TexVet Briefing
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Current status of TexVet and its mission to index and refer volunteers for Veterans across Texas to local resources that will assist them in helping other Veterans.
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TexVet Briefing
- 2. TexVet Missions: » One – Support Texas military, veterans and family members with information and referral services and by facilitating the delivery of these services across traditional boundaries. » Two – Serve as the hub for the statewide peer to peer facilitation network and volunteers. By documenting and supporting this network we will facilitate the delivery of services, increase engagement by volunteers and ensure the continuity of the network for the future.
- 3. » New wars redefined the role of WHO America sees as a veteran. » What picture or image comes to mind when I say: American Veteran? Army Soldier? Marine? Airman? Cadet?
- 7. »Veterans aren’t victims »A job and a cause are pathways to re-integration
- 13. Val Verde & Kinney Counties 7,000+ Veterans
- 15. » Statewide P2P Network » Coordinators at local & state level search, connect & document points on the network » “Back End” support to P2P network and all involved in that support » Accessibility increased : redundancy reduced: reduce redundancy
- 16. Volunteer BEITZ Reg. Mtg Volunteer LMHA SVA VA El Paso Lubbock Tarrant County Dallas County Corpus Christie Tyler San Antonio Galveston J. Doe Houston Austin
- 17. MilVetPeer.net
- 21. » Curated » Dynamic » Updated Search » Back-end CRM
- 23. Version 4 » Hands-on Partner contribution » Dynamic sections • Blogs • Search • Information » Social media integration
- 25. Direct Fast Simple
- 28. » Texas Military, Veterans, and Family Members have unparalleled support & benefits » Safety net for Veterans adds resiliency to employers » Veterans have someone to turn to – You have someone to turn to
- 29. » Texas Military, Veterans, and Family Members access the full range of benefits earned by service » Texas Military, Veterans, and Family Members find common cause and are fulfilled by mutual support and individual interaction with their peers.
- 30. Who’s IN And Who’s OUT?
- 31. Certain situations cause us to want to ensure that organizations are blessing the veterans’ lives and not targeting them. • Your father, conservative World War II Veteran, is approached by an organization that wants to ‘help’ him… • What would you want to know before allowing that organization access into his life? • What questions would you want to ask before letting any organization get personally involved in the life of your family member… or friend?
- 32. Veteran Service Organizations • FEDERAL (VBA, DOD, OneSource) • STATE (TVC, TVLB, DSHS, TWC) • LOCAL (USO, VFW, Non Profits)
- 35. Questions from the audience.
- 36. (512) 341-4924 ContactUs@texvet.org TexVet.org MilVetPeer.net 3950 North A.W. Grimes Round Rock, TX 78665
Editor's Notes
- TexVet: (TEXVET) promotes the health of military personnel, veterans and their families by enhancing access to health care, social services and strengthening support systems through all phases of the military life cycle. TEXVET was created through the collaborative efforts of the Texas A & M Health Science Center (TAMHSC COM ), Department of Defense (DOD) , Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Texas Military Forces (TMF), Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) and the academic community.One critical piece to connect military service members, veterans and their families to available services is to organize and display resources in a simple source accessible to the military population and to its community supporters. The TexVet initiative has assumed this role with its website: www.texvet.org. The website serves as a key entry point between someone seeking assistance, the 2-1-1 system, and State and Federal resources. As per SB 1058, it is the COM that is specified for its involvement with Veterans. I think that we should be true to the enabling legislation. There is no "State of Texas Department of Veterans Affairs". The VA is Federal, not State.
- John F. Kennedy said"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." This is where TexVet comes in.TexVet is dedicated to providing veterans, military members and their families with equal access to information. By collecting federal, state, and local Veteran Service Organization (VSO) information, we’ve worked with Texas 2-1-1 and others to create an information and referral service and a great schedule of Veteran’s events in the state.Through this network and event-based activities, TexVet has initiated a “No Wrong Door” policy for the veteran community. Our Partners Across Texas have become more knowledgeable about the other services available to veterans. In turn, veterans are properly connected to the services they need most.Notable TexVet partners include the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Texas Veterans Commission, the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Military Forces, Department of Veterans Affairs, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), Mental Health America-Texas (MHA-T), National Alliance on Mental Illness-Texas (NAMI-Texas), the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Veterans County Service Officers Association, Bring Everyone in the Zone (BEITZ), and other great VSO’s.
- Ask the audience what THEY think of…
- When you GOOGLE “veteran” these are the pictures that are brought up. Images from WWII, Korean War and the Vietnam War are the most prevalent. They ARE veterans but they aren’t the only ones….
- Veterans from Desert Shield/Storm, OIF, OEF are the new faces of the American Veteran. Once, there were color and gender lines and now there are unified forces serving around the globe. Whether someone has served 3 months or 33 years…in our eyes, they are a veteran.
- Now that we’ve identified WHO a veteran is; let’s identify our GOALS and the NEED.TexVet’s goal is to make federal, state, and especially local resources available to all Texas military, veterans and families.
- You hear a lot about the latest, greatest generation and how hard they’ve fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and so many un-named places. I know that you also hear that many have been injured and seek some sort of treatment. That is true – no one wades a stream without getting wet and no one comes back from war unchanged. But for most – this is a toughening process. It is a self-awareness generation engine. Their efforts overseas, for us, may produce struggles, but those efforts also produce tested, accomplished people.At TexVet, we believe that Veterans need a job and a cause. Jobs because they are young, and have families, and bills to pay, and responsibilities to uphold. A cause because the Veteran has often become accustomed to fighting for something greater than herself. These Veterans are committed to this country and to each other and are willing to go the extra mile to keep each other together. When I returned from Iraq it was the Viet Nam Veterans that came forward – said “don’t wait” – “get organized.” And we did. And I got a job to pay the bills.
- One of the most positive things about hiring Veterans is that they come with their own support structure. Texas is particularly appealing in this respect as there are so many services and helping agencies ready to lend a hand. This can take a burden off of you – the employer. In many cases, services or human resources that you may afford other employees aren’t necessary to the Veteran because those needs are addressed. The main thing they may need from you could be a little time or a little flexibility to make sure they access the services offered.
- But – it can be overwhelming. Sometimes there are just too many choices offered. Finding the right ones can be a bit tricky. It is not much of a joke when I say that you can find yourself outside the gate of Fort Hood with a duffel bag full of pamphlets and no idea how to pay a light bill. That’s about what happened to me. Having an HR department with Veterans in it can be invaluable to the Veterans in your company and can save you a lot of time and trouble by quickly sorting through the Veterans needs. We call this peer to peer facilitation. That doesn’t have to look like a sit around kum bay yah counseling session (although it could). Sometimes a peer only has to translate a military type request into a civilian one and point the Veteran at the right place. This is where TexVet comes in.
- Silos…not just for grain anymore…Silos were designed for farmers to store and protect their grain. They have been used for thousands of years. The problem is that now we store information in them instead of sharing information. I’m sure you’ve seen people that have made a nice little home in their silo. Some have gone a little crazy and others have perfected their lives….living in a silo.
- We see lots and lots of VA Facilities. There are hospitals, Vet Centers, Vet Clinics, VBA Administration buildings, community outreach trailers and more. The Texas Veterans Commission is in the workforce centers, the VA hospitals, and on some military bases. They even hosted a tail gate party this weekend at the UT / Texas Tech game.
- BEITZ, Inc. has trained over 400 Peer to Peer facilitators in the state of Texas. And there is Grace After Fire, Vets 4 Vets, and Via Hope, to name some others. But how do these all relate?
- Our aim is to document and support these (and any other resource for our Texas Military, Veterans and Family members). By doing so, patterns emerge. For instance, overlaying the dots for trained P2P facilitators with population data (darker means more Veterans) we can see some challenges already emerging.
- Our goal is to break down these silos and mix it up. We do that by collecting and sharing resources and events on our website. We do that by attending meetings like this and the Partners Across Texas meetings in each region quarterly. We do that through the amazing work of Mrs. Betty Sandefur and her volunteers calling, cataloging and updating daily.
- These are some of the things we are working on. I guess that I need more work on reducing redundancy.
- In the future we will do it by empowering this DSHS funded project to place Volunteer Coordinators around the state and have them make contact with resources in their area – whether they are trained facilitators, VA counselors, or just concerned citizens offering a discount to a Veteran. Goodwill is an employment partner now – I hope you will be soon.
- With these tools and more we aim to try to reach out to the newest generation. But we still use phones and personal appearances every day. Not every Vet has access to a computer they can use and feel comfortable with.
- We urge you to plug into the network either as a Partner, Resource, or User. Know that we are here for you and direct your Veterans and supporters this way – help us to help you.
- The solution is to create a HUB where information flows IN and information flows OUT.
- The solution is to create a HUB where information flows IN and information flows OUT. A perfect example of this effort is the recent collaboration between Bluebonnet Trails, Mary Lee Foundation and TexVet.Injured National Guardsman – blasted a message out – got back lots of responses to refine the next response.
- Here is a first look at what should be my Christmas present.
- One of my best young men, a Veteran, calls my high-speed, desktop computer the “Grandpa Box.” Our goal is to get So-Lo-Mo & give our volunteers and coordinators a location aware – portable site or app that they can hold in their hand and it will then direct them to the closest, most appropriate resources.
- This is our website now.
- With technology changing as fast as it possibly can, we have to meet the veterans and families where they are spending their time. We can find them on facebook, twitter, linkedin, blogs, you tube and connecting through search engines such as Google.
- Connecting veterans with the VSO’s, veterans with veterans and VSO’s with VSO’s.
- Has the organization been verified by a TexVet representative? Do we know anyone who has used the services of the organization? What services does the organization offer? Are services offered to ALL Veterans or to specific groups? How long has the organization been in existence? How long has it been in Texas? Is it a non-profit organization? Where does it get funding? Does it “target” the Veterans or the “blessing” of the Veterans? Does the organization have political ties? If so, to whom? Is solid contact information for the organization available? Does it have a website or social media page? (Facebook, Linkedin) Does it partner with other VSOs to help Veterans?
- While all community partners are required to meet these minimum standards, TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors recognizes the acceptance of partners and resources will influence the depth and complexity of its database.TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors reserves the right to exclude certain organizations from its database. Potential grounds for exclusion or removal from the database may include, but are not limited to, service non-delivery, fraud, misrepresentation, discrimination, or criminal activities. TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse to include organizations in the database that have had serious substantiated complaints lodged against them with any regulatory body or with other health and human service organizations, in accordance with 2-1-1’s Alliance Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) Standards for Professional Information and Referral.
- While all community partners are required to meet these minimum standards, TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors recognizes the acceptance of partners and resources will influence the depth and complexity of its database.TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors reserves the right to exclude certain organizations from its database. Potential grounds for exclusion or removal from the database may include, but are not limited to, service non-delivery, fraud, misrepresentation, discrimination, or criminal activities. TexVet: Partners Across Texas Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse to include organizations in the database that have had serious substantiated complaints lodged against them with any regulatory body or with other health and human service organizations, in accordance with 2-1-1’s Alliance Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) Standards for Professional Information and Referral.
- How can WE help YOU?We are ready NOW to accept the information from you to put on our new site! How long will the veteran be at the University? Are they dedicated to helping other veterans? Do they want to share their story?
- I leave you with this: Veterans may not look or sound like someone that didn’t go off to war. But, as statesman and author, Michel de Montaigne, father of modern skepticism, said: "Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul."