TCB Caring Hands Programs

1. TCB Caring Hands Programs Benefits Access Support Services

2. Primary Focus Areas • Leading Veterans Administration Benefits • Pension • Disability • Health Care • Lesser Known VA Benefits • Caregiver Arrangements • Housing and Automotive Adaptation • Dependent Educational Assistance • Dependency Indemnity Compensation • Additional Benefits • Work Restoration • Additional Education Programs

3. VA Benefits: Pension • Available to wartime veterans who meet one of two qualifications: • Over the age of 65, or • Any age if permanently or totally disabled • Paid in three levels: • Maximum benefit: married veteran • Midrange benefit: single veteran • Reduced benefit: surviving spouse

4. VA Benefits: Pension (cont.) • Qualification Details: • If over 65, other monthly income must be less than $1,388 • If over 65 and qualifying for Aid and Attendance, married Veterans’ other monthly income must be less than $1,949 • If over 65 and qualifying for Aid and Attendance, unmarried Veterans’ other monthly income must be less than $1,644

5. VA Benefits: Disability • The disability results from injury or disease • Acquired during active military service • Exacerbated by active military service • Complications with the VA • Acceptance of claims • Absolute compliance with VA terminology and processes • Veterans’ issues • Discouragement • Proverbial “runaround” • Bottom line – veterans either: • Succeed in the quest • Veteran receives legitimate benefit • Family stress is reduced to a manageable level • Give up • Veteran adopts a “You can’t fight city hall” attitude • Veteran gives up; makes do

6. Current Usage It has been estimated that around 10 million seniors - 25% of all of those currently past the age of 65 – likely are eligible for VA pension benefits alone Only about 5.4% of those who may be eligible currently receive the benefit Pension and Disability Benefits

7. Healthcare • VA healthcare system is the nation’s largest • Eligibility based on 24 continuous months’ active service and honorable discharge • Some Veterans can be reimbursed for travel for healthcare • Veterans traveling for service-related conditions • Veterans whose service related disabilities are 30% or more • VA pension recipients • Veterans meeting other requirements

8. VA Benefits: Caregiver Arrangements • New program as of May, 2011 • Helps pay for several types of home-based care: • Outside professional home healthcare • Respite care for family caregivers • Caregiver education and training programs for family caregivers • Caregiver support groups • Other services

9. VA Benefits: Caregiver Arrangements(cont.) • Other services – these are only a sampling: • Family counseling • Pastoral care • Medical equipment • Family leisure and recreational activities • Transportation assistance for some Veterans to and from medical appointments • Prosthetic and sensory aides • Financial assistance with home mobility and access issues – i.e., ramps, etc. • Temporary lodging in Fisher Houses

10. Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) • Housing adaptation grants • Available to disabled Veterans and service members • No repayment • Lifetime maximum cap of $63,780 • HISA provides grants for • Entrance to and exit from the Veteran’s residence • Bathroom access and independent use • Kitchen accessibility • Improving entrance paths or driveways to enhance Veteran accessibility and mobility

11. Automotive Grants • Available to specific disabled Veterans • One-time use only • Maximum amount is $11,000 • Can be used for automobile purchase or automotive adaptation equipment purchase and installation

12. Dependent Educational Assistance • Available to dependents of • Deceased Veterans • Veterans suffering total and permanent service-related disability • Spouse may take correspondence courses • Children may receive assistance for • 45 months in an educational or workplace setting • Degree and certificate programs • Apprenticeship • On-the-job-training

13. Dependency Indemnity Compensation • Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) • Monthly benefit paid to surviving spouse (base rate $1,154), children and perhaps parents of a Veteran or active service member who has died and was: • Active duty or inactive duty • Veteran dying from service-related injury or disease • Veteran dying from a non service-related injury or disease while fully service-connected disabled

14. Work Restoration • VA offers internal programs • Incentive Therapy – psychiatric inpatient work • Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) – paid on-campus work at 35 VA Medical Centers • CWT/Transitional Work (CWT/TW) – partnership between VA Medical Centers and local businesses • CWT/Supported Employment (CWT/SE) – full- or parttime work in the community, in conjunction with VA clinical supervision. Focuses on Veterans with psychosis and is phased out as soon as possible • TCB Caring Hands will offer complementary but very different work restoration support

15. Additional Education Programs • Post-911 GI Bill • New benefit for Veterans on active duty on or after September 11, 2001 • Based on length of service, provides sliding scale for • Tuition and fees • Monthly housing allowance • Books and supplies up to $1,000 a year • $500 one-time relocation assistance to urban areas • Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program – imposes additional requirements for special circumstances

16. Every day is Veterans’ Day

17. Additional Benefits • There are many other benefits offered by and through the VA. Others will be added • As Veteran demand requires • Where there is a complementary nature among VA programs and non-VA TCB Caring Hands programs • Some that TCB Caring Hands will focus on in the early stages are • Travel Reimbursement • Work Restoration • Additional Education Programs

18. TCB Caring Hands’ Approach Rationale Outside Agency Use Internal Accreditation Long Term Objectives

19. Rationale All agents or representatives MUST be accredited by the VA to work on behalf of the Veteran Accreditation training requires several months’ study Many accredited agents are attorneys, but even paralegals and other staffers must themselves be accredited TCB Caring Hands can begin with an outside accredited agent while gaining internal accreditation Path to Benefits Access Services

20. Outside Agency Use • Use of an outside agent allows immediate operation • The agent must be accredited for legal operation • Provides insight into time required for individual case completion

21. Internal Accreditation • Gives greater control of the process to TCB Caring Hands • May enhance efficient use of private, donated funds • Should improve communication with Veteran clients • Maximize private funds for other uses

22. Long Term Objectives • Increase the number of Veterans receiving the benefits that their service entitles them to • Tap into as much federal monies as legitimately possible, freeing up TCB Caring Hands’ funds for non-entitlement uses • Enhance Veterans’ understanding of the gratitude of the nation • Positively contribute to Veterans’ enhanced quality of life

23. TCB Caring Hands Initial Points of Focus Program CostsProgram Expansion

24. Initial Points of Focus • Least-used VA benefits • Non-service related improved veterans pension • VA health benefits – sliding scaled based on income • Caregiver programs and services • Vocational assistance and therapeutic work programs • Disability compensation • Many Veterans unaware that they qualify for various programs

25. Cost Expectations • Cost to Veterans • None for initial application • Only accredited agents can charge for appeal • TCB Caring Hands assumes all costs for Veterans • Cost to TCB Caring Hands • No application costs owed to VA • Internal expenses only: • Administrative support salaries • Accredited counselor salaries • Accredited legal salaries

26. Expansion Progression • This service can be operational in any city at any time • Administration will be centered in TCB Caring Hands’ Orlando office • There are no geographical boundaries

27. Conclusion • Veterans need to be made aware that these programs exist and that TCB Caring Hands will help them file for those which they are eligible • TCB Caring Hands will collect all necessary documentation and identify appropriate Veterans’ programs • TCB Caring Hands will file claims, follow up and appeal rejected claims • TCB Caring Hands will fill gaps with private, donated funds and appropriate private programs

28. References About Accreditation & Fees. (n.d.). Senior Veterans Service Alliance. Retrieved August 25, 2011 from http://www.veteransaidbenefit.org/about_accreditation_and_fees.htm. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. (2011). Military.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011 from http://www.military.com/benefits/survivor-benefits/dependency-and-indemnity-compensation. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). (2008, December). Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved September 3, 2011 from www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/factsheets/survivors/dic.doc. Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors: 2011 Edition. (2011, June 16). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved September 4, 2011 from http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp. VA to Take Applications for New Family Caregiver Program. (2011, May 3). Veterans Administration. Retrieved August 25, 2011 from http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2088.