[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6558221,"mediaKeyId","3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636","parentId",3274926,"title","County programs show measurable gains in housing, suicide prevention and outreach, officials say","audioSeconds",439,"startMs",1534000,"endMs",1973000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636&start=1534&end=1973","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636/thumbnail_1534000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6558221/California/County-programs-show-measurable-gains-in-housing-suicide-prevention-and-outreach-officials-say","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558221-6c12090ebfce7e7df54b281b78d9e9e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770951572&Signature=KCUgpQRDna93vnX~zyvP6OY~C5lUmR918eu3ANFI~lUbEGZA3ew46j7UEVR8GLm6YpvR-~xPRhf~A-d2XpqPlPeMP5bttwpG-ybeYODD1g~rPRWL6XaBQwvgaQJ1gakquvate6~g~YKwXt5D0EHkub9BgG45Wldhu2uwub7srrxET~9Nx9b0VbrjFQmoYrFDqotLb2V8LfYDD5NRtjnyxYGwApOxaO3oy4BZixF81VKrnJr0rVrh344VGp-KMocYYGS5dStmaBWfjzbRqjoHVzevXrcg7o-tHJcWv0pk5oVaHCEVxkYG8s0pKRJt7qOUxygBt13dyVy5mbg5Cv5Utg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-05-12T00:00:00Z","article","During the Sacramento hearing, county officials described local programs that expand the reach of CVSO offices and produce measurable outcomes in housing placement, suicide prevention and outreach to underserved veterans.

Jim Zenner, Los Angeles County Director of Military and Veteran Affairs, described the county’s Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN), a program that deploys 45 trained veteran peer navigators across the county to help veterans connect with services. Zenner said VPAN “has served between 3 to 4 and a half thousand veterans and their family members a year” and that the county has seen “over a 20 percent reduction in veteran suicides” since VPAN’s inception. He also said coordinated county–VA partnerships increased placements of veterans into permanent housing by “over 42% per year” and achieved a 22.9% reduction in veteran homelessness from February 2023 to February 2024.

San Luis Obispo County Veteran Service Officer Morgan Boyd described a CalVet‑administered mental‑health services act grant that funds co‑located telehealth and in‑person care through Transitions Mental Health and said the county participated in over 33 outreach events in six months, engaging about 1,900 veterans. Boyd said the county is the most northern county in its VA medical region and leads the state in veteran suicide per capita; the grant and CalVet support, Boyd testified, are intended to expand access in rural areas.

Placer County CVSO Richard Johnson offered case examples showing the local economic effect of awarded benefits, and several witnesses urged lawmakers to quantify the economic return from increased federal benefit awards and recurring payments. Catherine Kuminski of the Center for a New American Security said CVSOs produce high success rates on claims and recommended investment in county capacity as a cost‑effective strategy to serve diverse veteran needs.

Why it matters: witnesses tied program outcomes to public‑health and housing goals and said county‑level investments and coordination with CalVet and the VA can reduce homelessness and improve crisis response. The LA model was presented as one replicable approach though witnesses emphasized local adaptation would be necessary.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Hearing Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs and Senate Military and Veterans Affairs (1)","oneSentenceSummary","Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo and other counties described programs that pair CVSOs with local partners to lower veteran homelessness and suicide rates and to reach rural and justice‑involved veterans.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6558225,"Lawmakers and veterans groups urge crackdown on for‑profit 'claim sharks' targeting veterans",5354,2297000,7651000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636&start=2297&end=7651","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636/thumbnail_2297000.jpg","/articles/6558225/California/Lawmakers-and-veterans-groups-urge-crackdown-on-forprofit-claim-sharks-targeting-veterans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558225-e979322dfda2701a9b804aea040daea5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770951572&Signature=EoOGT2tPg1R-c1IMGgq3bvj9QQ5LqdEbpDDVekacpbdIsOygoiVzeRGdafz4oV044YbTNdL~aPFqYZT8KuF5zFhC2HLs4kKiYufD~OGQqEOU~atzHPHHgkecBHmj0nuqXDXy6ClJ0Dn37pwaL0zW549OGFuVCNSQiW-y9mlukiX7Zi~K16~Uc4tlHmRt9tWX8oEgip6xznE6q7jDUMJYQEqpqOPVmdv2dLDnvr9Vc91U7sLYhJQoihUpSP5UTOuybegVRWzLRiIBlX~knTgLOTps6g9dGmZdTxCTbtFLAk5rC1j3vw8p1AuIEnrwyBfhFAJJ9Z8aFxos9pvu6bryYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County veteran service officers, veterans service organizations and CalVet officials told a joint Senate–Assembly hearing in Sacramento that unaccredited commercial claims companies — widely described in testimony as “claim sharks” — are exploiting veterans by charging fees for services CVSOs provide for free.

Deborah Johnson, president and CEO of the California Veterans Assistance Foundation and representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of California, told the committee that \"claim sharks are able to advertise broadly on social media, target people through search engines, and build websites that look professional but have no real backing.\" She urged lawmakers to consider legal and regulatory tools to close gaps that allow those firms to operate.

Multiple witnesses offered examples. San Luis Obispo County Veterans Service Officer Morgan Boyd and Placer County’s CVSO Richard Johnson described cases in which veterans or their families paid thousands of dollars, received little or no follow‑up, and in some cases had fees taken from potential retroactive awards. Witnesses said firms sometimes request veterans’ VA.gov credentials or banking information to “track” claims because they lack authorized access to VA systems.

CalVet Deputy Secretary Roberto Herrera noted federal regulations prohibit charging fees for initial VA claims while permitting reasonable fees in some appeals contexts; he described steps CalVet takes to accredit and train county representatives and to field legitimacy questions from veterans who call the department. Herrera said the VA requires agents to pass a written exam and meet continuing education requirements if they seek accreditation, and he described CalVet’s own academy and supervision requirements for county staff.

Recommendations presented to lawmakers included: prohibiting contingency or percentage fees for unaccredited claim agents; creating a visible public registry of accredited representatives; launching public awareness campaigns to direct veterans to accredited, free help; strengthening penalties and enforcement against misleading actors; and partnering with digital platforms to remove deceptive ads. Deborah Johnson said 17 states have considered related bills and cited Maine, New Jersey and New York as states that enacted restrictions.

Why it matters: witnesses said predatory practices extract funds from vulnerable veterans, can delay or damage claims, and weaken trust in veteran services. Lawmakers on the panel signaled interest in pursuing legislative remedies and public outreach; no bill was passed at the hearing.

","County veterans officers, VFW leaders and CalVet witnesses told a joint committee that unaccredited for‑profit claims operators are charging veterans large fees, leaving veterans without advocacy, and recommended stronger state enforcement, a public registry, and educational outreach.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6558230,"Lawmakers and veterans officers urge increased state funding for county veteran service officers",875,562000,1437000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636&start=562&end=1437","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3274926-2ab00d187410c8785be03ac9bdbc9636/thumbnail_562000.jpg","/articles/6558230/California/Lawmakers-and-veterans-officers-urge-increased-state-funding-for-county-veteran-service-officers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558230-aebe09e96145793f6783f462cb614aa7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770951572&Signature=MQLsL8wqkuBSTAObnHNQgWJxPGtrv8~OqBxEw3XgXC5J6QFppzvm0rhSVUmF6M0QmmjqsY0CRoXey9D-6AUmlFT0vPEuxlQXif-PRL2~l473NGfGq8C1FNgCnvyo5ekjf14-FFRaV55virvScxpPQZRkPVV3WLhsPcMSLmPXIrN6evDYZsUxW~AvwnKbe8w81PD8FP0O8WgjPckn7NjlFBXg9ri21wXPhWp0AkQCwdVeFXUVWnpEPcXxxgwgikKtsFpovEAoX5Xnj6KG9EBW0YZ6ndk9UDwxz7ljY8JWqj5gJPiKQPFYqZa9qd~tdEj2nH6oOi7yb4dCiM4K2Ai92g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a joint informational hearing of the Senate and Assembly Committees on Military and Veteran Affairs in Sacramento, county veteran service officers urged state lawmakers to increase funding for County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs), saying modest state investments generate large returns in federal benefits and local stability.

David West, president of the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO), told the committees that CVSOs are “the first point of contact for veterans, their spouses, and their family members” and that counties’ offices build “lifelong relationships with veterans, advocating for them across decades.”

The request centered on expanding the state subvention that supports CVSO operations. West and other witnesses provided detailed figures: the state currently provides about $11,000,000 in annual general‑fund subvention; the Medi‑Cal Cost Avoidance Program supplies about $838,000; and the Veterans Services Office Fund provides about $554,000. West said CalVet’s proposed 2025 budget totals about $565,000,000, with roughly $421,000,000 dedicated to veterans homes. By contrast, West said the CVSO allocation translates to about $7.86 per veteran per year when spread across the roughly 1,400,000 veterans CVSOs serve.

That, witnesses argued, understates CVSOs’ return on investment. Placer County CVSO Richard Johnson and others cited statewide figures showing CVSOs filed roughly 12% of claims submitted to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the past year, securing hundreds of millions in new federal benefits. Jim Zenner, Los Angeles County Director of Military and Veteran Affairs, described local programs that pair county resources with CVSO services and said county investments had helped the county reduce veteran homelessness and improve service outcomes.

West and others also framed the funding request as a public‑protection measure. They told legislators that underresourced CVSO offices leave veterans vulnerable to unaccredited commercial consultants who charge fees for work CVSOs provide for free. “We are not standing still,” West said, and asked the Legislature “to meet the commitment that was set forth in the California Military and Veterans Code of the legislature’s intent to fund 50% of County Veterans Services operation budget.”

CalVet Deputy Secretary Roberto Herrera described the accreditation and training pipeline that supports CVSOs and said improved staffing increases the quality and speed of claims. Herrera said California‑power‑of‑attorney claims average about 135 days to decision, compared with higher averages elsewhere, and pointed to ongoing CalVet district‑office review and appeals work as quality controls.

Why it matters: witnesses tied funding to measurable outcomes — more accredited representatives, cleaner initial claims, faster processing, and higher rates of benefits awards — which in turn produce recurring federal benefits and local economic activity. Lawmakers on the panel asked staff and witnesses for data to quantify the return on investment and discussed an updated budget ask to increase the state subvention above $11,000,000.

Prognosis and next steps: witnesses described ongoing efforts — CACVSO mentorship and fellowship programs, CalVet training academies, county pilot programs — and asked lawmakers to consider increasing the state subvention and to support related policy changes. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken at the hearing.

","County veteran service officers told a joint Senate–Assembly hearing in Sacramento that modest state investments expand access to federal benefits, reduce homelessness and suicide risk, and counter predatory for‑profit claim agents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County programs show measurable gains in housing, suicide prevention and outreach, officials say

Lawmakers and veterans groups urge crackdown on for‑profit 'claim sharks' targeting veterans

Lawmakers and veterans officers urge increased state funding for county veteran service officers