A forum on veterans’ issues Monday at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home brought out a bevy of federal, state and local officials along with local veterans and members of veterans service organizations. A number of issues and possible solutions were forged during breakout sessions for the several hundred attendees. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley listened attentively to the reports and asked that state agencies come together to work on those solutions.
The governor was joined at the forum by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, the highest serving public official in the country to have served in Iraq, and Maryland Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs Ed Chow, a Vietnam War veteran. Also speaking was Rep. Steny Hoyer. County Commissioners from each of the three Southern Maryland counties were also in attendance.
The forum evolved from a challenge made to Gov. O’Malley to do more for Southern Maryland’s veterans. The challenge came at a Tri-County Council meeting in February from local advocate, Capt. Constance Walker, who is leaving the area. Walker told the governor that Southern Maryland has the highest per capita veteran’s population of any region in the state, yet it remains underserved.
Breakout sessions were held on four issues: workforce/job training, behavioral health, homeless housing and access to benefits. Gov. O’Malley attended two of the sessions and noted a common theme: the need for connecting among all of the veteran’s service providers.
That theme did emerge from all four of the breakout sessions. From the workforce/job training session, U.S. Department of Labor official Stan Seidel noted the many programs available and the need for more outreach to veterans to let them know about the opportunities. He also pointed out that some veterans are taking advantage of the expanded Montgomery GI Bill, but once they receive their education they need help in finding jobs.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mental Health Program Manager Dt. Victoria Eyler said that access and quality of health care have improved but collaborative relationships among the service providers was lacking. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” she said. Walden/Sierra Executive Director Dr. Kathleen O’Brien said her agency provides a number of services to veterans, but it has been administratively difficult to get approvals from VA.
Dr. Eyler also noted that her agency now has the ability to do Tele-Mental Health services so veterans can get help in their own communities without traveling so far. Services have expanded at the clinic at Charlotte Hall, but local advocates say more needs to be done. Hoyer said that funding to expand the services at Charlotte Hall and open a new clinic at Patuxent River Naval Air Station are included in President Obama’s 2014 budget.
From the homeless breakout session, it was reported that there have been several recent summits bringing together all federal agencies involved. Jane Vazzano. VA regional homeless coordinator, praised the Tri-County Council Veteran’s Committee for helping to identify the needs in Southern Maryland. Three Oak Homeless Shelter in St. Mary’s County does have a veteran’s homeless housing co
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