1. COVER to COVER “Connecting Older Veterans (Especially Rural) to
Community Or Veteran Eligible Resources”
Collaborative project between the Utah ADRC and VHA Office of Rural Health:
Building VA Partnerships to Better Serve Veterans

2. What we will cover today
Understand the “why” behind creating the COVER to COVER program
Understand the basic concepts of the COVER to COVER program
See how COVER to COVER has expanded to 5 states
Demonstrate the impacts the COVER to COVER program can have

3. Do you regularly assess a caller’s Veteran status?
2012 ADRC National Survey
Do you regularly assess a caller’s Veteran status?
Staff Challenges:
Lack basic information about most VA benefits
VA resources—not very helpful
Most positive feelings about resources was having a personal contact at the VA

4. 9 Million Veterans Over 65

5. Understanding Veterans Benefits
2010 Report – Only 41% of Veterans stated they understood their VA Benefits “a lot” or “some”
Many Veterans have misperceptions about VA Benefits
Believe income is too high for any assistance
Aren’t eligible because they didn’t serve in combat
Other Veterans are more deserving
Negative attitudes about VA
Thus, many Veterans do not seek help from the VA or the State Department of Military Affairs
Instead, they turn to community agencies…

6. COVER to COVER Video

7. COVER to COVER Objectives
Train community agency staff members to become Veteran Benefits Specialist
Create a New Access point for veterans within their communities
Build relationships between community agencies, State Veteran Agencies and the VA

8. VA Benefits Training VA Organizational Structure
Military Language and Culture
VHA Healthcare
VHA In-Home Services
Pension
Aid & Attendance
VA State Nursing Home
Burial Benefits
Disability Compensation
Caregiver Support
Home Modifications
Mesa County Community VA Benefits Training

9. Working together better serves Veterans
Building Partnership
Working together better serves Veterans

10. Working with your local VA
Who to contact?
County VSO
State Department Of veteran and Military Affairs
VA Medical Center
Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)
Vet Centers
Other Veterans Service Organizations
Elaborate on each entity
Different in every state
Really 1-2 relationships will help get you in the door
Jen can help

11. Changing Agency Protocol
New Direction…Screening callers
“Have you or a loved one served in the Military?”
“Have you ever accessed your veteran benefits?”
“Would like more information on VA Benefits?”
“Would you like to talk to our VA Benefits Specialist?”
Example where referrals came from H

12. C2C Veteran Benefits Specialist
Screen callers for Veteran status
Educate on VA Benefits (public/private options too)
Assist in navigating the application process
Refer to VA partner
**Follow Up**

13. C2C FY16 Expansion

14. Participating Sites UTAH: COLORADO: Bear River – AAA Mesa County ADRC
Salt Lake Aging and Adult Services - AAA
Mountainland - AAA
Active Re-Entry- CIL*
Five County - AAA
Davis County – AAA
San Juan County – AAA
OREGON:
Lane County – Senior & Disability Services
Northwest Senior & Disability Services - NWSDS
Idaho:
Southeastern Idaho Council of Governments - SICOG
Nevada still getting going

15. COVER to COVER: ACCESS
C2C Veteran Clients
FY13/14
FY15
FY16
FY17Q1/Q2
Total Veterans
584
748 
1166
1280
Total Encounters
765
1554
3064
2523
Hours Spent with Veterans
551
1065
1996
1532
Non-connected Veterans *
744
624
Assisted with Application
390
547
Difference between FY 16 and 1st half of FY 17-
Total Veterans- FY 17- up almost 10% already
Total Encounters- Already completed 82% of what we did last year
NON-Connected Vet- FY 17 so far 49%
64% of Veterans had not been connected to the VA for benefits prior to contacting the community agency.

16. Who do we serve? Older Veterans and their families

17. Impact to ADRCs
Improve awareness and knowledge of VA and state Veterans programs
Increase confidence in working with Veterans
Add VA and state Veterans benefits to the menu of LTSS
Create strong relationships with resourceful VA partnership
Support the VD-HCBS program
Support NWD efforts

18. Impact to VA & State Veteran Agencies
Improved access to Veterans benefits and services
Increased pride, public trust, and confidence in the VA
Improved connections to services the VA does not offer
Effective outreach to rural areas

19. Impact to Veterans
Local access point for benefit information (VA, public, private)
Access to personalized benefits counseling in the community where they live
Education about previously unknown benefits Assistance with the application process
Follow-up throughout application process

20. Cover to Cover in Colorado
Prior to C2C
Assessment of Veteran Status: Intermittent
Knowledge of VA Benefits: Very Little
Connection with VA and local VSO: None
C2C Launch
Assessment of Veteran Status: Always
Knowledge of VA Benefits: Much Better
Connection with VSO: Co-Location
A quick overview of Nevada and our Veteran population to set the stage…
Nevada is a very large state (109,000 sq. miles, approximately 10x the size of Maryland). 80% of the population is located in Clark County (home of Las Vegas), the next most populated county is Washoe with 449,000 people. We have a total of 5 physical ADRC sites.
All data from VA.gov

21. COVER to COVER Success Stories
Lane County Oregon
5 County Utah
Mesa County Colorado
Challenges
Building trust with partners…difference in culture. Contact at NDVS is a veteran, doesn’t follow up as much as I do. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if there was going to be a training at all.
Many competing priorities for ADRC in Nevada right now, lots of change and limited funding to increase capacity.
There is also some competition or overlap in this project with other projects the NDVS is launching.
Keeping the communication going between partners is a challenge we see going forward. We don’t want to lose touch with the contacts we have made at the VA.
The bureaucracy of going through the contract process between the federal requirements and the state requirements. It will take awhile to finalize the contract.
However, the benefits, that we have already seen far outweigh these challenges…
First and foremost, connecting with veterans. Our state department only has 12 VSOs on staff…benefits are highly underutilized in NV. This program will help connect veterans who may not otherwise have connected.
The project is in alignment with Governor’s priorities to make NV the most veteran friendly state in the US. Lots of support going forward.
The training opportunities provided to the ADRCs.
Enhancing our NWD system to ensure we are connecting veterans with the VA when appropriate.
Partnerships with the VA and NDVS for training and more importantly, veteran assistance.
Funding to help sustain the ADRC.

22. COVER to COVER Presenters COVER TO COVER Main Contact
For more information:
COVER to COVER Presenters
Christie Higgins, Western CO 2-1-1/ADRC Director,
Brian Oney, ADRC VBS/Mesa County VSO,
COVER TO COVER Main Contact
Jennifer Morgan, Utah ADRC Director/COVER to COVER Project Manager