Rehabilitation

LVMAC Tidbit — Permanent Employment for the Chronically Unemployed?

Lehigh Conf of ChurchesOne of the smaller, gold-nugget programs we help fund as part of our effort to assist veterans is Lehigh Conferences of Church’s Permanent Employment Program (PEP) because its vision entails assisting “chronically unemployed individuals to search for, and obtain, meaningful employment by providing barrier assessment, education, case management, and subsidized work experiences in the Lehigh Valley” – in other words, a holistic, work-oriented approach. In so doing, it can take a veteran who was once unemployed to a state of self-sufficiency through meaningful, permanent employment which does not have to be subsidized. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit — PTSD/Co-Occurring Disorder Vet Grant Opportunity, Short Notice

Frankly, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seems poor in distributing word or notifying of grant opportunities in the veterans arena.  As a consequence, this grant opportunity has been extended beyond its original 13 or 14 February deadline.  So, we are taking the unusual step of trying to spread the word, since they have only extended the deadline to 27 February.

An extension has been given to the following grant:

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is announcing the availability of up to $750,000 in competitive grants from funds appropriated for Veterans outreach and shall be used for programs providing treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse for Veterans. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Veterans Sanctuary is Gone, but Something of It Remains

LVMAC Poster Art 2005As most already know, Veterans Sanctuary unfortunately is no more. It ceased to be after a troubled ten months of operation last year. The building, which was the physical shell for a sophisticated therapeutic approach to treating our returning war veterans, both men and women, when they suffered from chronic addiction to drugs or alcohol and profound war-induced trauma, figuratively collapsed for lack of local county, state and federal government support – only the City of Allentown had assisted.

But a light still shines. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit – Social Security Promises Expedited Veterans Disability Claims

Social Security Disability ClaimMany veterans with a VA-rated disability are unaware they may also be entitled to a Social Security benefit program known as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) service-connected compensation program, it too has come under congressional scrutiny for its processing times. However, on 19 February Social Security Administration (SSA) officials announced plans to expedite disability claims for individuals with a VA approved, 100 percent disability rating. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — Veterans Sanctuary: Closed Up for Good?

Treatment Trends Announces Suspension of Operations

It is with profound dismay that the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council informs you of Veterans Sanctuary’s suspension of operations. It was our only local, long-term residential addiction and PTSD services treatment facility exclusively dedicated to military veterans. This important asset to our veterans statewide is no longer accepting clients. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidibits — Fly Fishing Event

Register for the Latest Lehigh Valley PHWFFI Event Trout Unlimited Hokendauqua and its partner, LVMAC, are again sponsoring a Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Outing.  It is scheduled for May 5th 2012 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bob Saks’ Pond (a private pond).  Donuts and coffee, full picnic Read more…

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Doing Better in Veterans Employment Efforts

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Veterans Employment

LVMAC Poster Art 2005The Good:  As far as websites go, the new website My Next Move for Veterans, which tries to automatically relate military occupational specialties with civilian careers plus provide advice on the future prospects of those career fields, identify their characteristics,  salaries, educational requirements and apprenticeship programs  — and then even goes further in helping you locate actual job offerings in a state or zip code area —  is a long sought idea come to fruition. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — VOW … Act, More Details

More on the VOW  to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (H.R. 674)

On 1 December 2011, we reported on  the tax incentives for employers of P.L. 112-56, signed into law on 21 November 2011, as it seemed at the time the most significant part of the act and had grabbed all the attention, but what about the other major provisions?  Below are five of possible individual interest: (more…)

By LVMAC, ago