National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
VHA NATIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CHALLENGE WINNERS AND THEMES FROM 2014 TO 2023
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2014 |
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Theme: Support for Veterans and their families Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Partnership features an all-volunteer pantry staff that works with partners to provide hunger relief for Veterans. Within a three-month period, the Jesse Brown Food Pantry served over 1,400 unique Veterans and 5,000 family members. Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center “Possibilities in the Sky” is a partnership with a major airline providing outstanding service to disabled Veterans and their families through comprehensive air travel. |
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2015 |
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Theme: Support for Veterans and their families VA Connecticut Healthcare System Partners with Connecticut Legal Center to provide free legal services and has a mission to help Veterans recovering from homelessness and mental illness overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare, and income. |
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2016 |
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Theme: Veteran Access to Health Care Services San Francisco VA Health Care System Partners with the Y of San Francisco to maximize community resources to benefit Veterans and improve their overall health and well-being. Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Partners with Middle Tennessee State University to bring VA to the 1000 student Veterans by having a mental health counselor located on campus at the Veterans and Military Family Center. |
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2017 |
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Theme: Collaborating with Community Partners to Prevent Suicide Amongst Veterans 50 Years and Older Albany Stratton Medical Center Partners with Veteran Service Agencies and Faith-Based Organizations to educate the community of Veterans, Service members, and civilian community members about the risk of gun violence and suicide prevention strategies. Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Partners with local law enforcement agencies to train first responders in mental illness, violence risk, and interface strategies. VA Connecticut Healthcare System Partners with the Southwestern Connecticut Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) program for Health insurance assistance, Outreach, Information and referral, Counseling, and Eligibility Screening (CHOICES) to expand the services to include Veteran-specific mental health needs. |
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2018 |
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Theme: Return on Partnership (demonstrate measurable and impactful results that benefit Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors) Central Texas Veterans Health Care System-Joining Hands, Feeding Veterans Partners with the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) to improve food security for Veterans and their families. (Expansion of the CTFB mobile pantry service for Veterans is a part of the Veterans Pantry Pilot (VPP) Program from Feeding America – Provided food assistance to Veterans on-site at 2 CTVHCS locations: Temple and Austin TX – since 2017 mobile pantries have distributed nearly 87,000 pounds of food which equates to more than 72,000 meals for Veterans and their families. Phoenix VA Health Care System -Be Connected Partners with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families to create an ecosystem of support for all who serve and their families throughout Arizona. The partnership addressed bringing in public and private sector key stakeholders to address the elevated suicide risk of Arizona Veterans; Helped 1,400 individuals through its support line; mapped over 1,000 resources on the online platform; and trained and equipped more than 3,300 community members as Military/Veteran Resource Navigators. VA Sand Diego Healthcare System Partners with Team AMVETS in 2012 to help California’s homeless Veterans by transforming their new residences into real homes by providing them with furniture, household items, cooking utensils, and appliances. AMVETS donated over $500,000 in San Diego County and close to $2 million in Southern CA. More than 5,000 Veterans served and nearly 5,000 volunteers have offered their assistance to support this effort. |
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2019 |
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Theme: Public Trust – Exemplify public trustworthiness by being Veteran-centered, accountable, consistent, safe, and transparent Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Partners with the Salvation Army to increase food security among Veterans, their families, and others in Waco and Temple TX. Within the first three months of the partnership, CTHCS donated more than 2,400 pounds of food to food-insecure Veterans and other community members. James A. Haley Hospital and Clinics Partners with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to provide Veterans with coaching, information and resources regarding their cancer treatment plans. By the end of 2018, ACS had provided 660 unique services to Veterans. VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Partners with Helmets to Hardhats to provide Veterans in the courts or justice system with opportunities for training or employment in skilled trades. Also offered support for mental health issues and addressed the need to find employment that pays a living wage. |
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2020 |
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Theme: Social Determinants of Health – addressed education, employment, food security, housing, spiritual support and/or transportation Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center – Lowcountry Hospitality Association Partnership helps Veterans find positions in the hospitality industry in Charleston, SC – partnership called Turnaround Tuesday – placed 97 Veterans in jobs since its inception 2017. Cincinnati VA Medical Center – Freestore Foodbank Partnership provides more than 10,000 meals to hungry Veterans and their families from 2017 to 2020. Toledo Community Based Outpatient Clinic Partners with Toledo Bar Association to provide free monthly walk-in clinics to help Veterans with legal issues that affect social determinants of health such as access to employment and safe housing. From 2015 to 2020 – 895 Veterans were served – partnership provided more than $344,000 in free legal services from 2015 to 2020. |
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2021 |
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Theme: 2021 Adaptability in a Changing World – collaborations during times of uncertainty to meet Veterans’ needs through community partnerships built on a foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Veterans Safety and Planning with Community Hospitals to Prevent Suicide Partners with 6 community hospital organizations – Coastal Behavioral Health, Grand Strand Health-South Grand Strand Medical Center, Medical University of South Carolina-MUSC, Memorial Health-Savannah, Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health, and Trident Medical Center – to improve clinical care for Veterans transitioning from community inpatient mental health treatment to VA outpatient treatment. Rocky Mountain MIRECC VA Patient Center of Inquiry – Suicide Prevention Collaborative Partners with 13 community organizations – Homes for All Veterans, Denver University Sturm Center, Mt Carmel Veterans Center, Evans Counseling, Colorado Veterans Health and Wellness Agency/Family Care Center, University of Colorado School of Nursing, Mental Health Center of Denver, Colorado Veteran Courts, Denver Fire Department, Denver Police Department, Denver Sheriff Department, Department of Public Safety, and Denver Public Libraries. The learning collaborative model aids community partners in building suicide prevention programs with their organizations. VA Palo Alto Care System Medical Legal Partnership with Bay Legal Aid Veteran Legal Project Partnership integrates screening for legal assistance into Veterans’ well-being assessment allowing social work to refer to the community partner for Veterans to access cost-free attorneys. The partnership is based on the understanding that wraparound legal services coupled with support by culturally competent social workers are essential for Veterans struggling to achieve health, housing stability, food security, transportation limitations and economic stability— recognized barriers to achieving positive health care outcomes. |
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2022 |
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Theme: G.R.O.W. – Goal Oriented, Resiliency, Opportunity, and Wellness Michael H. Crescenz VA Medical Center – Heroic Gardens Partnership offers nature and plant-based healing opportunities to Veterans enrolled in the program by providing virtual gardening workshops and community-based, nature-based walking meditation groups that empower Veterans to engage in Whole Health practices. Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center – Wichita Animal Action Partnership bridges the gap for Veterans who have pet care responsibilities and no support system to care for their pets when they require inpatient care and services allowing their pets to be boarded cost-free. VA Boston Healthcare System – Veterans Voice Radio Network Partnership allows VA Boston HCS and other agencies to broadcast and market critical military members, Veterans, and family care information at no-cost. |
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2023 |
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Theme: Accelerating VHA’s Journey to High Reliability Through Partnerships Syracuse VA Medical Center Partners: National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) and Clear Parth for Veterans Partnership provides education and support and engages Veterans and their families to include children through family and peer support. VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Partners AyZar Outreach, Bentwood School, U.S. VETS and Village for Veterans Partnership provides temporary and permanent housing for Veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. West Palm Beach Healthcare System Partners: Delray Beach Community Center and West Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Partnership provides training for police officers in Veteran-relevant issues to improve understanding and promote more positive interactions and outcomes between the police and Veterans in the community. |
To get involved with your local VCP, visit https://www.va.gov/healthpartnerships/vcp.asp.
VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to apply for their earned PACT Act-related health care and benefits. Veterans and survivors can apply or learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT or by calling 1-800-MYVA411.
