National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
Veteran Sponsor Partnership Network
The VHA National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships leads an initiative aimed at improving the experience and outcomes of service members transitioning back into civilian life.
Under the Veteran Sponsor Partnership Network (VSPN) initiative, VHA regional offices form non-monetary partnerships with community organizations to help transitioning service members and their families access VA services and community resources, such as employment opportunities, education benefits, housing assistance, and more.
The initiative also streamlines VHA partnerships with community organizations that can pair service members with peer sponsorsǂ who can provide one-on-one support during the military-to-civilian transition, a resource similar to the military sponsorship program within the Department of Defense.
Check out the map below to see the regional community partners, their locations, and websites for more information about the organizations and how they serve Veterans.
| Area Served | Community Partner | Website |
|---|---|---|
| All United States | Onward Ops | https://onwardops.org/ |
| California | Los Angeles County Department of Military & Veterans Affairs | https://mva.lacounty.gov/ |
| California | San Diego Veterans Coalition | https://www.sdvetscoalition.org/ |
| Connecticut | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| Maine | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| Massachusetts | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| New Hampshire | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| New York | Nassau County MHA | https://arc.mhanational.org/user/mhanassau |
| New York | ProVetus | https://www.provetus.org/ |
| New York | Staten Island PPS | https://statenislandpps.org/veterans/ |
| New York | Suffolk County Dwyer Program | http://mhaw.org/dwyer/ |
| Rhode Island | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| Texas | Bexar County Military and Veterans Services Center | https://www.bexar.org/509/Military-and-Veterans-Services-Center |
| Texas | Endeavors | https://endeavors.org/ |
| Vermont | Clear Path for Veterans | https://www.clearpath4vets.com/ |
| Washington | Nine9Line | https://www.9linevets.org/ |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce | https://www.wiveteranschamber.org/ |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Veterans Network | https://www.wisvetsnet.org/transitioning-service-members |
Many community partners have their own platform or website with information on community resources and can directly connect Service members, Veterans, and their families to resources in the local community Service members move to. Check out the websites of community partners in the VSPN (listed above) for more information about resources in the areas they serve. Some community partners also use the Onward Ops platform§ to manage their sponsors and facilitate sponsor support for service members. VHA has a non-monetary partnership with Onward Ops to support service members, Veterans, and their families across all communities they transition to nation-wide.
Check out the VSPN fact sheets for more details on how Service members, Veterans, sponsors, and community organizations can get engaged:
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“By facilitating partnerships with organizations outside VA, HAP leverages community resources to support TSMs and Veterans, enabling successful reintegration into civilian life,” said Dr. Chien Chen, HAP chief officer and nurse executive. “The one-on-one support provided by peer sponsors helps streamline the transition process to improve the overall experience and outcomes for Veterans adjusting to civilian life.”
Early research has shown that engaging in VA healthcare in addition to community-based interventions and sponsorship programs can help Veterans achieve better outcomes across social determinants of health, experience less difficulty when transitioning back into civilian communities, and reduce risk factors related to Veteran death by suicide.
The VSPN initiative falls under VA’s overall strategy to partner with regional and national organizations to assist transitioning service members with accessing VA health and benefit resources. Local, regional, and national organizations interested in partnering with VA should can contact the National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships by emailing VHA_Partnerships@va.gov. HAP leads the VSPN initiative in collaboration with VA’s Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran And Suicide Prevention Center, VA regional offices, and a nationwide network of community partners.
ǂ Sponsors are not managed by VA, sponsors are trained with materials provided by VA in collaboration with an academic affiliate. Individuals who wish to become a sponsor do so by signing up as a volunteer with a non-VA organization. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for sponsors or organizations that manage sponsors.
§ Use of the Onward Ops platform requires a license from ETS-SP. Community partners may incur a cost and establish a financial relationship with ETS-SP for licenses to use the platform. VA does not endorse any individual organization, ETS-SP, or licensing of the ETS-SP platform. The ETS-SP platform is not a VA domain, signing up for ETS-SP does not enroll Service members or Veterans in VA benefits or VHA healthcare.
Disclaimer: The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Veterans Affairs of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein.
