Commission on Veterans Affairs 2016 Annual Report
Page 12
DAR C
OMMEMORATES
V
IETNAM
50
TH
A
NNIVERSARY
WITH
W
REATH
L
AYING
C
EREMONY
The President General, of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), asked that chapters
host an activity on March 29, 2016, along with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to mark the end of Vietnam
engagement (in country). Montgomery County Daughters of the American (DAR) chapters hosted a wreath laying
ceremony at the new Fallen Heroes Memorial, which was dedicated in November 2014, at the Judicial Center Annex in
Rockville, MD.
Two members of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)
Chapter 641 in Silver Spring lay a wreath.
Dale Boggs, DAR, gives remarks at the
wreath laying
From left to right: Ken Reichard, Wayne Miller, Conrad A. Bousquet, Larry Gray, Jane McCarthy,
Bill Bennett, Bill Highland, Steve Campanella, Bill Gray, Stanley Miller, Roland Kauffman
Commission on Veterans Affairs 2014 Annual Report Page 13
M
ONTGOMERY
C
OUNTY
, MD E
MPLOYMENT
D
ATA
ON
H
IRING
OF
V
ETERANS
, D
ISABLED
V
ETERANS
,
AND
P
EOPLE
WITH
D
ISABILITIES
The Commission on Veterans Affairs and Commission on People with Disabilities worked with the County’s Office of
Human Resources (OHR) to establish employment initiatives which include hiring preferences for veteran, veteran with
a disability, and person with a disability and a non-competitive hiring process for persons with disabilities, which was
passed into law by Montgomery County voters in 2012.
Karen Hochberg, OHR, has reported that since the hiring preferences and non-competitive hiring process were
implemented approximately:
A Better Bottom Line - Montgomery County Government video
regarding the employment of people with disabilities and Veterans.
Jonathan Pruziner served in Iraq and Afghanistan and came home to
Become hired as a police officer with the Montgomery County Police
Department. (YouTube):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-2A_PbxrqA
(6:27 version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWOYNkEWE5s
(11:42 version)
August 30, 2016
October 20, 2016
August 30, 2015
New employees cumulatively hired
235
241
211
Non-competitive hires
18
21
16
People with disabilities
21
26
29
Veterans with disabilities
8
9
13
Veterans
159
172
178
Not identified
7
10
Commission on Veterans Affairs 2014 Annual Report Page 14
FY18 O
PERATING
B
UDGET
P
RIORITIES
Commission on Veterans Affairs Budget Priorities FY18
Meeting with B/C/C and HHS Committee of County Council
October 19, 2016
Dan Bullis, Chairman
Randy Stone, Vice-Chairman
Firearm Safety Initiative and a Deflection Model in criminal justice system - Substance abuse, Post-
Traumatic Stress, and other mental health disorders are a significant contributor to sexual assault numbers in the
military, as well as in the community at large. On the other end of the spectrum, substance abuse, PTS, and other
mental health disorders are significant contributors to the relatively high suicide rates being experienced by
Veterans. Consequently, the Commission supports the development and implementation of a Sexual Assault
Response Team (SART) and for public outreach to educate and reach Veterans and the community at large about
sexual assault, suicide and a Firearm Safety Initiative to ensure proper firearms storage in the home and
elsewhere. Concurrently, the Commission recommends that the STEER and Sequential Intercept Model be used
in the new Mental Health Court, but it can also functional independently, be used to identify Veterans and refer
them to needed services. The goal of the Deflection Model project is to deflect low-risk individuals with
substance use disorders (SUDs) away from the criminal justice system and directly into community-based
treatment. This deflection model presents an evidence-based approach to providing individuals treatment for
substance use and will have many benefits not only for the affected individuals, but also for their families and our
communities, as well as Montgomery County's overburdened expensive criminal justice system. The County is
moving forward with an initial smaller scale implementation that will be funded for 12 months. To ensure that all
Veterans receive this model, and because it is anticipated that this model will be expensive and far beyond
available resources the Commission recommends to fund $250,000 to provide 2 staff positions to support this
effort specifically to serve Veterans that have a diagnosis of substance abuse and /or mental illness/Post Traumatic
Stress.
2. Continue County funding for Ending Homelessness for Veterans - $500,000 per year to be able to serve those
who do not qualify for Veteran Administration Supported Housing (VASH) vouchers.