1. Veteran Providers’ Coalition
Initial Meeting
February 20, 2015, 2 p.m.
Hosted at
Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas
555 N. Woodlawn
Wichita, KS
Present: Laurie Pfeiffer, Brad Webster, Stacia Lyday, Anne Corriston, Kathy Hannemann,
Charlene Powell, Amber McAnulla, Melissa Gronau, Thomas Hamilton, Tom Pletcher,
Sarah Sell, James Riley, Casey McElwain, Brandi Wright, Jen McGill, Angie Burnham,
Sandy Swank, Aaron Lovelady, Autumn Schowalter, David Kennedy, Ben Price, Tim
Hamilton, Kim Lewis, R. Michael Gillett, Deanna Herrin, Cody Herrin, Howard Hutchison
and Patty Gnefkow.
The initial meeting of the newly organized Veteran Providers’ Coalition (VPC) was held
Friday, February 20, 2015, at the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas (MHA)
at 2 p.m. Twenty-eight representatives attended representing 16 organizations: Wichita
Workforce Center, Salvation Army, MHA: Vet-to-Vet and Sr. Companion, Veteran Service
Organization at WSU, Veterans of Affairs Vet Center, AW2 (Wounded Warriors), VFW/VSO,
VA/Rural Health Program, VA/HCHV, Veterans Upward Bound, Inter-Faith Ministries,
Sedgwick County Human Services, Wichita State University, Catholic Charities and the
Veterans Advocacy Council for Behavioral Health. Attendee Amber McAnulla is a veteran
practicum student from WSU working with the Vet-to-Vet Compeer Support Program. The
meeting was led by Veteran Providers’ Coalition (VPC) Founder/Convener, Howard
Hutchison.
Patty Gnefkow, Director of the Vet-to-Vet Compeer Support Program at MHA welcomed
guests. As attendees introduced themselves and explained their role in veterans needs in
the community, it was evident that many in attendance collaborate with each other on a
regular basis. This meeting is being held to bring us together to discuss how we, together,
can help our veterans.
One opportunity for our homeless veterans is the 2nd Tuesday meeting Connie Jarvis VA,
hosts at United Methodist Open Door, welcoming providers to round table ideas and
information concerning veterans using Open Door services. Hutch explained that it was
Connie’s efforts that gave insight to expanding the concept into a Veteran Providers’
Coalition that had a broader scope and more of a coalition structure. Thus the decision

2. was made to have a providers’ coalition and get together on a regular basis. Everyone will
have an equal stake, asking the question, “Can we make an hour collectively more
productive than an hour we spend individually.”
When we meet with vets, we need to recycle our efforts instead of recycling our vets. There
are scenarios we deal with on a daily basis, and we need bring these issues to the forefront
and find solutions through effective communication. Hopefully this will decrease the time
that we will need to meet in the long run.
Thomas Pletcher launched and took the lead in creating the Sedgwick County Veterans
Coalition bringing people together who offer services to veterans. They meet twice a year
and communicate often by email. This coalition basically includes people who help
veterans. They met in January and will meet again this summer.
Hutch said this coalition (VPC) will not follow a structure (i.e. elected positions) until
mandated to do so. Everyone is equally invested. The direction and emphasis includes
the ability to do some things that our organizations, agencies and/or the VA may not be
able to accomplish alone, such as advertise. At some point, we will develop a mission
statement and vision going forward. We are fortunate to have all in one room to work on
this. We look to having constant feedback from vets from the front line.
An example of how this can work: MHA expanded its Compeer program in January of 2014
to match vets with vets, and currently have 14 solid one-to-one matches, getting ready to
match six more. As this program grows, we will have a better understanding of what is
needed. Hutch explained the Vet-to Vet Support Program and outlined a model that
provides a constant, reliable source of feedback from the veterans on the front line who
we serve. It was expressed that the Vet-to-Vet Program could lay initial groundwork as in
keeping a pulse on Veteran’s on going issues and needs for the VPC coalition to address.
Hutch explained that one problem is when vets are discharged from the service with “bad
conduct” – they do qualify for some services, but hard to seek out where this vet can be
served. Because there are so many options no one agency can know them all. Hutch asked
everyone to send program information to him and he will feed this back to the Coalition so
there will be one resource finder. This can create a process to allow veterans to qualify
for available services.
Inter-Faith Ministries said that the biggest problem for vets is being unable to get to where
they are directed to go for services. We solve this problem by going to them, by bringing
services to the homeless shelter, by going to them when they are there in the evenings.
Through the Veteran’s Choice Act, personnel in the Rural Health Program at the VA serve
every county in Kansas, and have been traveling to every county to be there during drill
for the Air National Guard to advise them of available services. The VA serves over 7,000
persons over age 70, who will need end of life assistance.

3. Brad Webster from Veterans Upward Bound program at WSU reported they are getting out
of the office to go to vets when necessary to work with a wide specter.
GOAL: To compile information about veteran issues to give vets solutions. In other words,
fill in the cracks as a coalition.
Cody Ochs reported that there is an 88% dropout rate for veterans at WSU, and the WSU
vet center is trying to change that by tracking the vet students. They are currently tracking
around 400, yet estimate that over 800 are not being tracked. WSU has a pilot program,
“Wichita in Mind” to address “alternative medicines” have teamed up with Newman and
Friends Universities and are building a program for resiliency, training and alternative
mental health care. The first practice group sessions will be the end of April or beginning
of May. The Downtown Vet Center is involved with these efforts. The long-term goal is to
create a resiliency center for domestic abuse and violence.
Melissa Gronau announced that the VA has a yoga session at 3 p.m. every Wednesday and
welcomes vets to join – it is low impact.
To sum up the day, the Coalition needs to:
● Have clear mission and vision statements
● Create a community calendar for veteran related events
● Develop a veteran resource guide
● Understand what services are available from each agency
● Outline issues, barriers and solutions
This is a community effort.
Approximately 20 attendees stayed after meeting was adjourned networking with one
another and offering feedback.
The next VPC meeting will be Friday, March 20, 2015 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. with networking
from 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. at the Mental Health Association - Training Room.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted,
Charlene Powell
Interim Secretary