- December 6, Albany Transition and Care Management (TCM formerly known as OEF/OIF/OND) Program provided tabling at Army National Guard Premobilization for a group of approximately 50 soldiers and their families scheduled to deploy to Guantanamo Bay this Spring. Information on VA Healthcare Programs for Soldiers and their Families was well received.
- December 6, CVAMC, Gloria Woody, LCSW, Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Jeanette Creighton, HPACT Team Case Manager attended the Lights of Honor Tree Lighting Ceremony held by the Blue Star Mothers at the Rochester International Airport. Suicide Prevention and Homeless information was provided to approximately 120 active duty, veteran and family members. Gloria Woody participated in the ceremony as a Veteran representing a US Combat Era and a Christmas bulb was placed on the tree in her name. This tree will be available for travelers to admire during the holiday season.
- November 24, H-PACT Social Worker, Jeanette Creighton, LMSW, CASAC, and POC for the Homeless team, Christine Allen, LCSW-R met with Sister Grace and Sister Rita, Administrators of the House of Mercy Homeless Shelter and residents including Veterans and non-Veterans. House of Mercy presentation attendees included twenty non-Veteran residents, two Veteran residents, two Volunteer staff who are Veterans, and one family member of Veteran living out of state. The H-PACT Social Worker and Homeless team POC provided information to all four Veterans regarding Primary Care services, Grant and Per Diem, services, Contract Residential benefits, and information on the VA Homeless call center. Through this presentation, three Veterans were identified who are interested in accessing different VA services, including Primary Care, Grant and Per Diem services, Legal assistance, Vocational Rehabilitation, and HUD-VASH benefit. The H-PACT Social Worker and Homeless team POC will continue to partner with community members serving Veterans.
- November 7, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Team members Katie Stevens and Amanda Rood spoke at the 1st bi-annual Landlord Meet and Greet Breakfast. This event was created by HCHV and its community partners; Rochester Housing Council and Veterans Outreach Center at the Eastman Conference Center at the United Way and gathered 72 landlords from the Rochester community. HUD/VASH, the SSVF grant and landlord rights were explained in detail to landlords and contact info shared. Gerald Chairi, Esq. of the law firm Chairi & Ilecki, LLP, answered questions from the landlords.
- October 21, VISN 2 Upstate NY Health Care for Re-Entry Veterans (HCRV) Coordinator, Jonathan Pollack and Western NY Re-Entry Coordinator Cindy Thayer presented the HCRV program to 30 community agencies in the Utica area. The Re-Entry workshop was hosted by AmeriCorps and in partnership with SoldierOn. This workshop served as an opportunity to partner with local community service providers in Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties as well as the Rome VA Outpatient Clinic HealthCare for Homeless Veterans program for Re-Entry Veterans returning to those Counties.
- November 14, VISN 2 WNY Peer Support Specialist, Peer Supervisors, and Local Recovery Coordinator’s held the First Peer Support Staff Face to Face meeting and training in Syracuse, to discuss and make aware of training and Procedures in areas of documentation in CPRS, the challenges and misconceptions of peer support, integrating Peer support on various treatment teams, and to work alongside and assist the clinical staff in each of our departments. In attendance were Peers from Syracuse who hosted the event, Peers from Albany, Canandaigua, Bath, and Rochester, also in attendance were Peer Supervisors and Local Recovery Coordinator’s. Buffalo Peers in attendance were Manny Welch, Mental Health Clinic, Mike Pardee of PRRC, and Barbara Dews of SARRTP, Organizers of the event, Lead Peer Support Supervisor Sophia Miller, Peer Support Lead Pam Moore, and Elizabeth Wahlig Recovery coordinator. This Face to Face connects the Peers in the VISN with one another so that each one can reach one and teach one in all areas.
- November 6, Albany Stratton VA Medical Center Vocational Program hosted a Veteran Resource Fair in Oneonta, NY. Over thirty Veterans and twenty five local employers and community providers were in attendance. Veterans learned about VA benefits and health care with six Veterans enrolling in care during the event. Veterans and community partners expressed high satisfaction with the event.
- October 31st, Albany VAMC, Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Coordinator, Courtney Slade, and Office Gerald Russell of the Albany VA Medical Center provided VJO training to the newly developed Rensselaer County Emotionally Disturbed Persons Response Team (EDRPT). This Veteran training was part of a larger week long training designed to train a small group of 30 officers to deal with mental health crises in the county. Officer Russell and Courtney Slade provided an hour long training on issues Veteran’s might be dealing with during an officer interaction, resources for the Veterans during and after this encounter, along with information on how to collaborate with the VA police and other clinical resources at the facility. This EDPRT training was developed out of the New York State Office of Mental Health Jail-Based Mental Health Services grant.
- October 29, Rochester OPC, Gloria Woody, LCSW, Suicide Prevention/Admission Coordinator, Rochester Outpatient Clinic along with Pamela Kaufman from the Crisis Line, made a presentation to staff at East House. The facility had requested information to help the Veteran population that they have there. Suicide Prevention, Crisis Line, Enrollment, mental health and Homelessness was discussed.
- October 24, Albany’s Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program participated in a meeting with Mayor Gary McCarthy’s office in Schenectady, NY to participate in the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness in Schenectady. The planning group will conduct a count of homeless Veterans in the city of Schenectady in conjunction with the local Continuum of Care Consortium. A follow up meeting is planned for 10/31/14 to begin Veteran-specific planning to assist those identified Veterans in accessing safe housing. The goal is to complete the Mayor’s Challenge before the cold weather arrives.
- October 23, Canandaigua VAMC, Jeanette Gartland Creighton met with the staff at the Antioch Baptist Church and provided the staff with information on H-PACT and other VA services. They provide over 200 meals every Thursday to individuals in need. We will continue to meet with our community partners and provide them with information regarding VA services for the homeless.
- October 22, Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist (VJO), Vincent Schillaci from Canandaigua/Rochester VA coordinated a safety training for community based staff. Officer Melissa Velez from the Rochester Police Department (RPD) gave an overview of safety practices for staff who provide home visits and outreach to Veterans in the community. In attendance were 24 staff from the Health Care for Homeless Veterans, (HCHV), Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) and Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) teams, representing 5 different professional disciplines. Mr. Schillaci will continue partnering with the RPD to ensure justice-involved Veterans have rapid access to care at VA and from our community partners.
- October 21, Canandaigua/Rochester VA , Team Members, Bethany Bibbee, Katie Stevens, and Angel Wong participated in Project Homeless Connect at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. Project Homeless Connect is an annual event that provides homeless people in the Rochester area with critical services in a “one-stop” setting, bringing together a wide range of community agencies and professionals to provide access to medical & dental care, social services, legal advice, food, winter coats, and much more. The HCHV Team met with almost 200 people at the event, including Veterans, family members, and professionals, and was able to provide them each with information about the Canandaigua VA Medical Center and HCHV programs & services. In addition the Team had the opportunity to learn more about services that are available to the Homeless population in our area, and to make connections with community partners that will enable the Team to better-serve the Veterans that they work with.
- October 21, Kirsten Danforth, Albany HCHV Program Manager, was invited to speak at the 15th Annual ASAP (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Provider) Conference. The presentation was offered as part of a panel presentation entitled “Supportive Housing Answers the Challenges of Trauma Experiences of Veterans, Incarceration and Re-Entry, and Homelessness”. Kirsten Danforth was asked to provide conference attendees with an overview of the VA’s effort, both nationally and locally, to end and prevent Veteran homelessness. Fellow panel members included Stanley Richards, Senior Vice President of Programs for Fortune Society, and Ted Houghton, Executive Deputy Commissioner of NYS HCR (Homes and Community Renewal). Ted Houghton cited the VA’s efforts in ending Veteran homeless as a best practice and reported that the work of the Albany HCHV team is a leading example nationally with regard to implementing a supportive housing model that works via the HUD VASH Program.
- October 18, Albany VAMC, Social workers Penny Deasy and Jennifer Curatolo represented the VJO program and provided a VA resource table at the Veteran’s Rights Project within the Albany Law School. Information and outreach materials were provided to Veterans attending the all-day legal clinic. Several other community agencies were in attendance all with the mission to serve Veterans.
- October 17, Albany VAMC, Albany VJO Coordinator Courtney Slade, LCSW, presented to 45 NYS attorneys at the New York State Defenders Association: Representing Veterans in New York Courts CLE. Information was provided on the Veterans Justice Outreach program, VA services, and working with the justice involved Veteran population.
- October 14, Canandaigua VAMC, VITAL Coordinator, Erin Militello, LCSW, and Shawn Gianforte, CPS, LMSW, presented the first of four Faculty Training workshops at Finger Lakes Community College. The training covered Military Culture and expected 40 Faculty. The objective of this training is to educate Faculty and staff on Military Culture and to identify the strengths and potential challenges this brings to the classroom setting. VITAL will continue to work with Finger Lakes Community College to educate Faculty and Staff about the needs of student Veterans and vast resources at the VA.
- October 9, Albany VAMC, The NY State Department of Civil Service presented at the Albany Stratton VA Veteran Career Network about The NY State 55B/C Employment Program. Over 30 Veterans were in attendance to learn about opportunities for NY State employment.
- October 7, Albany VAMC, The Albany CWT Program participated in two local job fairs including The SUNY College and Career Counseling Center’s Annual Community Job Fair and The Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair in Saratoga, NY. CWT staff met with employers and agencies to identify employment opportunities, and discuss ways of increasing collaboration in the future to facilitate hiring Veterans.
- October 3, Vincent Schillaci, LCSW, Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist (VJO) for the Canandaigua VAMC and the VA ROPC met with Todd Baxter, Executive Director of the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, NY. Mr. Baxter was previously the Chief of Police in Greece, NY and joined the VOC in March 2014 to lead the agency in providing supportive services designed to meet the needs of veterans and their families. The VOC has remained a community partner of VA, with ongoing collaboration with the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) and providing Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and after renewed grant support from Veterans Affairs to end homelessness among veterans and their families. Mr. Schillaci and staff from the VOC are coordinating a visit for Mr. Baxter and staff to tour local VA facilities and speak with key staff about VA services and further areas for partnership.
- October 1, the Albany VA Medical Center Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator, Courtney Slade, presented to 105 New York State Jail Administrators at the New York State Sheriff’s Administration (NYSSA) Conference. Discussion was had regarding implementation of veteran’s groups, Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) and peer services within the county jails in New York State. Representatives from Saratoga County participated in the presentation as well, sharing their progress in developing both a peer mentor program for veterans as well as a bi-monthly group within their county jail.
|
