Bob McLaughlin, executive director of the Mount Carmel Veterans Service Center, told the Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 7 that the center operates to fill service gaps for active-duty service members, veterans and their families in Pueblo and surrounding rural counties. McLaughlin said Mount Carmel provides health and wellness referrals, behavioral-health connections, employment transition support, resource fairs and mobile outreach.

“Our mission as it comes to helping our veterans and families is all about partnerships. It’s all about providing direct services,” McLaughlin said. He described partnerships with UCHealth, a behavioral health center in Colorado Springs and county veteran service officers; he said Mount Carmel also hosts the state veteran business outreach center and runs events to connect veterans to services.

Sal Katz Jr., identified in the meeting as a retired U.S. Army sergeant major associated with the Mount Carmel effort in Pueblo, described local operations and monthly collaborative efforts. “We run a once-a-month Helping Hands community coalition with about 20 partners that provide over 300 community members…with a couple $100 worth of groceries,” Katz said, and noted that roughly 15 to 20% of those served are veterans.

McLaughlin and Katz outlined several current programs: a Mission Outreach program that provides rent assistance and connections to local resources; the Patriot Day Give Back events in September (Colorado Springs on Sept. 12 and Pueblo on Sept. 13) that aim to deliver grocery packages to veterans across Southern Colorado; and Next Chapter, a suicide-prevention program the presenters described as a successful pilot operating in Teller, El Paso and Pueblo counties that is facing state funding challenges.

McLaughlin said Mount Carmel has established a hub in Pueblo that connects isolated rural veterans through representatives in Alamosa, Las Animas and other counties, and that last year the Southern Colorado Heroes Helping Heroes event served more than 900 veterans; presenters said they plan to serve about 1,000 veterans at the Sept. 13 event this year. They also reported tracking about 13,000 veterans in Pueblo County based on Veterans Administration registration, and noted the actual number is likely higher because not every veteran is registered with the VA.

Commissioners and staff asked questions about partnerships and next steps. One commissioner asked whether Mount Carmel had a specific funding request for the county now; McLaughlin replied the center had “no ask” at the meeting but that a funding request for the next fiscal year had been submitted and would be forthcoming. The county manager said staff would ensure the center’s funding memo did not get misplaced and would forward it to the board.

Commissioners expressed support for continued partnership and for exploring ways to address veteran homelessness. One commissioner referenced efforts by other nonprofits to convert properties to veteran housing and said the county would assist where it can. Presenters described recent work identifying homeless veterans in coordinated entry and said four veterans and families had been housed and stabilized within 30 days during the past fiscal year.

McLaughlin and Katz requested continued coordination with the county’s veteran services office and other community partners. They invited commissioners to a veterans community update planned for Nov. 12 at the Center for American Values and said the center would continue seeking alternative funding if state support for Next Chapter is cut.

The presentation concluded with commissioners thanking presenters and offering nonfinancial support including attendance at events and help publicizing campaigns.