Bruce Jones, president of the Butler County Veterans Service Commission board, told commissioners the commission’s 2026 operating budget request covers personnel, programming and operational costs and seeks to avoid adding FTEs this year while accommodating rising service demand.

Jones said federal compensation and benefit dollars routed to Butler County have grown sharply since the PACT Act expansions and that total returned federal compensation for Butler County totaled roughly $112 million, a figure he used to illustrate the commission’s return on its local investment.

Service expansions and housing: The commission is expanding dental services delivered through community providers and said an RFP received responses; commissioners were told a vendor selection would be announced after the board’s approval. Jones said the commission expects to broaden covered dental procedures — including extractions and dentures — without raising per-patient cost, pending contract awards.

Jones also described a newly launched homeless housing initiative that has housed nine veterans to date and placed more than a dozen in the program. He asked commissioners for short-term interim office space solutions because current offices are crowded; the commission’s board is exploring options such as converting an existing conference room to create private consultation space while longer-term planning continues.

Mental-health and CBOC: Jones noted the new VA community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) on Hamilton-Mason Road will broaden local access to VA primary and mental health care. He reported concern about veteran suicides — the commission recorded 13 veteran suicides this year — and said the new CBOC and regional coordination are critical to improving care and access.

Space and timing: Jones said the commission prefers to remain in the current government services building but is investigating interim office changes and will work with county staff on space planning for 2027. His board asked for county assistance to find short-term office solutions that preserve secure counseling space for veterans.

Ending: Jones asked commissioners to help identify short-term usable space to remove reception pressure and enable private counseling; he said the commission will continue to pursue federal and community partnerships for service expansion.