Gov. Brown's Budget to Convert 84 Beds at West L.A. VA

The massive backlog of California veterans' claims stuck in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs processing logjam could soon be alleviated following Governor Jerry Brown's signed 2013-14 budget.

It's authorized $3 million and 36 limited-term positions that will allow the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) to work with USDVA to help resolve the veterans’ claims backlog. 

The budget also provides funding to allow the Veterans Home of West Los Angeles to convert 84 beds from skilled nursing level of care to independent living, thus allowing the department to serve a broader population of veterans.

"We appreciate the leadership of the governor and the speaker on this initiative as well as the Legislature’s continued support of CalVet and its efforts to ensure the well-being of California veterans and their families,” said CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett in a press release. “Helping them get the benefits they so richly deserve after their honorable service to our country is the very least we can do for them.”

The spending calls to hire a “Strike Force” team of 12 veterans claims representatives or each of USDVA’s regional offices in Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego to focus on backlogged claims, ensuring they are properly developed and have all necessary documentation needed for adjudication.

CalVet has already begun advertising to fill the limited-term positions and is looking to hire VCRs with previous veterans’ benefits claims processing experience. The USDVA will provide office space, computers, phones and other equipment for the Strike Teams which will work under the supervision of CalVet regional office staff.

The Governor’s Budget also includes a one-time augmentation of $3 million in support of California’s network of 56 County Veterans Service Offices (CVSO). Working closely with CalVet, the mission of the CVSOs is to connect veterans and their families with the state and federal benefits and the local services available to them.

“The CVSOs have proved time and time again that they are affective advocates for California Veterans and this budget recognizes their hard work and provides them with the additional resources they need to better serve our veterans,” Gravett added.