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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Expectation management and clarifying DVS's role vs. the VA
0:12:02
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10 min
Commissioner Hendon addresses the need for better expectation management, clarifying DVS's role in relation to the federal VA and explaining some of the challenges and misconceptions faced by the department. He also discusses the disconnect between DVS's self-perception and community feedback.
- Clarifies that DVS is not the US Department of Veterans Affairs and has different responsibilities
- Explains challenges with veteran self-identification and its impact on service delivery
- Addresses the disconnect between DVS's view of its performance and community feedback, noting limitations in the survey sample and the focus on reaching non-self-identifying veterans
James Hendon
0:12:02
In general, I take responsibility for the feedback that we, the NYC Department of Veterans Services, have not managed expectations in the best way that we can with the veteran community.
0:12:11
There are several things to say here in clearing the air.
0:12:13
First off, we are not the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
0:12:17
Oftentimes, veterans and their loved ones have grievances that they wish to air with the federal government about VA services, and they do not know where to go.
0:12:25
At times when they believe that no movement has occurred, we provide them with the VA's Office of Inspector General contact information.
0:12:30
For the record, the VA's Office of Inspector General website is va.gov/0ig.
0:12:36
The OIG hotline is +1 (800) 488-8244.
0:12:40
Another nuance in confusing us with the VA, for veterans who face housing insecurity, The VA will assist veterans who are eligible for VA health care.
0:12:49
If you're not eligible for VA health care, then the VA will not provide assistance should you become housing insecure.
0:12:54
That responsibility falls on us.
0:12:56
Historically, approximately 40% of New York City's Homeless Veterans are not VHA eligible.
0:13:01
For those veterans, we assist them with the housing search.
0:13:04
DVS has housed 1,447 veterans since our exception, and this is our contribution to the city's reduction in homeless in the homeless veteran population from 4,677 in 02/2011 to 624 in 02/2024, a more than 80 per 85% decline.
0:13:21
While we do what we can to achieve certain capabilities, partnership and collaboration are cornerstones.
0:13:26
It is important to make sure all who observe us know that we are a small agency who efficiently uses the resources we have to accomplish an incredible amount.
0:13:35
I feel as though in the report, our agency size relative to what we've done as such a small organization was not factored into the scoring.
0:13:44
It is not an apples to apples comparison to put aside by side with other departments, to mention a few examples of how we work with partners to deliver an outsized impact.
0:13:53
For employment, or nyc.gov/vetjobs, DBS facilitated employment opportunities at a rate of roughly 125 per month.
0:14:01
A key differentiator between us and our colleagues at the Department of Small Business Services, whom we work in lockstep with via their priority one program, SBS helps clients obtain jobs where the median pay is $19 per hour.
0:14:14
DVS helps clients obtain jobs that traditionally pay more than $40,000 per year.
0:14:19
For VA claims, this is nyc.gov/vetclaims.
0:14:23
During FY '25, the City Council and its wisdom, and we thank Veterans Committee Chair Robert Holden, Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan, and Speaker Adrian Adams for this, funded a Veteran Resource Center initiative which effectively increases the number of accredited veteran service officers who help New York City Veterans file VA claims.
0:14:41
Beyond that, one of our VetConnect service providers, Northwell Health, has hired two full time veteran service officers who are also able to help veterans file VA claims.
0:14:50
These actions increase our community's overall ability to respond to the veterans' claims related needs.
0:14:57
Per the ACS twenty twenty three one year estimate, the percentage of veterans who have a service connected disability rating nationwide is thirty one point two percent.
0:15:05
That proportion drops to twenty one point six percent in New York State, then to twenty point one percent in New York City.
0:15:10
In the pursuit of parity between the proportion of veterans served at the national and city levels, we're doing everything that we can to close the gap.
0:15:18
The veteran feeding program at ayc.gov/vetfood.
0:15:22
Since June of twenty twenty, DVS, in partnership with HelloFresh, the New York State Department of Veterans Services, the New York State Food and Anti Hunger Policy Coordinator, the Campaign Against Hunger, Black Veterans for Social Justice, Amazon, numerous community and civic entities, and philanthropic partners such as the New York Health Foundation and Bob Butcher Foundation has facilitated the preparation and delivery of 2,000 meal kits per week.
0:15:45
Each meal kit contains four meals, picked up by approximately 20 community entities and delivered to food and secure New York City Veterans.
0:15:53
Mission VetCheck, N Y C Dot Gov Slash Vetcheck.
0:15:57
Started in 2020, Mission VetCheck is a buddy check wellness calling program run-in partnership with New York Cares and courtesy of generous support from various funders, including the New York City Council.
0:16:06
Once again, thank you, chair Holden, chair Brennan, speaker Adams, and the entire council for your support.
0:16:11
Over the past few years, more than 16,000 Mission VetCheck calls were made each year, resulting in approximately 2,000 referrals per services per year.
0:16:20
Mission VetCheck is a key way for us to reach out to veterans who are in the shadows.
0:16:25
Another place where we must manage expectations are two of our contract related efforts.
0:16:31
Two initiatives where innovation is occurring, but it takes time are a, transitioning to a new technology provider for our VetConnect NYC platform, and b, our rollout of the private first class Joseph P.
0:16:42
Dwyer Veterans Support Program.
0:16:44
To level set, VetConnect NYC is our agency's digital referral initiative.
0:16:48
You can learn more by visiting nyc.gov/vetconnect.
0:16:52
The private first class Joseph P.
0:16:53
Dwyer program is a state funded effort administered to normalize help seeking behavior among veteran and military families.
0:17:00
Details can be found at nyc.gov/vetdwyer.
0:17:03
The execution of these program these efforts has been impacted by several things, most significantly by challenges surrounding Passport, the city's digital procurement platform.
0:17:13
The challenges involving Passport for city contracting in general are covered in the report.
0:17:17
Things that I can say beyond the passport piece, which is being addressed.
0:17:22
In each of these cases, the VetConnect technology provider change and the way we execute Dwyer, DVS stepped away from maintaining the status quo.
0:17:30
The a, the technology change in VetConnect was rooted in feedback from our community about our digital referral platform.
0:17:36
We plan to launch the new look VetConnect NYC portal on the first day of fiscal year twenty twenty six on 07/01/2025.
0:17:44
For Dwyer, DVS is taking Dwyer funding and through a grant like process, which conforms to New York City's procurement protocol board rules, distributing resources to local veteran organizations and allied entities in order to have a hyper local impact for Dwyer resources.
0:17:59
Money has and is in the process of being dispersed in support of 31 New York City Dwyer projects at this time.
0:18:06
We're on a good foot with Dwyer and VetConnect now.
0:18:09
Nevertheless, I take full responsibility for not realizing how much of a delay would occur in processing these contracts.
0:18:15
Some additional thoughts.
0:18:16
You know, along with the contracting component, Dwyer also took time as we internally worked to ensure that funds connected to the program were fluidly sent to DVS.
0:18:25
Another thing, the intersection between us needing Passport to perform all Dwyer related procurement and the platform's existing challenges made executing Dwyer particularly hard.
0:18:34
That said, we are powering through all issues.
0:18:38
Another factor that affected the VetConnect rollout, we needed to incorporate new technology in VetConnect, technology not used before in New York City government in order to fully comply with local law 37.
0:18:49
Until now, no technology exists where you can bulk upload a list of New York City addresses and immediately learn the city council districts associated with those addresses.
0:18:57
This innovation is key to DVS sharing contact information with each council member about the veterans whom we are aware of in your districts during the ramp up to Memorial Day and Fleet Week.
0:19:07
As I reflect on feedback in the report card that there's a disconnect between how the agency sees itself versus how we're seen by the veteran community, three things come to mind.
0:19:18
Knowing number one, knowing that if media reports are correct, only 21 people are contacted to provide all qualitative and quantitative feedback for the scorecard.
0:19:26
In other words, the survey percentages mentioned and the comments provided only came from 21 individuals, otherwise known as one one hundredth of 1% of our population at most.
0:19:35
So it's point 01%.
0:19:37
It is hard for me to digest that feelings towards DVS from New York City's entire veteran community are so negative and strong.
0:19:45
Number two, it must be said much of our work aims to bring veterans into the light.
0:19:49
A majority of US Military Veterans do not self identify.
0:19:52
Per the federal government's FY '23 geographic distribution of VA expenditures report, 34.3% of veterans self identify nationwide, 29.8% self identify in New York State, and 24.1% self identify in New York City.
0:20:07
When you add the fact that the FY twenty five budgets for the VA, the New York State Department of Veterans Services, and DVS are $378,600,000,000 30 million dollars and $7,000,000 respectively.
0:20:20
Despite the combined resources that we have, this problem with self identification persists.
0:20:25
It impacts us all.
0:20:27
When taking in feedback from the veteran community, we must face the duality of am I receiving and accepting I'm I'm receiving and accepting wisdom from those in our tribe who do self identify.
0:20:37
At the same time, it is incumbent on us to find and attract the veterans who do not.
0:20:42
And then with our limited resources, we often spend time in places where those who do not self identify are, that is entities and organizations that could capture them.
0:20:49
To those who have self identified, because we're heavily focused on the non identifying veterans, they could view us and think, I do not see you aggressively coming to me.
0:20:58
The charge, We do not see you, is still the charge.
0:21:01
Our state and federal counterparts have received similar feedback as well.
0:21:05
I accept that.
0:21:06
It is something that all of us are working on.
0:21:09
From reflecting on the report, I think another reason for the disconnect between how the community sees DBS and how we see ourselves is we've spent ample time these past several years building capabilities.
0:21:20
Our logic, informed by various community interactions, our veteran and military family survey, city council hearings and the like, you cannot get something with nothing.
0:21:29
One must offer attractive programs and benefits in order to inspire and motivate our brothers and sisters to self identify as as US Military Veterans to come into the light.
0:21:38
We have been overjoyed to notch wins that provide more offerings to the veteran community.
0:21:42
We're preparing the battlefield, so to speak.
0:21:44
Members of the community may think that all sounds great, but I do not know about these things.
0:21:48
I I need to see you deliver those things.
0:21:50
That is something we are pivoting to currently.
0:21:53
To us, the one two three combination of using Mission VetCheck to make cold calls, one, sharing veteran contact information with council members in the lead up to Memorial Day.
0:22:03
Two, and the launch of the new Look VetConnect NYC platform on July 1.
0:22:07
'3, are major milestones which will define the pivot point.
0:22:12
Moving over to theme number three, penetration.