Committee on Veterans Affairs hear updates regarding service member court programs, ‘Jobs for Veterans’ grant program

By Matthew Young, RealWV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The State Legislature’s Select Committee on Veterans Affairs, on Tuesday, received an update from the W.Va. Supreme Court of Appeals, regarding the status of the Military Service Members Court program. 

On-hand to provide the update was Director of Probation Services Stephanie Bond, who told committee members, “Our department oversees the treatment courts for the state.”

“Right now our veterans count is a little low,” Bond said. “We only have eight veterans in treatment courts. One is in Ohio (County), one is in Jackson, one in Raleigh, two in Greenbrier, one in Kanawha, two in Harrison.”

According to Bond, Raleigh County Treatment Courts typically handle more veterans than any other county. 

“It’s our standalone Veterans Treatment Court, and they just had several graduate a couple weeks ago,” Bond explained. “They have not been getting many referrals in lately. I spoke with the chief several times this past week to try to figure out what’s going on.”

The chief, Bond said, doesn’t have a strong opinion as to why their referrals have declined. However, he is continuing to educate the public , as well as other state employees and officials, on the merits and availability of the treatment court program. 

“Nicholas County also generally refers their veterans to Raleigh County,” Bond added. “I spoke with their Adult Drug Court Probation Office this morning, and they haven’t received any (referrals) either.”

Bond further noted that two veterans are currently being served through the state’s family treatment court program. A total of 10 of West Virginia’s veterans have been served through family treatment court since the program’s inception in 2019. 

Also on the committee’s agenda was a presentation from Workforce West Virginia’s David Dyer, regarding the Jobs for Veterans State Grant program. Dyer serves as Workforce’s State Veterans Coordinator. 

“I spent nine years in the U.S. Army Guard,” Dyer began. “During that time I saw many deployments, both overseas and here within the state. I then spent 15 years as a State Grant Compliance Inspector, both for federal and state grants. And for the last two years, I have been the assistant director for Veterans Services at Workforce West Virginia.”

The Jobs for Veterans Grant program, Dyer explained, is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in all 54 American states and territories. West Virginia receives approximately $1.1 million in funding annually from the program. 

“It is a staffing grant,” Dyer told committee members. “We do not provide any direct or tangible goods or services, other than our expertise.”

Established in 1944, the Jobs for Veterans Grant program was designed to assist veterans returning from World War II with securing employment. 

“This grant is congressionally mandated and funded,” Dyer noted. “We are assisting veterans that are experiencing barriers transitioning into long-term, stable employment. […] There are two types of positions that my grants support. One is a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialist – we generally refer to that as a ‘DVOP.’ The DVOP Specialist, I have eight of those across the state, all of which are in some of the larger cities, and provide services to veterans in those areas.”

The DVOP, Dyer explained, is a case management specialist. The DVOP works in a one-on-one capacity with veterans, and connects them with the personalized services that they require. 

“We act like a resource hub,” Dyer added. “We work with eligible veterans, and assist them in their job search.”

Some of the resources provided, Dyer noted, are resume writing, job referrals, job matching, and identifying employment barriers.

“We will work with them for as long as it takes to get them job-ready,” Dyer said. 

The second grant-supported position, Dyer further explained, is the Local Veterans Employment Representative, or LVRS.

“I like to think of them as LVRS (pronounced levers), like Archemedes – you know, give me a lever long enough and I’ll move the world,” Dyer said. “I think of LVRS that way too – give me a LVRS and I’ll move a veteran into a job.”

According to Dyer, there are currently seven LVRS positioned throughout West Virginia. Similarly to the DVOPs, the LVRS are positioned in the more densely populated regions. 

“Parkersburg is my only special on (LVRS),” Dyer noted. “He is actually in a consolidated position, so he can provide both case management services, and employment services out of that location.”

LVRS work with businesses, community partners, potential veteran employers, and veteran service providers in the service of assisting veterans with their job search. Coordinating job fairs, advocating for veterans, and potential employment matching all fall within the LVRS’ purview. 

“We see a lot of success with that mechanism,” Dyer added.

The Select Committee on Veterans Affairs will meet again during next month’s Interim Session, scheduled for Sept. 8 through 10 in Parkersburg.