Department
of Veterans’ Affairs
At a Glance
DR. LINDA SPOONSTER SCHWARTZ
Major, USAF (Ret.), Commissioner
John T. Wiltse, Deputy Commissioner
Charles Williams, HMCM (SS), USN
(Ret.), Chief of Staff
Established - 1986
Statutory authority - CGS Chapter 506 Sec: 27-103-27-137
Central office -
Rocky Hill , CT
06067
Number of full-time employees
- 282
Recurring operating expenses - $33,216,006
Federal
Reimbursement Recovered for State General Fund 2006-07 - $33,650,065
Connecticut has the distinction of being the first
State in the Nation to offer shelter and support for soldiers of war, their
widows and orphans. This tradition harkens back to1863 when Mr. Benjamin
Fitch, a wealthy Connecticut businessman, promised soldiers recruited for
Connecticut Regiments serving in the Civil War that he would care for them
should they be injured during their military service and care for the families
of soldiers killed in the war. This
promise led to the establishment of the Fitch Home for Veterans in
Office of the Commissioner
The Commissioner
is appointed by the Governor and is responsible for the administration of the
Department. The Commissioner is
specifically tasked with assisting veterans, their spouses, eligible dependents
and family members in the preparation, presentation, proof and establishment of
such claims, privileges, rights and other benefits accruing to them under
federal, state and local laws, disseminating information and assisting eligible
individuals to access these services and programs which include but are not limited
to: educational, training, employment and reemployment programs; health care
and rehabilitation programs; housing services, home loans, and burial
benefits. The Commissioner is also
responsible for outreach to veterans and community agencies; liaisons with
legislature, statutory and legislative authorities and veteran service
organizations; assessment of the efficiency of programs and evaluation and
development of new initiatives to better serve the 310,000
The Office of Advocacy and
Assistance
The Office of Advocacy and Assistance (OA&A) is responsible for
assisting veterans and their families in accessing federal, state and local
benefits and entitlements. Veterans
Service Officers, accredited by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, assist
veterans and their families with documentation and filing of claims for
disability and/or compensation. Staff
offices are located in each of the five Congressional Districts (
This year OA&A serviced 2,200 walk-in
veterans and/or dependents; answered over 3,500 telephone inquiries; acquired
1,400 new clients and filed 1,800 new claims.
Special outreach included 100 community visits, 65 benefit fairs,
seminars, and six briefings for CT Guard and Reserve Units returning from
In fiscal year 2006-2007, the Office of
Advocacy and Assistance reviewed the eligibility status of an additional 1,900
veterans and/or dependents of veterans in the state’s 330 nursing homes. These benefits have provided a direct savings
to the state where the clients are Medicaid recipients and in other cases
served to delay the time when clients may be forced to rely on state funded
services. Since OA&A was first
staffed in 1988, eleven editions of A
Guide to Benefits for Connecticut
Veterans have been published and distributed. This guide has been in great demand
throughout the state. The last guide was
revised in March of 2007.
The Healthcare Facility provides long-term
healthcare and rehabilitation services to veterans with chronic and disabling
medical conditions. The healthcare
facility is licensed by the Connecticut Department of Public Health Services
and approved by the US Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 chronic disease beds. The Healthcare Services Administrator,
medical team, nursing department and substance abuse recovery program team
provide comprehensive and quality services to improve every aspect of care for
each veteran served. In addition to
medicine and nursing, specialty areas include physical, occupational, speech,
and recreational therapy, laboratory, cardiopulmonary, dental, pharmacy and
social work.
The programs and services provided in the healthcare facility include: general medical care, Alzheimer’s and related dementia care, hospice care, palliative care, long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, respite care, and substance abuse recovery program. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs Healthcare Facility offers a progressive continuum of healthcare, social and rehabilitative services dedicated to excellence. This program has adopted a rehabilitative model of care based on a definition developed by the noted Connecticut nurse theorist, Virginia A. Henderson: “To assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery or to a peaceful death that they would perform unaided if they had the strength, the will or knowledge. And, to do so in such a way as to help them gain independence as rapidly as possible.” Professional services provided by staff are augmented by community specialists, as well as, networking with federal VA and major area hospitals when appropriate. In fiscal year 2006-2007, there were 339 admissions with an average daily census of 143.
Veterans Recovery
Program
The Residential Facility’s Rehabilitative Services Program features the
Veterans’ Improvement Program (VIP). A
unique feature of the Home is our residential program for low income and
homeless veterans. In addition to
fulfilling basic human needs such as clothing, food and shelter, veterans have
access to Social and Vocational Counselors and Case Managers, who specifically
tailor a program of educational and employment opportunities. This
residential program provides veterans with a continuum of rehabilitation
designed to ultimately, return them to independent living in the community. Emphasis is directed toward developing an
individualized rehabilitative plan which addresses a veteran’s goals. The components of the program include room
and board, substance abuse treatment, patient work program, vocational testing
and counseling services, social work services, transitional living program, an
alternative living program, and various educational programs. In the last fiscal year there were 146
veterans admitted for the first time, 168 readmissions. For the year, 157 (42%) of the veterans
successfully completed the program and returned to independent living in the
community. The average daily census for
2006/07 was 398 veterans.
The Residential Facility offered a 15 week Food &
Beverage/Hospitality Training Program at the facility in coordination with
The
Connecticut State Cemetery System consists of three state cemeteries: Col.
Raymond Gates Cemetery located in Rocky Hill, State Veterans’ Cemetery located
in
The Department worked extensively with the
General Assembly on legislative initiatives for veterans and provided briefings
to the Legislature and the Select Committee on Veterans Affairs on services and
programs provided by the Department, and the federal budget implications for
Improvements/Achievements
2006-07
·
The Commissioner
of Veterans’ Affairs implemented a comprehensive, wide-ranging effort to
upgrade safety and security problems, and to improve the general condition of
the Rocky Hill facility. Accordingly,
there have been numerous improvements to programs, operations and equipment,
and a renewed emphasis has been placed on enforcing existing laws and
regulations. With the assistance of the
Department of Information Technology, a new interactive website was developed, www.ct.gov/ctva, which has become a center
for all veteran information in the state.
- The
Department has enhanced its efforts to maximize revenues with new programs
and initiatives including the healthcare facility’s participation in the
Medicaid Recovery Program. This
effort has contributed an additional $93,142,928.36 in new net state
revenue in the last ten fiscal years ending June 2007. The agency’s total net revenues for
fiscal year 2006-2007 were approximately $33,650,065. These efforts have further enhanced the
capability of the Department to provide high quality long-term care and
rehabilitative services at a low cost to
- The
agency has recently begun the operation of The Vet Express, a $75,000 new
mobile veteran service program. The Vet Express visits convenient
locations such as town halls, libraries, state facilities, and shopping
centers to provide direct customer service to
- The
agency has assumed the administrative responsibility for the Connecticut
Wartime Service Medals and has awarded over 9,500 Connecticut Wartime
Service Medals to eligible veterans. Over 30 award ceremonies have
been held with an additional ten scheduled before the end of 2008.
Currently there are over 13,000 veterans registered with the Connecticut
Veterans Registry.
- The
newly established Connecticut Veterans INFO line (1-866-9CT-VETS) receives
an average of 20-30 calls daily. This popular number provides veterans an
easy access to general benefit questions, referrals to other state
agencies, and helpful information on the location and availability of the
Congressional District Offices and the Satellite Offices of Advocacy and
Assistance.
- In conjunction with the
Office of the Governor, the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the
Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services developed
the Military Support Program to offer confidential, transitional services
across the state to
- Commissioner Schwartz launched
“Operation Outreach” in 2007 in response to Governor Rell’s charge to do
“whatever it takes” to respond to the needs of
- On March 30, 2007, the
Department hosted the Second Annual “Connecticut Women in the Armed
Services Day” with over 300 women service members and veterans attending
programs about military women’s health issues, women on the front lines in
Iraq and Afghanistan, and general veteran benefit information. The day was highlighted by the awarding
the Connecticut Wartime Service Medals to women veterans from World War II
through Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
- The Department
co-sponsored with the Department of Labor on the “Heroes for Hire” Job
Fairs on January 30, 2007 and July 17, 2007 at Rentschler Field. About 2,000 veterans and 200 employers
registered for the two events.
- On June 23, 2007, The
Department of Veterans’ Affairs co-sponsored with the City of
·
An
invaluable contribution was made to the Department by volunteers from nearly
280 veterans and service organizations and more than 150 schools and
educational institutions. Literally thousands of volunteers contributed more
than 25,000 hours in on-site and off-grounds events with veterans in residence
from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007.
Cash donations, totaling more than $136,310.59 funded designated
projects and regularly scheduled entertainment and activities.
·
Stand Down 2006, which is a statewide outreach to homeless
and needy veterans, was another success.
It was held on the grounds of the Veterans’ Home in Rocky Hill. Over 50 agencies, 174 volunteers and 564
veterans attended. Stand Down 2007 is
scheduled for September 21, 2007.
Federally Funded Construction Projects
New Adult Heath Care Facility
This project is a new 87,000 square foot
building with 125 beds. There will be 25
single rooms and 50 two-person rooms.
Ground was broken for this facility on July 13, 2006 with a completion
date of January 4, 2008. Cost of this
facility will be $33,823,838. The
project is approximately 60% done as of June 30, 2007. This project is being funded 65% from the Federal
Government and 35% from the State. The federal VA will contribute $21,985,495 and the state will be
contributing $11,838,343. PDS
Engineering and Construction, Inc. of
Life Safety General Renovations, Replacement
of the Water
This project is a new water loop system
around the existing campus that will tie in all buildings housing
veterans. Ground was broken for this
project on July 10, 2006 with a completion date of July 9, 2007. Cost of this project will be $4,600,000. This project is being funded 65% from the Federal
Government and 35% from the State.
The federal VA
contributed $2,990,000 and the state match was $1,610,000. Mather Corporation of
State Funded Construction Projects
Residential Area
·
Replacement
of over 260 fire doors and frames in the existing Domicile living
facility. Approximate cost for this
project is $471,170. Mazzarella
Builders, Inc. of
·
Replacement
of the switching gear in the Residential Facility and upgrade the distribution
of electrical power in the power plant.
Approximate cost for this project is $265,000. The completion date for this project is July
2007. It is currently on track. Banton Construction Company of
·
Replacement
of the roofs on buildings 51 and 60.
This project is in the final stages of completion. This was a $200,000 project.
Agency Administrated Projects
Residential Area
·
Upgrading
the lighting, lowering the ceilings, replacing the floor tiles, replacing
windows, upgrading the heating, A/C and painting in the Residential
Facility.
·
Replacement
of the elevator cylinder in the West Domicile.
·
Installation
of air conditioning of residential domicile areas.
·
Renovations
of the softball field.
Reducing Waste
During the 2006-2007 fiscal year an aggressive program was instituted to
identify excess property and equipment and dispose of them in accordance with
Department of Administrative Services’ policy.
The Department implemented a plan for consolidation of inventory and
control of resources. Additionally,
monitoring of the budget resulted in identification of many cost-reducing
activities such as, use of generic drugs, reduction in the utilization of
outside professional services and staffing overtime payments. We instituted an Assisted Living project to
support veterans with levels of independence and conservation of professional
staff time. All contracts were reviewed
and amended to be more consistent with actual needs of veterans at Rocky Hill.
The Department works with the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), VA CT Healthcare System, in Connecticut medical centers and the Office of
Policy and Management to ensure that the combined limited resources available
to the state’s veterans are utilized in the most efficient manner possible and
to the fullest potential benefit of Connecticut’s veterans.
Strategic Planning
The Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs is committed to
continuing cost effective initiatives that will expand the extent and variety
of quality services delivered to all
Future Projects
·
Construction
of a new 25 foot by 48 foot Greenhouse to be located at the facility. This will be purchased with money donated for
that purpose.
·
Traumatic
Brain Injury Advisory Committee
·
Construction
of a new therapeutic and aquatic pool to be co-located with the new Health Care
Facility. The therapeutic and aquatic
pool will be donated and the agency will provide the money to construct the
building to support the pool.
·
Continue
to upgrade the buildings on the grounds according to the agency’s Master
Plan. This will include such items as
roofs, gutters, windows, etc.
Information
Reported as Required by State Statute
Veterans requesting care from the Department must be residents of the
State of
Human Resources
Agency recruitment methods were improved
significantly to better attract qualified candidates for job openings while
striving to meet or exceed the agency’s Affirmative Action initiatives,
continuing to assure all candidates are treated fairly and equally. Human
Resources and the respective hiring manager(s) work closely during the entire
recruitment process to accomplish these important goals. In 2006 a Summer Worker Program was
initiated. A combination of six high school and college students were assigned
to various departments within the Agency to perform a variety of tasks and
recreational activities for veterans. Through good communication and good faith
negotiations Human Resources has resolved most employee conflicts without the
need for employees to file grievances.
Affirmative Action
The Department’s Affirmative Action Plan
was in compliance with the requirements of the Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities, pursuant to the Regulations for Affirmative Action by State
Government, Sections 46a-68-31 to 46a-68-74. The Department is strongly
committed to an aggressive and comprehensive affirmative action plan to assure
equal employment opportunity as well as to provide services and programs to
veterans in a fair and culturally competent manner. Affirmative action and
equal employment are immediate and priority objectives and they play an
important and necessary role in all stages of the employment process. The
Department continued to monitor and improve its practices in employment and
contracting, giving special consideration to affirmative action goal
attainment. Diversity training was provided for all new employees during this
fiscal year.