Paralyzed Veterans Of America

SEE SCHEDULE O.

VA BENEFITS AND MEDICAL ADVOCACY SERVICES - EACH YEAR, OUR NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICERS (NSOS) HELP THOUSANDS OF VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OBTAIN THE BENEFITS THEY HAVE EARNED THROUGH THEIR MILITARY SERVICE OR THE SERVICE OF THEIR LOVED ONE. IN MANY CASES, OUR NSOS ARE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE AT A VETERAN'S BEDSIDE AFTER INJURY, AND THEIR FIRST LINE OF CONTACT TO GETTING ASSISTANCE WITH HEALTH CARE AND BENEFITS' NEEDS.IN FY 21, PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA'S VETERANS BENEFITS STAFF SECURED $252,355,239 IN NEW ANNUAL AND RETROACTIVE BENEFITS FOR OUR CLIENTS, INCLUDING $15,120,420 IN PAYMENTS FOR AUTOMOBILE GRANTS AND $62,585,172 IN PAYMENTS FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING (SAH) GRANTS.IN FY 21, WE FILED 20,628 NEW ISSUES/CLAIMS AND SECURED 1,151 "SIGNIFICANT RETROACTIVE AWARDS" (OVER $100,000). WE CONDUCTED 2,464 HOSPITAL AND OFFICE INTERVIEWS AND HAD OVER 133,864 CLIENT CONTACTS DURING THE YEAR.MEDICAL SERVICES - THE PVA BENEFITS AND MEDICAL SERVICES TEAMS ENSURE THAT VETERANS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY AND DISEASE (INCLUDING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS) HAVE ACCESS TO AND RECEIVE THE BEST MEDICAL CARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE VHA SCI/D SYSTEM OF CARE.THE PHYSICIANS AND NURSES THAT MAKE UP PVA'S MEDICAL SERVICES TEAM BRING TO THEIR WORK A WIDE VARIETY OF CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN SPINAL CORD INJURY AND DISEASE. THE TEAM CLOSELY COLLABORATES WITH PVA'S NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICERS AND HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP AT EVERY VETERANS ADMINISTRATION SCI/D CENTER AND LONG-TERM CARE CENTER TO SUPPORT BEST PRACTICES IN CARE, ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF PVA MEMBERS, AND FACILITATE CHANGE WHEN NEEDED TO IMPROVE CARE.THE TEAM CONDUCTS ANNUAL SITE SURVEYS AT ALL 25 SCI/D CENTERS AND 6 LONG TERM CARE CENTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF CARE. AFTER EACH VISIT, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, ALONG WITH IDENTIFIED BEST PRACTICES AT THE CENTER, ARE COMPILED INTO A SITE SURVEY REPORT AND SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION. THE CURRENT COVID-19 VISITATION RESTRICTIONS WITHIN THE VA MEDICAL CENTERS HAVE REQUIRED THE TEAM TO CONDUCT THEIR SURVEYS VIRTUALLY AT EACH SITE TO ENSURE THIS IMPORTANT WORK CONTINUES. THE TEAM WILL RESUME IN-PERSON SURVEYS AS SOON AS THE PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED.OUR DEDICATED CLINICAL STAFF CONTINUALLY WORKS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUALS WITH SCI/D BY CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES COVERING TREATMENT UPDATES, HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION TO PN MAGAZINE AND THE MEMBERS AT LARGE NEWSLETTER. EACH MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL SERVICES TEAM REPRESENTS PVA BY COLLABORATING ON PANELS AND COMMITTEES OF RELATED ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVANCE HEALTHCARE FOR VETERANS WITH SCI/D. TEAM MEMBERS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS WEBINARS AND NATIONAL EVENTS CONCERNING SCI/D AND VETERAN'S AFFAIRS. THE MEDICAL SERVICES STAFF SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR PVA'S NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF FOR GUIDANCE TO EFFECT CHANGE FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. THE TEAM ALSO ASSISTS PVA'S APPELLATE OPERATIONS IN FILING APPEALS FOR SERVICE CONNECTION AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.VETERANS CAREER PROGRAM [FORMERLY PAVE] - PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA'S VETERANS CAREER PROGRAM PROVIDES CAREER ASSISTANCE AND VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SUPPORT TO TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, MILITARY SPOUSES AND CAREGIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN FY 21, VETERANS CAREER PROGRAM STAFF PLACED 212 INDIVIDUALS IN MEANINGFUL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND CARRIED AN ACTIVE CASELOAD OF NEARLY 850 CLIENTS. THE PROGRAM OPERATES THROUGH EIGHT LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE: ATLANTA, LONG BEACH, MINNEAPOLIS, PHILADELPHIA, RICHMOND, SAN ANTONIO, SAN DIEGO, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE HELPED MORE THAN 5,000 VETERANS, MILITARY SPOUSES AND CAREGIVERS FIND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT.THROUGH THE VETERANS CAREER PROGRAM, CLIENTS RECEIVE HIGH-TOUCH ENGAGEMENT AS THEY LOOK FOR MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT. VETERANS CAREER PROGRAM STAFF WORK WITH ANY VETERAN WHO NEEDS OUR HELP, BUT WE SPECIALIZE IN THOSE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, SUCH AS CATASTROPHIC INJURY OR ILLNESS.IN FY21, PVA CONTINUED TO OFFER THE VETERANS CAREER LIVE VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. VETERANS CAREER LIVE BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN CAREER RESOURCES AND VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE NOT WILLING OR ABLE TO ATTEND TRADITIONAL HIRING EVENTS. THROUGH A SERIES OF INFORMAL VIRTUAL SESSIONS, VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THEIR CAREGIVERS ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM CAREER EXPERTS AND NETWORK WITH EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS. IN FY21 PVA HOSTED 122 VETERANS CAREER LIVE SESSIONS FOR 3,300 MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS COMMUNITY.

PUBLIC EDUCATION - PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA ENGAGES AND EDUCATES BOTH THE PUBLIC AND KEY DECISION MAKERS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING VETERANS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY AND THEIR FAMILIES - AND THE IMPORTANT SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO THESE BRAVE HEROES WHICH ALLOW THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TO LEAD FULL AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. WHETHER IT'S A JANITOR WHOSE DAD SERVED IN VIETNAM, THE DOCTOR WHO'S THINKING ABOUT SPECIALIZING IN SPINAL CORD INJURY MEDICINE, OR THE STUDENT WHO HAS NO VETERANS IN HER FAMILY, OUR PRINT AND E-PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO GET THEM ALL TO THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING PARALYZED AND DISABLED VETERANS - AND MAKE HELPING VETERANS PART OF THEIR LIFE'S MISSION.THROUGHOUT 2021 PVA HAS PROVIDED TIMELY, DETAILED ONLINE RESOURCES AND WEBINARS RESOURCES RELATED TO COVID-19 SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS AND OTHERS LIVING WITH SCI/D. THESE INCLUDE TOPICS SUCH AS MEDICAL TREATMENT, PREVENTION EFFORTS, MANAGING ISOLATION AND LONELINESS AND FINANCIAL RELIEF RESOURCES.THROUGH OUR CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES AND COMPANION CONSUMER GUIDES -- ON ISSUES AS DIVERSE AS THE EARLY ACUTE MANAGEMENT OF ADULTS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY TO MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS NEUROGENIC BLADDER AND DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS -- WE LEAD THE WAY IN THE FIELD OF SPINAL CORD INJURY CARE TO PROVIDE "GOLD STANDARD" PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND SELF-HELP INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND PATIENTS ALIKE. LAST YEAR ALONE, OUR GUIDELINES WERE USED BY THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS, NURSES, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND THERAPISTS, POTENTIALLY HELPING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY/DISEASES (SCI/D).OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO VETERANS AND OTHERS LIVING WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND DYSFUNCTIONS, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS, THEIR FAMILIES AND CARE GIVERS. THESE INCLUDE WEB BASE DESCRIPTIONS AND RESOURCES ABOUT THESE DISABILITIES, MEDICAL EMERGENCY CARDS, RESOURCES ON ACCESSIBLE AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN HOMES AND COMMUNITIES, ADVOCACY RELATED TO DISABILITY RIGHTS AND AIR TRAVEL AND OTHER KEY NEEDS OF VETERANS AND OTHERS LIVING WITH MOBILITY RELATED DISABILITIES.

CHAPTER AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH - PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA THINKS NATIONALLY AND ACTS LOCALLY THROUGH OUR 33 CHAPTERS DOTTED ACROSS THE NATION. WHETHER IT'S HELPING NEWLY INJURED VETERANS GET THE HELP THEY NEED OR ADVOCATING FOR BARRIER FREE SPORTING FACILITIES, OUR CHAPTERS ARE TRUSTED MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO "PAY IT FORWARD AND TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT OUR SERVICES TO MILLIONS EVERY YEAR.