10 Ways to Stay Connected with The National Resource Directory

By the National Resource Directory Staff

Do you know about the National Resource Directory (NRD)? The NRD connects Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, family members and caregivers with services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. The site offers a number of ways to stay connected, receive valuable information and find resources.

10 Ways to Stay Connected with The National Resource Directory

1. Keep your family, friends and colleagues up to date on programs and services helping Veterans, Service Members and their families by suggesting that they subscribe to National Resource Directory email updates.

2. Become a part of the growing National Resource Directory family on Facebook.

3. Get news and information about resources delivered directly to your desktop when you subscribe to the National Resource Directory’s RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed.

4. Find programs and services near you by visiting the National Resource Directory’s Information by State section.


5. Spread the word about the National Resource Directory by putting a link on your website or blog.

6. Recommend a resource, organization or program in your community that you think should be included on the National Resource Directory through Suggest A Resource.

7. View automatically updated resources available in your state directly on your own website or blog by adding the National Resource Directory's State Widget.

8. Become a member of the National Resource Directory's LinkedIn group and connect with people who share your interests and concerns.

9. Stay up to date on news and events of interest to Veterans and military families by visiting the National Resource Directory's In The News page.

10. Visit the National Resource Directory's Facility and Records Locator page to find the locations of VA facilities and Social Security offices, as well as locations and contact information for military installations and VA records and military personnel records.

Posted by Diana Z. on Apr 5, 2011 5:50:21 AM in Veterans & Military

DOD AND VA HEALTH CARE Federal Recovery Coordination Program Continues to Expand but Faces Significant Challenges

Why GAO Did This Study

In 2007, following reports of poor case management for outpatients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) jointly developed the Federal Recovery Coordination Program (FRCP) to coordinate the clinical and nonclinical services needed by severely wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and veterans. The FRCP, which continues to expand, is administered by VA, and the care coordinators, called Federal Recovery Coordinators (FRC), are VA employees. This report examines

(1) whether servicemembers and veterans who need FRCP services are being identified and enrolled in the program,

(2) staffing challenges confronting the FRCP, and

(3) challenges facing the FRCP in its efforts to coordinate care for enrollees.

GAO reviewed FRCP policies and procedures and conducted over 170 interviews of FRCP officials, FRCs, headquarters officials and staff of DOD and VA case management programs, and staff at medical facilities where FRCs are located.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that VA direct the FRCP Executive Director to establish systematic oversight of enrollment decisions, complete development of a workload assessment tool, document staffing decisions, and develop and document a rationale for FRC placement. GAO received comments from DOD and VA; VA concurred with GAO’s recommendations.

Full Report

Henderson v. Shinseki, U.S. Supreme Court Permits Veterans' Delayed Challenges of Denial of Benefits

by Barbara Jones, Sr. Attorney | from: AARP Foundation Litigation

AARP had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that imposed rigid, inflexible rules that harm disabled veterans seeking to appeal the denial of their benefits.

Read AARP's Amicus Brief (PDF)

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More Vets Approved for Agent Orange Claims from MedPage Today

By Joyce Frieden, News Editor, MedPage  Today

Veterans who served in Korea from 1968 through 1971 were probably exposed to Agent Orange, which makes them eligible for treatment at VA medical centers, according to a ruling from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"VA's primary mission is to be an advocate for veterans," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said in a statement. "With this new regulation VA has cleared a path for more veterans who served in the demilitarized zone in Korea to receive access to our quality healthcare and disability benefits for exposure to Agent Orange."


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More Veterans To Receive Options for Living Independently Under New VHA Partnership with National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services - RWJF

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Veterans of all ages with disabilities will gain additional support in 28 states under a new program designed to help them live independently, with more choice and control over the services they receive in their homes. Through a contract with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services (NRCPDS) will provide training and assistance to VA Medical Centers that are implementing participant-directed services for Veterans.

In 2008, the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Community Living Program partnered with VHA to create the Veteran Directed Home and Community-Based Services (VD-HCBS) Program. The Program allows Veterans of all ages to have more control over services provided in their homes to allow them to continue to live independently in their communities. Veterans enrolled in the program can manage their own flexible spending budgets, decide for themselves what mix of goods and services can best meet their needs, hire and supervise their own workers, including family and friends, and purchase items or services that help them live more independently. We call this approach "participant direction."

The NRCPDS at Boston College is the only national center of its kind that helps people of all ages and disabilities get the support they need to live as independently as possible. The Center provides research, policy, training and assistance for participant-directed programs. In addition, NRCPDS has a National Participant Network that works with these programs to ensure that they are designed and implemented with the needs and preferences of the individual at their core. The Center will offer a wide variety of training and technical assistance to staff at VA Medical Centers for the benefit of Veterans in the VD-HCBS Programs.

Full Article

H.R. 287: To provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans (GovTrack.us)

Sponsor:	Rep. Al Green [D-TX9]show cosponsors (15) Cosponsors: Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU] Emanuel Cleaver [D-MO5] Raul Grijalva [D-AZ7] Michael Honda [D-CA15] Marcy Kaptur [D-OH9] Barbara Lee [D-CA9] Betty McCollum [D-MN4] Michael Michaud [D-ME2] Donald Payne [D-NJ10] Charles Rangel [D-NY15] Laura Richardson [D-CA37] José Serrano [D-NY16] Fortney Stark [D-CA13] Betty Sutton [D-OH13] Christopher Van Hollen [D-MD8]
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 12, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 13, 2011 6:22AM]
Last Action:	Jan 12, 2011: Referred to House Ways and Means

Status Updates

Tinnitus Treatment: Rebooting the Brain Helps Stop the Ring of Tinnitus in Rats

ScienceDaily (2011-01-12) -- Targeted nerve stimulation could yield a long-term reversal of tinnitus, a debilitating hearing impairment affecting at least 10 percent of senior citizens and up to 40 percent of military veterans, according to a new article.

H.R. 186: To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of... (GovTrack.us)

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members' disability rating percentage.

Sponsor:	Rep. Addison Wilson [R-SC2](no cosponsors) Cosponsors:
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 5, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 6, 2011 11:35AM]
Last Action:	Jan 5, 2011: Referred to House Veterans' Affairs

Current Status

H.R. 168: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment... (GovTrack.us)

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Sponsor:	Rep. Clifford Stearns [R-FL6]hide cosponsors Cosponsors: John Lewis [D-GA5]
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 5, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 8, 2011 6:17AM]
Last Action:	Jan 5, 2011: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Current Status

H.R. 136: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their... (GovTrack.us)

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor:	Rep. Steve Israel [D-NY2]hide cosponsors Cosponsors: Leonard Boswell [D-IA3] Betty Sutton [D-OH13] David Wu [D-OR1]
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 5, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 7, 2011 6:17AM]
Last Action:	Jan 5, 2011: Referred to House Veterans' Affairs

Current Status

H.R. 79: To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain abused dependents of veterans with health care (GovTrack.us)

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain abused dependents of veterans with health care

Sponsor:	Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX18](no cosponsors) Cosponsors:
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 5, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 6, 2011 11:18AM]
Last Action:	Jan 5, 2011: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Current Status

H.R. 198: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy (GovTrack.us)

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy.

Sponsor:	Rep. Michael Grimm [R-NY13] Cosponsors: Peter King [R-NY3] Leonard Lance [R-NJ7] Michael Michaud [D-ME2]
Text:	The text of this legislation is not yet available on GovTrack. It may not have been made available by the Government Printing Office yet.
Status:	Introduced Jan 6, 2011 Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments Reported by Committee ... House Vote ... Senate Vote ... Signed by President ... This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jan 7, 2011 12:03PM]
Last Action:	Jan 6, 2011: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Click Here for Current Status

Better OR Teamwork Cuts Mortality Rates

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America has a cow over Alan Simpson's candor on deficits

Image via WikipediaBy Dana Milbank

In 1992, Sen. Alan Simpson, a Wyoming Republican, complained in a speech to the National Conference of State Legislatures about how Social Security, veterans benefits and other programs had made America "like a milk cow with 250 million tits." As best I can tell, the remark drew no attention or complaint.

Simpson reprised the line two weeks ago, updating it only for the population count. In an e-mail to the head of a Social Security advocacy group, he said that, in America, "We've reached a point now where it's like a milk cow with 310 million tits!" This time, it was an udder debacle.

Simpson's e-mail drew demands from half a dozen congressional Democrats that he resign as co-chairman of President Obama's debt reduction commission. Women's and retiree groups formed a "Fire Simpson Campaign," and Simpson apologized. He shouldn't have.
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