The Los Angeles Region Community Veterans Engagement Board (LAR CVEB) met with Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board Executive Sponsor, Dr. Lynda Davis, to discuss how to improve LAR’s community engagement.
There are over 10 million residents and more than 270,000 Veterans in Los Angeles County, making it the largest county by civilian and Veteran population in the nation.
Dr. Davis, Chief Veterans Experience Officer for VA, listened to concerns and provided insights on CVEBs and community engagement. The LAR CVEB discussed their relationship and role with the Los Angeles County Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN). VPAN’s mission is to provide a high quality, coordinated network of care that is easily accessible for Los Angeles county service members, Veterans, and their families.
In 2018, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion directing Los Angeles to build the network.
The board members were updated on the West Los Angeles VA Master Plan and the current plan for on-site housing in the form of rigid tent construction. “The LAR CVEB is a united team effort to address the needs of our Veterans in Los Angeles County through a collaborative relationship with VA, state, county and community Veteran advocates,” stated Larry Van Kuran, Chair LAR CVEB.
The LAR CVEB had a detailed discussion on how to create a communications and marketing strategy to reach the over 270,000 Veterans who call Los Angeles County home.
One way the CVEB is seeking opportunities to assist is by retrieving data from Veterans, their families, and caregivers to direct its focus to the voice of the Veteran. This focus changes based on which city Veterans reside within the county. The board understands that the number one priority for Veterans in the city of Los Angeles is homelessness, while the priority in Culver City or Pasadena is access to care. The board is seeking to ensure they have a different approach and an understanding of how to address the needs of Veterans in the cities they reside within the county.
“I am pleased to currently serve on the Los Angeles Regional CVEB as an LA County Veterans Advisory Commissioner and current Vice-Chair of the CVEB. We have been involved with this CVEB from its creation,” said Stephanie Stone, U.S. Navy Veteran.
Dedicated to the mission
Another Vice-Chair for the LAR CVEB, Thomas Patrick O’Shaughnessy, demonstrated a similar dedication to the area Veterans. According to O’Shaughnessy, “We work as part of the communications network for our Veteran’s community in addressing the critical issues that the VA supports in the areas of homelessness, health care, and suicide prevention and work with the VA in any way that we can be of assistance.”
The LAR CVEB continues to work to expand its collaborative efforts in improving the Veterans’ experience with VA, state, and county resources. Their number one priority is ensuring that no veteran is left behind and that Veterans are linked to the services and resources needed to ensure their resiliency and success. The focus is not just centered around the Veteran, but their families and caregivers as well, helping to create an environment where all are able to access resources with ease while addressing their emotional needs effectively.
Navy Veteran Eric Faulkner is a management analyst for the Veterans Experience Office.
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Although these are all volunteers boards there is an application an appointment process. A veteran can’t just raise their hand, fill out an application and get on the board, I have applied and wasn’t not offered an interview. Diversity matters, we should all be represented and we aren’t which in turn creates added animosity and distrust in these boards and the ZVA System.
You do realize these veteran boards are ALL volunteers? If you want more diversity…then I would recommend YOU encourage members of your community to VOLUNTEER! Till then…*mic drop*…
Looks like a 250k+ veterans need to move the fck out of California…*mic drop*
This may not be the proper forum, but the VA in my area really sucks when it comes to returning telephone calls. The last time I left a message for someone at the VA in Seattle to call me was two months ago and I’m still waiting. The message said I could leave my number and they would return my call. Also that I was caller 8 and would not lose my place in line. All I can assume is that those must have been some long calls because it was two months ago and I’m still waiting.
This problem exists both in Seattle and also in Mt. Vernon, WA
Being an Black Women whose been seriously service connected disabled, I’m really concerned and disturbed about the missing Diversity that I see here: Los Angeles Region Community Veteran Engagement Board. Not one single bit of Diversity. Something is very wrong with this picture above.
The Sincerely Concerned Veteran
California needs to catch up with the rest of the United States in regard to the taxation of Military Retirement pay. Most of the other states do not tax military retirement pay.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger & LAPD refused to intervene when a white Supremacist neo-Nazi started harassing my Disabled Veteran Father. They posted swastikas in my yard & broke onto my private lot. The LAPD told my Father, USAF Retiree and Veteran of WW 2: Korea & Vietnam due to his service related Disability he had no constitutional rights. The LAPD Supervisors & City Atty further incited violence & the neo Nazi shot at my Dad causing his death (the Police congratulated the criminals) Veterans cannot trust the LAPD in my area & Kathryn Barger is an enemy to Disabled Veterans She is corrupt & her actions have resulted in numerous murders the LAPD City & DA as well as Sheriff refuse to prosecute I should have moved from LA & Veterans need to beware of Kathryn Barger & LAPD in SFV.
Then those Veterans need to vote out those state reps in congress that have killed 2 bills that would have helped disabled Veterans. The 2 bills I am referring to is HR 303 and HR 333. Both bills died in committees one of those committees being a VA committee.