>>> OUR VETERANS TAKE AN OATH TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY, AND HELPING
THEM CONNECT WITH THEIR EARNED BENEFITS IS A PRIORITY OF EVERY
COMMUNITY.
BUT THE WAY THE STATE REIMBURSES TOWNS WHO PAY THOSE BENEFITS UP
FRONT HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO BUDGET.
THERE IS CURRENTLY A PROPOSAL ON BEACON HILL TO FIX THAT
SITUATION.
AND CAROLEE McGRATH SAT DOWN WITH STEVE CONNER, THE DIRECT
EFFORT CENTRAL HAMPSHIRE VETERANS SERVICES, TO LEARN ALL
ABOUT IT.
>> MASSACHUSETTS UNDER MASS JEN ALLOW CHAPTER 115, EVERY CITY
AND TOWN HAS TO HAVE A VET RANT OFFICER.
I BEGAN IN THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON.
BUT AS THE NEED FOR BENEFITS AND THE RETURNING PEOPLE COMING
HOME, SERVICE MEMBERS COMING HOME, THERE WAS A BIGGER
DEMAND.
AND VERY SLOWLY WE HAVE TAKEN OVER DIFFERENT TOWNS TO HELP
THEM.
AND WE FORMED THE DISTRICT.
NOW WE PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES FOR 11 COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY AND ONE IN HAMDEN COUNTY.
SO I HAVE SMALL TOWNS AND I HAVE THE CITY OF NORTH HAMPTON, TOWN
OF AMHERST WHICH ARE BIGGER.
WE PROVIDE A WHOLE ARRAY OF SERVICES.
WE ATTEMPT TO GET VETERANS WHEN THEY COME HOME.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF TAX ABATEMENTS THEY MIGHT BAINL TO
AFFORD.
THERE MIGHT BE A DISABILITY CLAIM WE MIGHT HELP THEM WITH.
MAYBE IT'S JUST EMPLOYMENT THAT WE HELP THEM GET CONNECT $WITH.
ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN A VETERAN'S LIFE FROM THE
TIME THEY COME HOME TO THE TIME THAT THEY PASS, WE HELP PEOPLE
GET ENROLLED IN THE V.A.
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
WE LOOK FOR LONG-TERM CARE FOR THEM AS THEY'RE SENIORS.
THERE'S AN AID AND ATTENDANCE FINANCIAL PROGRAM THAT THE V.A.
RUNS.
SO WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VETERAN AND THE V.A. AND
OTHER SOCIAL AGENCIES TO GET PEOPLE TO SERVICES THAT THEY ARE
ENTITLED TO AND DESERVE.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEGISLATION THAT YOU HAD
PROPOSED LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU WERE RUNNING
INTO OR SEEING SMALLER TOWNS RUNNING INTO.
>> RIGHT.
LIKE I SAID, I DO HAVE A LOT OF SMALL TOWNS INTO THE BERKSHIRES
AND EVEN GOING THE OTHER WAY INTO HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.
THE STRUGGLE IS, WE PROVIDE A FINANCIAL BENEFIT FOR VETERANS
WHO ARE DISABLED, OR ARE SENIORS, AND THEY ARE NOT
GETTING ENOUGH THROUGH THEIR PENSION OR SOCIAL SECURITY TO
REALLY GET BY. AND WE CAN SUPPLEMENT THEIR
INCOME.
WE ALSO HAVE RETURNING VETERANS WHO, THEY MIGHT HAVE A
DISABILITY CLAIM.
AND THEY'RE UNABLE TO GO RIGHT TO WORK HAD THEY GET HOME.
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO LIVE OFF OF.
AND OUR PROGRAM WILL HELP THEM FILE THE PAPERWORK FOR THE
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION TO GET THEM THEIR DISABILITY.
BUT IT COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR.
WE SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME WITH THIS BENEFIT THAT COMES FROM
CITIES AND TOWNS.
>> SO THE CITIES AND TOWNS HAVE TO PAY 75% UP FRONT FOR THEM?
>> NO.
THEY PAY ALL THE MONEY UP FRONT.
SO IF I HAVE A RETURNING VETERAN AND THEY, LET'S JUST BALLPARK IT
AT $2,000 A MONTH, I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM $2,000 A MONTH,
WAITING FOR THAT DISABILITY CLAIM TO GO THROUGH.
THAT GOES TO HIM EVERY MONTH AND IT COMES OUT OF THE TOWN THAT
I'M WORKING FOR, WHERE THEY RESIDE.
WE PRESENT THAT MONEY TO THEM.
I THEN DO ALL THIS PAPERWORK, AND GATHER ALL THE
DOCUMENTATION, AND SEND IT TO BOSTON.
BOSTON LOOKS AT IT AND SAYS, OH, YEAH, THIS IS ALL LEGIT.
THE GUY NEEDS IT OR THE WOMAN NEEDS IT.
WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM OUT. AND THEN A YEAR FROM NOW THEY'RE
GOING TO PAY BACK 75% OF IT IF I HAVE DONE IT ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S A HARD THING FOR SOME SMALL TOWNS.
AND WAITING A YEAR TO BUDGET THAT KIND OF MONEY OUT OF IT CAN
BE A STRUGGLE.
AND SOME OF MY COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE IN LIKE HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE, NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
AND OUR BUDGET CAN BE COMPETING WITH THE SCHOOL BUDGET.
IT CAN BE SO HIGH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT ANY GIVEN
TIME.
SO IT'S HARD FOR THOSE SMALL TOWNS TO BUDGET THAT MUCH
MONEY.
I HAVE ASKED THEM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE IS
IF IT STATE WOULD JUST TAKE OVER THE PROGRAM.
I'VE HEARD THAT A LOT IN THE 15 YEARS I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
AND I CAN'T ACT QUICKLY.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD A VETERAN WHO IS HOUSE BURNED DOWN.
HE HAD NOTHING.
WE GOT INVOLVED.
WE GOT HIM MONEY.
WE GOT HIM INTO A PLACE TO STAY UNDER EMERGENCY.
I CAN ACT VERY QUICKLY IN MY TOWNS.
MUCH FASTER THAN IF THEY WENT THROUGH A STATE SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, IT'S STILL A CHUNK OF MONEY.
IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR FOR IT TO COME BACK, IT
KINDED OF MAKES IT A REALLY HARD TO BUDGET.
SO THE KIND OF THE COMPROMISE WE CAME UP WITH WAS, WHAT IF YOU
GOT THE MONEY SOONER?
IN SIX MONTHS?
AND THAT WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE TOWNS.
THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I'M IN FAVOR OF DOING IT AS WELL.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE MY JOB A LITTLE HARDER.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE ALL THE BSO'S JOBS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ACT A
LITTLE QUICKER.
WE HAVE TO GET THE PAPERWORK IN A LITTLE FASTER.
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN SERVICES IN BOSTON HAS TO
PROCESS IT FASTER SO THEY CAN GET THE MONEY BACK TO THE
TOWNS.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK WITH
DIRECTLY, THE VETERANS.
YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT A VETERAN WHO HOST HIS HOME.
JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR
THEM.
>> YEAH, SO WHEN I'VE DONE IT, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WELL, GEEZ,
HOW LONG HAS THIS LAW BEEN IN EXISTENCE?
AND I SAY, 1661.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT CAME -- 1861.
IT'S BEEN THERE A VERY LONG TIME BECAUSE THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS SAYS WE CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR VETERANS
IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR DEPENDENCE.
SO IT'S THAT BEING ABLE TO ACT LOCALLY, ACT QUICKLY.
I HAVE A VETERAN WHOSE HOMELESS.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE LANDLORDS.
IF THEY GOT AN OPENING, I MAKE A MATCH.
BECAUSE I'M RIGHT THERE ON THE GROUND.
ASK AND MY STAFF, I HAVE A GREAT STAFF THAT DOES ALL THE SAME
KIND OF THINGS.
SO IT'S THAT LOCAL COMMITMENT, YEAH, DOWN THE ROAD, IT TURNS
OUT, 75% OF IT CAME FROM THE STATE, THE MONEY.
BUT THAT LOCAL BUY-IN IS WHAT ALLOWS ME TO ACT FAST, AND ALL
REALITY, IT'S ALL TAX MONEY ANYWAYS, CORRECT?
WE PAY TAXES TO OUR CITIES AND TOWNS.
WE PAY TAXES TO THE STATE.
WE PAY IT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S JUST FOR VETERANS SERVICES TO MEET THE NEED OF THE
VETERANS, WE'RE USING THIS LOCAL MONEY UP FRONT.
I'VE SAID TO DIFFERENT BUDGET COMMITTEES AND FOLKS SAYING, IF
YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S A REAL TOUGH THING FOR YOU, PUT ME IN
FRONT OF YOUR SELECT BOARD.
PUT ME ON YOUR LOCAL ACCESS TELEVISION.
BECAUSE THE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND ALL THE ONES --
ARE SO RECEPTIVE TO HELP THE VETERANS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND I CAN NEVER SEE THEM SAYING, OH, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE
MONEY, TAX MONEY TO -- NO.
THEY WANT TO. AND THEY WANT TO BECAUSE THESE
PEOPLE HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY.
THEY SWORE AN OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.
THEY'VE RISKED THEIR LIVES IN SOME CASES.
THEY'VE GOTTEN BACK HOME, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO TAKE CARE OF
THEM GOING FORWARD.