Dave Pavey, director of Veteran Services for Jefferson and Lewis counties, told the Health & Human Services committee that his office’s core functions are applying for VA monetary benefits and clarifying veteran eligibility for state and federal programs. He said the office served 3,792 veterans and family members to date this year and that benefits work had produced about $1,500,000 in new economic activity in the county so far in the current reporting period.

Pavey described the office staffing as two counselors plus a typist (receptionist), presented a fiscal year proposal of $239,000 that includes county, state aid and economic assistance funding, and asked the county to reclassify the typist position to a veteran service counselor to improve first‑line veteran intake, reduce unnecessary repeat appointments and preserve client privacy. He said the office moved from largely paper claims to an electronic system (VetPro) and that the average claim processing time had fallen from about 18 months to roughly 5.5 months. Pavey also noted that the VA and New York State provide programs such as the veterans property tax exemption and a state blind annuity and described how pension and compensation outcomes can affect Medicaid and nursing home costs.

In response to a question from Legislator McBride about the impact of a federal shutdown, Pavey said VA funding is typically budgeted for the full year and claims continued to be processed, but he reported localized service interruptions (phone lines, clinic staff and some darkened clinic floors reported at one VA hospital) and said the shutdown’s operational effects were beginning to be felt in some areas. Pavey said the office has increased outreach (events, community appearances) and has automated scheduling and recordkeeping to improve efficiency.