- BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
- The Division of Veterans’ Affairs
- Veterans’ Counseling
The Division of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) operates three principal
programs. The largest is the Veterans’ Counseling Program, which
provides counseling and claims services throughout a statewide
network of State veterans' counselors. The counselors, all of whom
are veterans, and support staff help veterans complete and file
applications for benefits and services, and file for federal, state,
local, and private veterans' benefits. Counselors also service
constituents through outreach to Veterans' Affairs medical centers,
senior centers, state veterans' nursing homes and local nursing
homes, and public assistance offices. With the enactment of the
New York Patriot Plan in 2003, State veterans’ counselors help to
ensure that active duty military personnel and their families
receive the supplemental benefits to which they are now
entitled.
State veterans’ counselors receive professional training in
veterans’ benefits counseling. When successfully completed,
a certificate is awarded to allow these counselors to assist
individual veterans to file claims with the U.S. Department of
Veterans’ Affairs. Counselors receive on-going training,
as well as technical information and manuals.
$500,000 was appropriated in the 2005-06 State budget for services
and expenses related to veterans’ counseling and outreach for the
2005-06 budget year.
$50,000 was appropriated for this training.
- Blind Veterans’ Annuity Assistance
In 2000, Chapter 453 raised the New York State Blind Veterans’ Annuity
Program stipend from $500 to $1,000 a year. The benefit was first
created in 1913, and the 2000 chapter was the first time the
benefit was increased. Chapter 251 of the Laws of 2004 allows for
the annual adjustment of the annuity now payable plus a percentage
increase, if any, for compensation and pension benefits
administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs in the
previous year. The director of the Division of Veterans’
Affairs must publish by February first of each year the amount
of the annuity as adjusted.
The State Budget appropriated $ 5,000,000 to this vital program.
Up to $15,000 of the appropriation may be transferred to state
operations for postage costs associated with this program.
- Veterans’ Education Program
The Veterans’ Education Program was previously under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Education. In October 1997,
the Governor requested that this federally funded program be moved
to the jurisdiction of the DVA. The Veterans’ Education Bureau
approves and supervises educational institutions offering programs
for veterans and other eligible persons. According to federal law,
no veteran can receive G.I. educational benefits, such as those
granted pursuant to the Montgomery G.I. Bill, unless the program
in which the veteran is enrolled has been approved and is supervised
by a state-approved agency. Eleven personnel were transferred to
DVA to operate this program. For the 2003-04 budget year, twelve
positions are funded.
The Budget included a $1,775,000 federal operating grant to
operate this program.
- County and City Veterans’ Service Agencies
County and city Veterans’ Service Agencies are mandated by state law to
inform members of the armed forces, reserves, organized militia,
veterans, and their families about education, retraining, medical,
and other rehabilitative services and facilities. As well, they are
to inform veterans about federal, state, and local laws and
regulations pertaining to their rights as veterans and families of
veterans.
In the budget for SFY 2005-2006, $680,000 was allocated for this
program. This reflects an $105,000 adjustment increase in General
Fund appropriation reflecting the latest census count for the county
and city veterans’ service agencies. This is the first increase
since 1997.
- New York State Supplemental Burial Benefits
Pursuant to Chapter 106 of the Laws of 2003, New York State offers a
supplemental burial benefits program to eligible families of
military personnel killed in combat or duty subject to hostile fire
or imminent danger, as defined in 37 U.S.C. Section 310 (a) (4).
In the adopted budget, $200,000 was included for this program and
for transfer of such amounts as are necessary to state operations
for related administrative expenses.
- Medicaid Cost Avoidance Program
In 1994, the Division established eligibility, through the Department
of Social Services, for federal reimbursement for Medicaid
cost-avoidance activities under Title XIX of the Social Security
Act. Counselors were to identify veterans who were
Medicaid-eligible or Medicaid recipients and recommend services
that qualify for federal reimbursement as Medicaid cost-avoidance
activities.
The federal reimbursement would offset the General Fund’s share of
administrative costs as well as the costs that would have assumed by
the State’s Medicaid program. An appropriation of $264,000 has been
included each budget year since SFY 1995-96 to implement the program.
In this year’s budget, there is a $264,000 increase in General Fund
appropriations reflecting an administrative Medicaid offset
adjustment. According to Division of Budget, this program was never
implemented by the DVA.
- Division of Military and Naval Affairs
- Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program
Chapter 268 of the Laws of 1996 established the Recruitment
Incentive and Retention Program to provide eligible members of the
New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, and
the New York Naval Militia with a tuition benefit for undergraduate
study.
In the budget for 2005-06, $3,300,000 was included for this vital
program. This program also was extended to March 31, 2011 under
Article VII language.
- New York State Military Museum and Veterans’
Research Center
The New York State Military Museum and Veterans’ Research Center is
located at the Saratoga Armory in Saratoga Springs, New York.
In the budget for SFY 2005-2006, $1,000,000 was appropriated for
services and expenses related to youth academic and drug reduction
programs, the New York State Military Museum and Veteran'’s Research
Center, and the preservation of historic artifacts.
- New York State Urban Development Corporation
In 2005, the federal government conducted a round of military base closings.
On the Pentagon's original list of bases to close was the Niagara Falls
Air Reserve Station and the accounting center at Rome. The Base
Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) recommendations were sent to
the President on September 9. Congress will have until November 7 to
reject the proposals in their entirety or they will go into effect.
President Bush concurred with and sent the 2005 BRAC report to Congress
on September 15 for legislative review. On October 27, 2005 the House
of Representatives voted to accept the recommendations.
The State budget included funds for efforts to retain NY bases:
For services and expenses of military base retention efforts $1,000,000.
For services and expenses of Griffiss air force base redevelopment $1,400,000.
For services and expenses of Niagara Falls air force base $100,000.
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