OKVA is facilitated by the Community Service Council, a Tulsa-based nonprofit social services organization. The goal of this Community Service Council program is to mobilize a community effort to enhance Oklahoma as a “veteran ready region” and best address the priority needs of returning veterans and their families or caregivers. Led by an Advisory Board, our main focus areas are:
• Employment
•
Education
• Mental Health
• Housing
• Basic Needs and Outreach
• Social Opportunities for Reintegration
This project works closely with veterans and their family members, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), mental health and other service providers, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs and other local and state agencies, government officials, university representatives, private sector organizations, to concentrate on how to address the needs of the returning veterans without taking away from an already strained health and mental health system. By collaborating with over 70 different organizations, we work together on areas that we determine need a better approach, we develop solutions, we implement change, and we listen to our veterans and their families – as we move forward. Our Work
CONNECTING VETERANS TO THE RIGHT PROVIDERS FOR HELP
Veterans are often unaware of the many services and resources available to them. We do this by providing a 360-degree (full wrap-around) referral system using cutting-edge technology that quickly connects veterans to qualified providers and tracks the progress of the care received to ensure our heroes are getting the help they need. BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDE
We are actively collaborating with leadership from the Oklahoma Governor’s Challenge, led by the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs (ODVA), along with Mayor’s Challenges and other statewide agencies to create action steps and programming that will reduce veteran suicide. This work is supported by the Department of Veteran Affairs and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). CHAMPIONING VETERAN-FOCUSED EMPLOYERS
For four years, we have led the Oklahoma Veteran Employer Champions initiative and collaborated with Oklahoma employers to recognize and provide training for veteran-ready businesses across Oklahoma. This effort includes sharing best practices with organizations on hiring, retaining, and supporting Veteran employees. STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VETERANS
OKVA is committed to building stronger communities in support of veterans with Operation Connect. This initiative serves to interface with existing Veteran Service Organizations to provide a positive environment and focus on key areas that can eliminate hurdles to success. Those hurdles might include: housing, healthcare, education, employment, and legal. This effort will be strengthened by our partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs (ODVA) Governor’s Challenge to establish local Mayor’s Challenges in communities across Oklahoma. Additionally, our continued expansion of the Unite Oklahoma platform to provide a 360 referral system across Oklahoma will effectively and efficiently connect veterans to resources statewide. LAUNCHING ONLINE VETERAN RESOURCE LOCATOR MAP
Recently, Oklahoma Veteran Alliance created the Oklahoma Assistance Locator (VALOR), a web application that utilizes map based tools for connecting users with community resources across the state of Oklahoma. The locator is designed to provide the user (veteran/agencies) a means of locating and identifying community resources at a statewide level for both individual and agency needs with an intuitive web-based mapping interface. Recognizing the value of this tool, Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs has agreed to officially launch VALOR in 2021. SUPPORTING INCARCERATED & JUSTICE-INVOLVED VETERANS
We have played a critical role with several partners in developing a statewide strategic process to ensure incarcerated veterans pending release have housing, employment and other vital resources secure. This initiative, Veteran Avoidance Recovery Redeployment Program (VARRP), will increase the success rate for those being released to reintegrate into their communities and avoid recidivism. We also work with Tulsa County Veterans Treatment Court to help justice-involved veterans avoid prison through a therapeutic alternative to incarceration. Why do we need Oklahoma Veteran Alliance?
296,891 Veterans in Oklahoma, 2021
22,432 Oklahoma veterans earning below the poverty level in 2019
95,261 Oklahoma veterans with a disability in 2019
303 Homeless veterans living in Oklahoma in 2019
123 Veteran suicide deaths in Oklahoma in 2018
Join Oklahoma’s alliance of veteran partners and providers, and help create pathways to help and to hope for our heroes. Contact us to learn more. OKVA Advisory Board
Dr. Lanny Endicott
Dr. Erv Janssen
Danny Oliver
Mary Cully
Mark Morgan
Megan Lowry
OKVA Staff
Rachel Runfola
Peter Luitwieler
Elizabeth Adams
