Overview
• Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans (MCV)
Introduction
•
•
About MCV
Who eligible & how works
• VISN 5 & University of Maryland MOU
• Mental Health First Aid
• Contact Information & Questions
About MCV
• A collaboration between Maryland’s Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene; United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs as well as other state
agencies and community providers.
• Assist veterans and their families with coordinating behavioral
health services for the veteran, including mental health and
substance abuse services- either with the VA or DHMH Behavioral
Health Administration.
• Facilitate and cover transportation costs to behavioral health
appointments for veterans.
• Provide information and referrals related to employment,
education, housing, VA benefits.
• Outreach: educate residents, veterans (i.e. Maryland National
Guard) and community groups about MCV.
Who is eligible?
• An individual, male or female, with prior active
duty service (other than for training), regardless of
service era
• For behavioral health services: veterans
discharged or released under conditions ‘other
than dishonorable’
• For information and referral: all veterans
regardless of discharge and their families
How does MCV work?
•Referrals accepted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
•1-877-770-4801
•Referral sources are unlimited
•A connection is made with a Regional Resource Coordinator
(RRC)
•One RRC per region – Central, Southern, Western, Eastern
•A personal relationship is built
Once a veteran is linked to an RRC, they will always speak to the
same person. Once a relationship is built, the veteran will
ideally feel heard and understood, opening up the lines of
communication so needs can be met, and
stability can be achieved.
MCV Regions
• Western: Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery,
Washington, Allegany, Garrett
• Southern: Prince Georges, Calvert, St. Mary’s,
Charles
• Eastern: Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline,
Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset,
Worcester
• Central: Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel,
Howard, Baltimore City
MCV Facts
•
Since October 2008 (program inception) through June 2014 6,971
veterans and their families have worked with MCV.
•
FY 2014 had a program record – 1,401 calls from veterans, families,
VA, community providers.74% of callers to MCV were veterans. MCV
RRCs met 2,859 needs for 1,161 individuals
•
113% increase linking veterans to DHMH behavioral health services
109 FY 2013 / 234 FY 2014
•
114% increase in linking veterans to VA behavioral health services 341
FY 2013 /792 FY 2014
•
132% increase in providing transportation to behavioral health
appoints 341 FY 2013 /792 FY 2014
•
Top FY 2014 caller needs: 33% housing, 22 behavioral health and
financial assistance, 19% medical, 18% VA Benefit Claims
Behavioral Health Coordination
• Mental health and substance abuse counseling services
are initially attempted through the VA Maryland Health
Care System
• For information about enrolling VA health care call 1-800463-6295 ext. 7324
• If services are not available within a two week time frame,
uninsured veterans are provided with services via DHMH
Behavioral Health Administration through Value Options
• Veterans designated as special population under DHMH
Behavioral Health Administration which means they do
not need to meet typical eligibility requirements like
income
Information and Referral
Information and referrals are provided to address
additional needs, such as:
• Employment
• Housing
• Benefit Information
• Financial Assistance
• Community Support
MCV links veterans to resources – helping them to navigate
the system
VA Capitol Health Care Network
(VISN 5) MOU
•Provide outreach to veterans and their families in
rural Maryland to increase veteran enrollment in VA
services and enhance provision of care
•VISN 5 personnel will collaborate with MCV to
provide enhanced behavioral health services to all
eligible veterans
•Enhance peer to peer services for veterans
through MCV
•Three year term – signed fall 2012
University of Maryland MOU
•
The Maryland Veterans Resilience Initiative (MaVRI) Advisory
Council appointed 26 leaders from federal and state government,
military medical and behavioral health centers, veterans support
organizations, colleges/universities, non-profit veteran behavioral
health networks, the faith community, and veterans and family
members.
•
Fall 2012 nearly 3,300 behavioral health and primary care providers
completed an online needs assessment survey. Found majority of
community providers do not have experience working with veterans
and nearly half do not screen for veteran status.
•
Four trainings held – 1,000 community providers trained on range of
topics from military cultural competency to treating the behavioral
health needs of women veterans.
University of Maryland MOU
•
MaVRI peer facilitators are working to build student veteran
organizations and peer support activities at Howard Community
College and the University of Maryland, Baltimore., Prince
George’s Community College, Baltimore City CC, Bowie State,
College Southern Maryland, LaPlata
•
With their assistance, Howard Community College increased
membership in its student veteran organization from one
member to over 20 members in three months.
Mental Health First Aid
• Spring 2014 MCV RRCs certified Mental Health
First Aid Instructors
• Training those working with veterans and their
family members
• September 2014 first training at Alliance working
with veterans accessing eviction prevention
through a VA SSVF Grant
• “This course will help me with my work with
veterans as well as my personal life at home –
my husband is a veteran.”
MCV Feedback
“MCV was the first direct contact I found. Our MCV Regional Resource
Coordinator (RRC) was not only accessible, but also knowledgeable and
personable. We were in a crisis situation and I was beginning to think
that no one knew where to go, who to contact or what to do until I spoke
with MCV. Just the fact that I was able to speak directly with a person
was comforting and when I realized the RRC not only was
compassionate and helpful but also very knowledgeable I realized I had
found a gold mine. MCV was able to direct us to valuable resources
without delay and maintained contact with us during and after our family
crisis. I feel that MCV is our key to a system that may not be broken but
is sadly in need to repair. Without a doubt, MCV is a very valuable
resource.”
- Mother of a U.S. Marine
For more information…..
Visit our website:
veterans.dhmh.maryland.gov
Or call our hotline:
1-877-770-4801
Staff Contact Information
Shauna Donahue, Director Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans
Shauna.donahue@maryland.gov or 410.767.5934
Resource Coordinators
Western Region: Melissa Barber mbarber.mcv@gmail.com, 410-7259971
Central Region: David Galloway dgalloway.mcv@gmail.com,
410.258.2513
Southern Region: Call 1-877-770-4801
Eastern Region: Dina Karpf dkarpf.mcv@gmail.com, 410.725-9996
Questions?