Family Support Training
Paul Pedersen
Community Outreach Coordinator

A Veteran Defined….

To provide assistance throughout
Minnesota to positively motivated veterans and their families who are homeless or experiencing other life crises. MACV accomplishes this by providing direct services or by collaborating with other agencies/providers.

• 501c3 Nonprofit
• Established 1992
• Operates 3 Regional offices for statewide outreach: Mankato, Duluth, Twin Cities
• Certified by MN Charities Review Council
• Audited ANNUALLY by Larsen Allen and throughout the year by specific funders
• Total Assets $3,578,507.00

St. Paul Headquarters:
360 Robert Street North
Suite 306
St. Paul, MN 55101
651-291-8756
MACV-Metro:
One Veterans Drive
VAMC Building 47
Minneapolis, MN 55417
612-726-1327
MACV-Duluth:
101 West 2 nd Street
Duluth, MN 55802
218-722-8763
MACV-Mankato
12 Civic Center Plaza
Suite 2090
Mankato, MN 56011
507-345-8258

Military and Veterans
OEF/OIF National Findings
• Approximately 1.7 million have deployed since 2001
• 34% have deployed multiple times
• 28% are National Guard or Reservists (average age is 36 years old)
• 46% of Regular Forces are under 25 Years Old; for many this is the first time they have left home.
• Approximately 895,000 OEF/OIF veterans are separated from the military and ELIGIBLE for VA services.

Military and Veterans
OEF/OIF National Findings
• An estimated 180,000 OEF/OIF veterans are women
• Women now make up 15% of active duty military
• 17% of National Guard/Reserves
• 20% of New Recruits

Military and Veterans
OEF/OIF National Findings
• Roughly one in every 5 suffer from a major depression or PTSD, estimated at 300,000. Only half have sought treatment.
• As many or more report possible brain injuries from explosions or other head wounds. An estimated
50%-60% of spouses of TBI patients suffer depression.
• Roughly 50% have spouses and children
• Reasons for not seeking help were cited as concern over side effects of medication, they believed family and friends would help, or they feared seeking care might damage their military careers.

Military and Veterans
OEF/OIF National Findings
• Studies have found that veterans returning from combat are 63% more likely to report new-onset heavy drinking than those not deployed to combat zones; young veterans had the highest risk for developing alcoholrelated problems.
• Alcohol is commonly used as a coping mechanism after traumatic events.

Minnesota Military and Veterans
OIF/OEF Comments
20 % of the veterans recently back from tours of duty are UNEMPLOYED. Of those employed since leaving the military, 25% earn less than
$21,840/year.
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs survey of 1941 veterans

Minnesota Military and Veterans
OIF/OEF Comments

Homelessness Among Veterans
 Estimated more than 154,000 Homeless
Veterans on any given night (NCHV)
VA estimates it can meet 20% of the need
The other 80% is up to community based organizations.
 23% of all homeless are veterans
 33% of all homeless men are veterans

Homelessness Among Veterans
Minnesota Statistics
*
• Approximately 410,000 veterans in MN (23,000 female) ; approx. 100,000 are getting VA Health Care, but another
70,000 are eligible (for female veterans only 1500 are connected to the VA)
• Estimated that over 4000 are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless at some point in the year
• 624 veterans are homeless on any given night; (250 in the
Metro area)
• 1 in 4 homeless men are veterans
• Veterans represent approx. 13% of the total homeless population (1 in 8)
• 32% of homeless veterans have served in a combat zone
* Wilder Research 2006 Statewide Survey of Homeless Veterans in Minnesota

Homelessness Among Veterans
Minnesota Statistics
*
• Veterans were older than non-veteran homeless men
• 92% of homeless veterans had a high school degree
• 1/3 reported alcohol/drug abuse
• 60% reported a serious mental illness
• 52% had a chronic health condition
* Wilder Research 2006 Statewide Survey of Homeless Veterans in Minnesota

Homelessness Among Veterans
Minnesota Statistics - Employment
• Veterans are more likely to be employed (24%).
Barriers to employment are physical health and mental health, lack of transportation, age, criminal background, lack of housing.
• Unemployment rates as of May 2009:
- Duluth – close to 10%
- Minneapolis/St. Paul – 9%
- St. Cloud – 9.8%
- Rochester - 7.3%

A coordinated effort that provides secure housing, food, essential physical health care, substance abuse aftercare, mental health counseling, and employment assistance.
employment = housing = empowerment

According to the National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans, the cost effective programs are community-based, nonprofit,
‘veterans helping veterans’ groups.
Programs that seem to work feature transitional housing settings that offer living in a structured, substance-free environment with fellow veterans.
MACV

Prevention:
Assisting veterans and their families who are about to lose their residences or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Outreach:
Veterans and their families who are experiencing homelessness.

• Close to 12,000 contacts annually
• In 2009, we assisted over 840 veterans and their families with direct services; a 58% increase over 2007.
• Female Veterans: 10% and rising
• Veterans with a Disability: 65%
• OIF/OEF Veterans: 21% and rising

Intensive case management , and other supportive services such as training, education, etc.
Direct assistance including short-term rent assistance, security deposits, mortgage assistance, utility assistance, transportation assistance, food vouchers, etc.

In our attempt to not duplicate any service already available to a veteran, we make sure a referral is made to the CVSO (County Veterans Service Officer) in order that the veteran can be assessed for eligibility in county/state programs such as:
• State Soldiers Assistance Program
• Special Needs
• Dental and Eye Care
• Education Benefits

• Program Fees from the Veteran Participants
• Federal VA Grant & Per Diem – Building 47
• State Grants from MN Department of Veteran
Affairs, Office of Economic Opportunity
• Federal Grants: DOL HVRP, HUD, EFSP, ESG
– ARRA HPRP Stimulus Funds in Specific Regions
• Donations (Unrestricted and Restricted)
– Foundations, Corporate Giving, Individuals
• Fundraising Events/Campaigns

• Veteran status verified – DD214
181 days Active Duty Service
• Homeless Status (some programs)
• Prevention (some programs); must demonstrate financial need and meet program guidelines
• Minnesota Resident (30 days most programs)
Must be
Positively Motivated to Make a
Change

• Housing Status
• Health Status, mental & chemical
• Medical Problems
• Employment &
Income Status
• Appropriate Housing
• Living Skills
• Eye & Dental Care
• Legal Issues

• Transitional &
Permanent Housing with Supportive
Services
• Eviction Prevention
• Mortgage Foreclosures
• Utility Payments
• Transportation
Bus passes
Gas Cards
• Food Vouchers
• Clothing Vouchers
• Employment
Assistance
• Tax & Legal Referrals
• Case Management
• Network of Providers for
Referrals

• Placement in appropriate housing
• Increased level of life/living skills
• Increased level of income
• Increased level of financial responsibility
• Increased level of health (mental & physical)
• Increased level of responsibility and connection to the community
• Increased ability to interact in relationships

Kathleen Vitalis – Executive Director
651-222-0613 kvitalis@mac-v.org
Cari Jaksha – Operations Administrator
651-291-8756
360 Robert St. N.
Suite 306
St. Paul, MN 55101

Jimmy Collier – Regional Director
612-726-1327
Kimoja Emeka – Outreach Case Manager
Nathaniel Saltz – Program Manager – Bldg. 47
Edwin Williams – SIL Housing Case Manager
Doran Hocker – Case Manager
Brian Madson – Community Outreach &
Employment Coordinator

Building 47 - 13 Veterans
SIL Houses - 24 Veterans

• Must be found eligible by the VA Health Care for Homeless Veterans Outreach Team to be funded by this grant
• 13 Beds
• Can be up to 2 years
• VA & MACV co-case manage each veteran
• Reimbursed only for total expenditures @
$34.40/day*

• 8 SIL houses with supportive services
- 6 Minneapolis, 1 Richfield, 1 St. Cloud
• Transitional Housing: Temporary housing combined with supportive services to assist veterans overcome the problems and conditions that resulted in their having become homeless- can be up to 24 months

Durbin M. Keeney – Regional Director
101 West 2 nd Street
Duluth, MN 55802
1-218-722-8763
• Cliff Gawne-Mark – Program Manager
• Steve Saari – Program Manager
• Paul Pedersen – Community Outreach
Coordinator
• Michael Dickinson – PT Discharge Planner

• HUD NE Minnesota Counties
- 6 Disabled Veterans & their Families
• HUD – St. Louis County – Supportive
Services
• Discharge Planning Pilot – St. Louis County
• 38 County Outreach Program

• Ramsey Neighborhood – West Duluth
• In partnership with Northern Communities
Land
Trust (Developer) – Project is a Priority within
‘Heading Home St. Louis County’ Plan to End
Homelessness.
• 5 Units of Transitional Housing
• 11 Units of Permanent Housing with
Supportive Services for veterans
• Duluth Office Co-located

th

Sue Sorenson – Regional Director
Gretchen Blais – Case Manager
12 Civic Center Plaza
Suite 2090
Mankato, MN 56001
1-507-345-8258

11 Units Permanent Housing with
Supportive Services for Disabled
Veterans
Opened Fall 2006

• Veterans Employed Through Legal
Advocacy Work
• Removes legal barriers to employment or housing
• Must be a MACV participant enrolled in one of our programs
• No criminal/defense cases

• Minneapolis - May 25th and 26 th
2009: 411 Veterans served – 50 Service Providers – 150
Volunteers
• International Falls – TBD
2009: 80 Veterans served – 40 Service Providers – 45
Volunteers
• Bemidji – TBD
2009: 60 Veterans served
– 40 Service Providers – 25
Volunteers
• Duluth August 29th
2009: 150 Veterans served
– 40 Service Providers – 30
Volunteers
• Mankato - November 9th
2009: 277 Veterans served
– 35 Service Providers
• Rochester - New for 2010 - TBD

• Provide as much detailed information as possible when you make the referral
• Leverage other sources of funding
• Make a connection with the CVSO
PLEASE CALL WITH QUESTIONS

•
Some programs have very strict income guidelines that even though you are unemployed, they base your income off the past 3 months which disqualifies the applicant
• Others have restrictions based on disabilities
• Other programs, you MUST be employed
• Assistance such as energy or even benefits that have been applied for, experience a time lag from application to actual benefit received of 1-4 months.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE THEY WAIT………….

 STATEWIDE
 Non-Duplicated Services
 Leveraged Sources of Funding
 Partners & Collaborators
 Case Management
 Bridge the Gap – Be The Safety Net

Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans:
Provides assistance throughout Minnesota to positively motivated veterans and their families who are homeless or experiencing other life crises. www.mac-v.org
County Veteran Service Officers:
First point of contact to assist Veterans.
Directory: A listing of all the County Veteran Service Officers
(CVSO) in each county. The listing is available in both on-line and
PDF versions.
http://www.macvso.org/cvso.html
Minnesota Veteran One Stop Website : This website was developed to provide Minnesota Veterans, their families and employers a one stop location for information or links available for veterans. www.minnesotaveteran.org/

1-888-LINKVET (546-5838)
• For active duty military members to retirees to veterans and all concerned family members
• MDVA manages the LinkVet call center
• During business hours, MDVA staff provide information on veterans' benefits, healthcare, education, and reintegration.
• The line will roll to Crisis Connection counselors for
24-hour, seven days a week coverage (including holidays) for immediate crisis intervention and psychological counseling.

• www.mac-v.org
• www.nchv.org
• www.va.gov
• www.mdva.state.mn.us
• http://www.macvso.org/cvso.html
• www.minnesotanationalguard.org
• www.militaryonesource.com

“We are a National Guard Family. Recently my husband lost his job due to active duty orders. This is being investigated through federal and state agencies, but we are about to be evicted and our utilities shut off. We are the parents of twin girls and we are frantic. He has lost a lot of wages due to this ignorant employer. Do you help people like us or do you know who can? We are desperate…………….”

An 89 year old decorated Army AF Fighter Pilot WWII
(1942-1945). Facing a financial setback due to some unexpected bills, he and his wife were facing a shut off notice from the gas company.

OIF Veteran is going through several surgeries that are service related and in and out of work; he is supposed to have 100% rating but has not yet been received (7 weeks)
Homeless, Married, disabled Army veteran with 2 minor children; connected to HUD VASH, but needed first month rent.

Collaboration with Family Assistance Center and
County VSO; veteran laid off and unable to pay rent;
FAC helping with food; MACV paying one month rent to prevent eviction
Collaboration with County VSO for disabled veteran with multiple health issues; VSO is in process of submitting VA claims to increase income; MACV providing mortgage assistance to prevent foreclosure.

30 year old OIF Veteran with a spouse and 3 children in need of rental assistance; collaboration with VSO and FAC.
56 year old homeless veteran in need of first month’s rent; collaboration with Workforce Center.
Female Marine Veteran with 2 children needs to move out of extremely overcrowded trailer; 20% service connected disability; we will provide ongoing case management and first month rent; veteran has applied for Voc Rehab with CVSO and plans to attend local CC using GI Bill.

St. Paul Headquarters:
360 Robert Street North
Suite 306
St. Paul, MN 55101
651-291-8756
MACV-Duluth:
101 West 2 nd Street
Duluth, MN 55802
218-722-8763
MACV-Metro:
One Veterans Drive
VAMC Building 47
Minneapolis, MN 55417
612-726-1327
MACV-Mankato
12 Civic Center Plaza
Suite 2090
Mankato, MN 56011
507-345-8258