Veterans Benefits in Rural Communities Public Education Campaign

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Almost a quarter of all Veterans in the United States, 4.7 million, return from active military careers to reside in rural communities. Though many Veterans are eligible for benefits from VA, many do not know about their options. For Veterans who reside in rural communities, learning about VA benefits can be especially challenging. The lack of understanding among both Veterans and those who provide them with assistance is especially disadvantageous for this vulnerable population. Through rural outreach, organizational partnerships and VA benefit briefings, Levy County Veteran Service Office implemented a public education campaign. The campaign is an initiative that increases awareness and encourages the applying of earned VA benefits for Veterans, survivors, and their dependents. The campaign includes outreach and educational components. Levy County Veteran Service Office provides briefings to Veterans, Veteran Organizations, non-VA medical providers, and community agency staff about state-sponsored Veteran programs, Veteran eligibility and benefits, and the VA claims process. Briefings allow local community agency staff to build partnerships that assist Veterans and provide better understanding of VA benefits. In working with Levy County Veteran Service Office, the collaborations help reach more Veterans, and streamline the benefit application process. These unique and invaluable outreach briefings provides entry points for Veterans who may have not reached directly to Levy County Veteran Services or VA on their own. Though the campaign is in it's early stage, it has already produced positive results with an increase of Veterans and their families, contacting Levy County Veteran Service Office, requesting to work with our accredited County Veterans Service Officers to file their very first claim for earned VA benefits.