[RETVET-INFO] Recent VA News Releases

From: RETVET-INFO@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: <RetVet-Info@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:20:46 -0500
News Releases


==========


http://www.va.gov/opa/images/new2.gifVA Announces $300 Million in New Grants to
Help End Veterans <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2448> '
Homelessness - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today
the award of nearly $300 million in grants that will help approximately 120,000
homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants have been awarded
to 319 community agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands. (7/13/13)

http://www.va.gov/opa/images/new2.gifVA Grants Will Expand Transportation in
Highly Rural Areas <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2457>  -
Veterans will have improved access to health care under a Department of Veterans
Affairs initiative that supports new transportation services for those living in
highly rural areas. (7/10/13)

http://www.va.gov/opa/images/new2.gifVA Acquires More Than 247 Acres to Continue
Memorial Benefits for Veterans
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2456>  - The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) recently acquired 247.4 acres of land in Morovis, Puerto
Rico, to prevent the loss of burial benefits to Puerto Rico's Veterans when the
Puerto Rico National Cemetery, located in Bayamon, closes to new casketed
interments sometime in 2022. (7/2/13)

VA Starts Campaign to Raise PTSD Awareness
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2455>  - In observance of
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month, the Department of
Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD invites the public to participate in
its "Take the Step" campaign. (6/24/13)

VA Processes Nearly All Disability Claims Pending Over 2 Years, Moves to
Complete Those Older Than 1 Year
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2454>  - The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that as a result of the initiative
launched in April to expedite disability compensation claims decisions for
Veterans who have a waited a year or longer, more than 65,000-claims - or 97
percent of all claims over two years old in the inventory - have been eliminated
from the backlog. (6/20/13)

New Technology in Place for Electronic Submission of Veterans
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2453> ' Disability Claims -
A new online application from the Department of Veterans Affairs enables
disability compensation claims to be processed faster in a more end-to-end
electronic environment, and VA is urging Veterans and their Veterans Service
Organization (VSO) representatives to make full use of its capabilities to
receive speedier decisions and reduce the backlog of claims. (6/18/13)

VA Hires Over 1600 Mental Health Professionals to Meet Goal, Expands Access to
Careand Outreach Efforts, Directs Nationwide Community Mental Health Summits
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2450> - Today, the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has met the goal to hire
1,600 new mental health professionals outlined in President Obama's Aug. 31,
2012, Executive Order to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans,
Service Members, and Military Families. (6/3/13)

HUD  <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2449> & VA TEAM UP TO
PROVIDE PERMANENT HOMES TO 9,000 HOMELESS VETS - Approximately 9,000 homeless
Veterans living on the streets and in the nation's shelter system will soon find
a permanent place to call home. U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary
Eric K. Shinseki announced today that HUD will provide $60 million to local
public housing agencies across the country to offer permanent supportive housing
to homeless Veterans, many of whom are living with chronic disabling conditions.
(5/29/13)

VA and Veterans Service Organizations Announce Claims Initiative to Reduce
Claims Backlog <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2446>  -
Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Disabled American Veterans
(DAV), and The American Legion announced a new partnership to help reduce the
compensation claims backlog for Veterans. The effort-the Fully Developed Claims
(FDC) Community of Practice-is a key part of VA's overall transformation plan to
end the backlog in 2015 and process claims within 125 days at 98% accuracy. VA
can process FDCs in half the time it takes for a traditionally filed claim.
(5/21/13)

VA, DoD and HHS Partner to Expand Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans,
Service Members and Families
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2447> - Today, the
Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense (DoD) and Health and Human
Services (HHS) announced the progress made to date on initiatives called for in
President Obama's August 31, 2012, Executive Order to Improve Access to Mental
Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and their families. (5/21/13)

VA Announces New Grants to Help End Veterans
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2445> ' Homelessness - The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced two new grants to support
Secretary Eric K. Shinseki's goal of ending Veterans' homelessness in 2015.
Under these new programs, homeless providers can apply for funding to enhance
the facilities used to serve homeless Veterans, and acquire vans to facilitate
transportation of this population. (5/17/13)

VA Mandates Overtime to Increase Production of Compensation Claims Decisions
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2444> - As part of its
ongoing effort to accelerate the elimination of the disability compensation
claims backlog, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing today that
it is mandating overtime for claims processors in its 56 regional benefits
offices. This surge, which will be implemented through the end of fiscal year
2013, will be targeted to eliminating the backlogged status of claims. The
additional overtime hours that will be worked during this period will be used to
help eliminate the backlog with continued emphasis on high-priority claims for
homeless Veterans and those claiming financial hardship, the terminally ill,
former Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, and Veterans filing Fully
Developed Claims. (5/15/13)

Draft Gulf War Task Force Report Released
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2442>  - Today, Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced that the Department's Gulf War
Veterans' Illnesses Task Force will publish a comprehensive draft report in the
Federal Register for public feedback and comment. The report describes how the
Department of Veterans Affairs has been, and will continue to address the
concerns of Veterans who deployed during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991.
(5/14/13)

Nationwide 2K Event Will Support Homeless Veterans and Promote Employee Wellness
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2443>  - The Department of
Veterans Affairs is once again hosting a nationwide 2K "Walk and Roll" event at
more than 170 VA sites across the nation on May 15 to coincide with National
Employee Health and Fitness Day. The event will also encourage employee and
local community support of homeless Veterans. (5/14/13)

Statement from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki on Departure of
Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould
<http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2439>  - "After four years
of serving Veterans with distinction, Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould - my
fellow Veteran, colleague and friend - has submitted his resignation, effective
May 17. His unwavering leadership and dedication to Veterans and their families
has strengthened our ability to carry out VA's mission - providing Veterans the
healthcare and benefits they have earned (4/29/13)

 

-------

SOURCE:  VA Media Page at  <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/>
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/

 

 

NOTICE:  Archived copies of this and other mailing list messages,
subscribe\unsubscribe instructions and other useful information are available on
the LINKS FOR MIL\RET\VETS website at www.hostmtb.org
[RETVET-INFO] Recent VA News Releases

Other related posts:
