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Commissioner Hendon explains DVS's collaborative approach to addressing federal cutbacks
1:00:16
ยท
108 sec
Commissioner James Hendon describes DVS's collaborative approach to addressing the challenges posed by federal funding cuts to veterans services. He emphasizes the importance of partnerships and teamwork in maintaining support for veterans.
- Hendon highlights the 'terrifying' nature of the current situation, with potential job losses and reduced VA care for veterans.
- He explains that DVS is part of a larger partnership of entities working together to support veterans.
- Hendon provides examples of collaborative efforts in areas such as housing, claims assistance, and employment support.
- He emphasizes that as federal support decreases, the team of local partners is stepping up to fill the gaps.
James Hendon
1:00:16
Cass wanna add to it.
1:00:18
It's it's it's terrifying what's going on to call that out just seeing everything in real time where you've got two sides of this where our community members may be terminated from their employment on one side, on the other side they go to the VA for care and you know they may not have as much available and that to be able to help them.
1:00:35
At the same time for DVS, for many of our major efforts, it's that we were a part of a larger partnership of other entities and we're one piece in this.
1:00:45
And so like we're not doing we didn't get from forty six seventy seven to 624 homeless veterans just us.
1:00:51
This was us working with a continuum of care that has roughly 50 people 50 members and so for us in the instance of housing, if the VA has issues where it's lacking then it's us leaning more on other members of that continuum of to try to still deliver.
1:01:04
With claims, we have a claims team but we're happy that there's this veteran resource center initiative funded by the council where you're seeing not just us but more folks from the veterans of foreign wars side who'll be available to help with claims.
1:01:13
We also see that Northwell is accepting VetConnect NYC referrals to also help veterans with their claims and so you're not just seeing us with this but a team approach.
1:01:23
Same thing with employment as far as it's not just DVS, it's working with the American Job Centers, working with our friends at Small Business Services Department, working with other entities to kind of get at this.
1:01:32
And so at a meta level as these things are stepping back on the VA side, the team is stepping up more.
1:01:38
And even there's some things here when you look at it, know, if it's a team approach, know, we may score some more of the goals every now and then but it's still a team.
1:01:45
So there may be some metrics where you see a certain spike on what DBS is doing, but we're a part of this larger dynamic where the other partners even from the VA say, look, let's get this to you guys here, you're the best fit, etcetera for things.
1:01:56
Just want to kind of flag that as far as a way to approach what's going on.
1:02:00
I want to add Lamar Cass, anything you want to add to that?
Lamar Wheeler
1:02:04
No.