVOs connecting with veterans in other locations/other programs Increased outreach through messaging in SMC facilities Distributed new flyers and posters “If you served you earned“ Focused outreach to female veterans Increased trainings to community providers on role of CVSOs in the community 23 Focus, Outreach & Training

San Mateo County Action Veterans ID Project »Launched June 2015 »115 IDs issued in one month 24 Data Collection Collecting data on number of clients served by Vets Service Office

Assessing Veterans’ Needs: Implications of the Work 25 Moving Beyond A Crisis Response Focus on Prevention Coordinate care Improve identification and systematic data collection Collaborative action Sustainability

Public Report hsa.smcgov.org/veterans Click on Veterans Publications link 26 San Mateo County Human Services Agency Website