OPINION

How Are Massachusetts veterans faring during pandemic? New report shows increasing gaps

By Michael Dwyer and Paul Medeiros

As the pandemic has raged on over the past year, many of us have reflected on ourselves, our families and on the disparate impacts the virus has had on so many of our friends, neighbors and fellow residents. 

As leaders in the Massachusetts veterans’ community, our focus has been on our state’s veterans and understanding how they have fared during this crisis and what we can do address their needs going forward.

Last year, Brighton Marine commissioned a survey by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) to conduct a needs assessment of Massachusetts veterans. The report’s goal was to examine which veteran needs were being met, what efforts were being taken to address them, and what kinds of collaborations were in place. The report looked at the landscape of veteran supports in Massachusetts, including public and nonprofit sector activities, as well as the unmet needs that were identified.

The estimated number of veterans living in Massachusetts is approximately 286,875, according to VA estimates. Here in Worcester County, there are over 62,000 veterans, who make up 7.5% of the population.

Easterseals Massachusetts, a Worcester based organization that has provided disability services to children and adults in the state for over 75 years, has recently created a Veteran Programs division in order to proactively address common factors affecting service members and veterans as they reintegrate back into the Commonwealth.

We understand that many veterans face barriers to information and experienced support that may be critical to preventing, or quickly overcoming, common hardships. These barriers range from an inability to take time off of work or find childcare to meet with a subject-matter-expert, to geographic and transportation barriers, to inaccessible locations due to physical disabilities, vague or inaccurate information, self-isolation, and many more.

Easterseals Massachusetts is currently building a website for the Massachusetts veteran community, MassVeteran.com, that contains a growing video learning catalog focused on earned benefits, at-home activities, and other opportunities for veterans and service providers. 

The site will be accessible from home or on a mobile device. This site also contains a growing list of sponsored peer activities ranging from weight lifting to snow tubing to paint nights, and collaborates with other local organizations to add value in the community. 

Expanding veterans' social networks is a critical part of successful reintegration. In addition to the content planned for 2021, MassVeteran.com will also include an employment page to connect veterans with career building tools and local employment opportunities. 

The website will enhance Easterseals Massachusetts existing programs, such as Assistive Technology, Youth Leadership, Employment & Training, Augmentative & Alternative Communication, and others, and takes us one step closer to ensuring that every person in our community has equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play.

The CNAS report identified the following priority areas that veterans need assistance with: access to dental care and mental health supports, financial stability, housing, social supports, and the infrastructure to support veterans across those domains.  The report also found that the pandemic has exacerbated concerns around unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity, and mental health.

Veterans, and stakeholders across the state, recommended a variety of actions to better serve the veteran community in Massachusetts. These range from policy changes and adapting to generational shifts, to targeted solutions specific to an individual’s demographic background. 

Outreach challenges and awareness gaps spanned all categories and audiences. A major takeaway is the need to reformulate how services and benefits are communicated and advertised to the audiences and individuals the resources are meant to serve. 

The CNAS report includes key recommendations for policymakers to consider including: implement veteran-specific mental health care benefits; phase in veteran service officers with language skills, most significantly Spanish, that are commensurate with the increase in foreign language speakers in Massachusetts; and to streamline the veteran benefit application processes.

And the report suggests several recommendations for veteran-serving organizations to work on as we continue to respond to the pandemic: revamp outreach efforts to be more proactive and targeted; tailor support for specific subpopulations; provide direct financial assistance during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic; implement a one-stop shop for support services; and help veterans access existing housing networks.

Brighton Marine and Easterseals Massachusetts are committed to working on these recommendations and we will continue to develop important partnerships and efforts to address these issues. 

Our veterans and their families deserve nothing less. As a Veteran Network Community, we invite any military and veteran-focused organizations to contact us to continue the conversation and take action.

Michael Dwyer is president & CEO of Brighton Marine. Paul Medeiros is president and CEO of Easterseals Massachusetts