Posted: | June 14, 2019 10:21 AM |
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From: | Senator Pam Iovino and Sen. Mike Regan |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Establishing a Task Force to Study Coordination of Veterans Services |
In the near future, we will introduce legislation that directs the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task force to study coordination of veterans’ services in the Commonwealth among federal, state, local, and nonprofit programs. The Commonwealth is home to the 4th largest veteran population in the United States, yet the Federal dollars expended per Pennsylvania veteran ranks 45th in the nation. The disparity nationally in expenditures has led to the establishment of thousands of veteran service entities. The sheer number of veteran service organizations across the Commonwealth has made coordination of services, cooperation and oversight difficult. Navigating and availing services may be especially difficult for the veteran. The 2014 Needs Assessment from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs found that “challenges in meeting veterans’ needs lay not with what is available but how it is available [and] the flow of information to veterans about available services, benefits, and programs is overwhelming in both volume and presentation.” The task force would conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of laws, regulations, policies and procedures of the Commonwealth and other states regarding coordination of services between state, local and nonprofit programs for veterans. The review and analysis will include the following areas:
The task force will issue a report with its findings and recommendations to the Senate within 12 months of the establishment of the task force. Please join us in supporting our Commonwealth’s veterans by signing onto this important resolution. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices with any questions or concerns. |
Introduced as SR170