Can't believe it is almost time to graduate. I have had many doubts over the years that I would ever achieve this goal. I started my college career in 2001 at Cal State Monterey Bay, and as 17 year old I remember standing in my dorm room and telling myself that college just wasn't for me. A short few weeks later I had dropped out. I went home to Los Angeles and attended various schools and course until I joined the Marine Corps. After I returned from my stint in the Corps, I faced different challenges than my first attempt at college.
I am so grateful for all of my loved ones support and the guidance of my mentors. They all provided me with strength when I was filled with doubt. But the most credit must be given to my son. His birth prompted my return to school and the academic success I have achieved since. Thank you Avalon. Poppa loves you!
Oath
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Career Services - Hire Heroes USA
Hire Heroes USA is an organization with the goal of helping transitioning service member and veterans find careers. Based in Georgia, with offices throughout the nation, they place 40 veterans a week with employers. They have partnered with over 200 veteran friendly corporations and offer their services to spouses as well.
They recently opened an office in Torrance, California and came to the B3 headquarters to give us a brief about the services they offer. All of the Battle Buddies, myself included, registered to receive their services. Not only for our own benefit, but also so that we may have a better understanding of a resource before we refer any of our veteran clients to them. They have a stellar reputation and help veterans put together outstanding resumes that really translate their military skills well. I look forward to my appointment to work on my resume.
They recently opened an office in Torrance, California and came to the B3 headquarters to give us a brief about the services they offer. All of the Battle Buddies, myself included, registered to receive their services. Not only for our own benefit, but also so that we may have a better understanding of a resource before we refer any of our veteran clients to them. They have a stellar reputation and help veterans put together outstanding resumes that really translate their military skills well. I look forward to my appointment to work on my resume.
Health Navigator Supervisor Training
One of the many trainings that VOALA set up for me was a Health Navigation Supervisor seminar.
Three of my Battle Buddies are attending a several weeks long training on how to be Health Navigators. Health Navigation is essentially peer support, but with the focus being entirely on medical issues. The Health Navigation mantra is " for them, with them, and ultimately by them." The navigators seek to help their clients engage the medical system in way that best serves them and allows them to participate in their own healthcare decisions.
My short training involved how I as a supervisor can best support the health navigators and ensure that they have all that is necessary to accomplish their tasks. A healthy portion of this training involved Medi-Cal billing, which had me very disinterested as it does not apply to the B3 program. But I'm sure it will be of value to me should I end up taking a job that deals extensively with Medi-Cal.
Three of my Battle Buddies are attending a several weeks long training on how to be Health Navigators. Health Navigation is essentially peer support, but with the focus being entirely on medical issues. The Health Navigation mantra is " for them, with them, and ultimately by them." The navigators seek to help their clients engage the medical system in way that best serves them and allows them to participate in their own healthcare decisions.
My short training involved how I as a supervisor can best support the health navigators and ensure that they have all that is necessary to accomplish their tasks. A healthy portion of this training involved Medi-Cal billing, which had me very disinterested as it does not apply to the B3 program. But I'm sure it will be of value to me should I end up taking a job that deals extensively with Medi-Cal.
Battle Buddy Bridge Program Strengths
The B3 program was designed with the goal of breaking down the barriers that veterans face when seeking services. Many of the of the nonprofits and even the VA itself represent the actual barrier rather than the service provided.
B3 is staffed by veterans that have been trained as peer support specialist. As veterans of the LA county area, we are familiar with the social service and benefit landscape here and can help provide guidance to other veterans. All of the Battle Buddies are in some form of recovery and that enables them to relate to those we serve in a was that social workers and doctors cannot.
With that being said, I am sometimes concerned about the stress burden placed on the Battle Buddies. The success of the program is both a gift and a curse as it has allowed us to expand throughout all the service areas in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I am unsure if we are able to handle such a massive workload.
B3 is staffed by veterans that have been trained as peer support specialist. As veterans of the LA county area, we are familiar with the social service and benefit landscape here and can help provide guidance to other veterans. All of the Battle Buddies are in some form of recovery and that enables them to relate to those we serve in a was that social workers and doctors cannot.
With that being said, I am sometimes concerned about the stress burden placed on the Battle Buddies. The success of the program is both a gift and a curse as it has allowed us to expand throughout all the service areas in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I am unsure if we are able to handle such a massive workload.
Volunteers of America Los Angeles - Public Service
Volunteers of America was established in 1896 by Ballington and Muad Booth. Their mission was to provide human services to the poor. Though they were originally affiliated with the Salvation Army, the two broke off due to philosophical differences.
VOALA's current goal is to serve people in need, strengthen families and build communities. The nonprofit provides services for Los Angeles area children, elderly, families, and veterans. As well as operating multiple housing programs for the homeless.
VOALA's current goal is to serve people in need, strengthen families and build communities. The nonprofit provides services for Los Angeles area children, elderly, families, and veterans. As well as operating multiple housing programs for the homeless.
Leadership
As part of this internship, I have worked at developing my leadership style. Rather than coming in with a preconceived notion, I waited until after the first few weeks to determine my approach.
Due to the nature of peer support work, I decided that my leadership style would be one of empathy and support. For those reasons I chose to utilize the path-goal theory and servant leadership styles. Those styles place an emphasis on the followers rather than the leader. It requires me to clear the barriers to my subordinates success and demands that I listen to their concerns with empathy.
I believe this to be the best way to lead veterans that are engaging in emotionally draining work, while they deal with their own recovery process. Recovery is not limited to substance abuse, people can be in recovery from a variety of issues like homelessness or post-traumatic stress.
Due to the nature of peer support work, I decided that my leadership style would be one of empathy and support. For those reasons I chose to utilize the path-goal theory and servant leadership styles. Those styles place an emphasis on the followers rather than the leader. It requires me to clear the barriers to my subordinates success and demands that I listen to their concerns with empathy.
I believe this to be the best way to lead veterans that are engaging in emotionally draining work, while they deal with their own recovery process. Recovery is not limited to substance abuse, people can be in recovery from a variety of issues like homelessness or post-traumatic stress.
Mr. Jim Zenner - VOALA Veterans Programs Director
Jim Zenner is the program director for Volunteers Of America's Hollywood Veteran Center and the Battle Buddy Bridge program. The Hollywood Veterans Center is a grant-per-diem program that serves homeless Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It is a dual treatment facility that offers both substance abuse and mental health programs. Mr. Zenner, in addition to directing the program also facilitates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Process Therapy (CPT).
Mr. Zenner earned his bachelors degree while serving in Iraq and returned home to face the same struggles that many other veterans face. Mr. Zenner then entered the USC school of military social work and begun his path to helping veterans in the way that he had been helped.
Mr. Zenner told me that furthering ones education in all possible ways is the best way to equip yourself with the tools needed to aid reintegrating veterans. Mr. Zenner highly recommended taking a grant writing course as that is an absolute must have skill in this field.
I highly admire Mr. Zenner and I hope to follow the path that he and other veterans have paved for me.
Mr. Zenner earned his bachelors degree while serving in Iraq and returned home to face the same struggles that many other veterans face. Mr. Zenner then entered the USC school of military social work and begun his path to helping veterans in the way that he had been helped.
Mr. Zenner told me that furthering ones education in all possible ways is the best way to equip yourself with the tools needed to aid reintegrating veterans. Mr. Zenner highly recommended taking a grant writing course as that is an absolute must have skill in this field.
I highly admire Mr. Zenner and I hope to follow the path that he and other veterans have paved for me.
Friday, April 24, 2015
VA Career Fair
I attended a job fair at Los Angeles Community College that was hosted by the Department of Labor and the VA. As part of push to help veterans and people with disabilities into the job market, the two departments put this event together to help connect those populations with employers that are aware of their strengths and needs.
Though I attended the fair in an official capacity (B3 had a table set-up), I also utilized the resources available. I made my way to the VA hiring table and picked the brain of the representative there. I was provided crucial information about VA hiring practices, USAJOBS.gov navigation and federal resumes. In addition, I was able to meet with several employees of the VA that work in the Vocational Rehabilitation program. As someone who utilizes that program and as a person who wants to work in that department, this was an extremely valuable opportunity to gain some inside knowledge that will hopefully further me along the road to federal employment with VA.
Though I attended the fair in an official capacity (B3 had a table set-up), I also utilized the resources available. I made my way to the VA hiring table and picked the brain of the representative there. I was provided crucial information about VA hiring practices, USAJOBS.gov navigation and federal resumes. In addition, I was able to meet with several employees of the VA that work in the Vocational Rehabilitation program. As someone who utilizes that program and as a person who wants to work in that department, this was an extremely valuable opportunity to gain some inside knowledge that will hopefully further me along the road to federal employment with VA.
Bad Paper Discharges
One of the difficulties I face in my work with veterans is that of program eligibility. Veterans receive one of five discharges (Honorable, General, Other than Honorable, Bad Conduct, Dishonorable) when they leave the military. Veterans who receive anything other than an honorable discharge face the potential loss of benefits.
In the last few weeks, I have encountered several homeless veterans with "other than honorable" discharges and this presents a challenge when attempting to find housing resources. Because of those discharges they are not eligible for veteran housing resources. I find this particularly troubling because veterans who leave the service with bad paper discharges are the most in need of services often. Some changes have occurred with the HUD-VASH program where they are making a limited amount of vouchers available to veterans with OTH's. I think this is a great start and I hope the VA continues this trend. They will have to if they are truly committed to ending veteran homelessness.
In the last few weeks, I have encountered several homeless veterans with "other than honorable" discharges and this presents a challenge when attempting to find housing resources. Because of those discharges they are not eligible for veteran housing resources. I find this particularly troubling because veterans who leave the service with bad paper discharges are the most in need of services often. Some changes have occurred with the HUD-VASH program where they are making a limited amount of vouchers available to veterans with OTH's. I think this is a great start and I hope the VA continues this trend. They will have to if they are truly committed to ending veteran homelessness.
Outreach
One of the things I really enjoy about my fellowship is that I travel throughout my city and county. I have been able to see areas that I previously had never visited, despite having grown up here. In our efforts to end veteran homelessness in the county, we travel throughout the various service planning areas (spas) to find veterans in need and make connections with community resources.
While I know it is necessary to reach out to service providers and community partners, I really enjoy the street outreach the most. Crawling through brush to reach encampments and being able to get a veteran registered and enrolled with VA medical services is a great feeling. One I hope to repeat many times over.
While I know it is necessary to reach out to service providers and community partners, I really enjoy the street outreach the most. Crawling through brush to reach encampments and being able to get a veteran registered and enrolled with VA medical services is a great feeling. One I hope to repeat many times over.
A.S.I.S.T
As part of my fellowship with B3, I have been great opportunities to attend extremely valuable training seminars. Several weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training event at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles. The building is home to Los Angeles County veteran service organizations and county staff.
The training itself was very emotional but provided the necessary skill set to intervene in crisis moment. I found this training to be especially powerful given that I work with a population that is suffering from an estimated 22 suicides a day. While I hope that I never have to use the skills learned in the training, I feel confident in my ability to help a veteran in crisis.
The training itself was very emotional but provided the necessary skill set to intervene in crisis moment. I found this training to be especially powerful given that I work with a population that is suffering from an estimated 22 suicides a day. While I hope that I never have to use the skills learned in the training, I feel confident in my ability to help a veteran in crisis.
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