Everything Veteran Transforming Customer Service Many-Bears Grinder, Commissioner.

Everything Veteran

Transforming Customer Service

Many-Bears Grinder, Commissioner

Why do we serve?

We are motivated to meet the needs Veterans of all eras and their families.

Changing Population

• 53% of the state’s Veterans are over the age of 60

• However, the largest growing group Veteran

population is Gulf War Veterans…

– Grew by 25,221 between 2012 and 2013

– The number of Veterans enrolled in higher education

increased by nearly 200% between 2008 and 2013

Customer Focused Government

“It’s our job to provide the very best service to Tennessee taxpayers at the lowest cost.”

-Governor Bill Haslam

Customer Focused Government is a statewide

initiative (attitude/mindset)

whose aim is to make Tennessee the best managed state in the country by providing the very best service at the lowest cost.

Customer Focused Government

• The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services is 1 of 23 state departments.

• All departments impact the overall function and performance of the State of Tennessee.

• Each department plays a role in the Governor’s priority of fiscal strength and efficient government to improve how the state serves the customer.

Everything Veteran-State Law

Tennessee Code Annotated58-3-104 Information furnished to veteransThe department of veterans affairs shall collect all necessary data and information regarding facilities and services available to veterans, their families and dependents, and shall cooperate with all information or service agencies throughout the state in informing such persons regarding the existence or availability of all educational, training and retraining facilities; health, medical, rehabilitation and housing services and facilities; employment and reemployment services, federal, state and local laws affording rights, privileges and benefits to veterans, their families and dependents and all other matters of similar, related or appropriate nature.

6

Everything Veteran

• Refocus

• Reorganize

• Transform to become Everything Veteran

Reorganization

9

Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder

Assistant Commissioner

John Drnek

Deputy Commissioner

Mark Breece

Executive Assistant Deanna Day

Budget Analyst 2

Ky Sychareune

HR Analyst 2 Dolores Keene

Administrative Service Assistant

2 Tanzania Fuller

Assistant Commissioner Yvette Martinez

Training Officer

Keith West

Training OfficerVacant

Attorney 3John Waddell

Constituent Services

Stacy Scruggs

IT Programmer/Analyst

Sean Turner

Assistant CommissionerTravis Murphy

Assistant Commissione

r Lorenza Wills

Executive Assistant Tara Goodell

Statewide

10

Chief Operating OfficerCommissioner

Many-Bears Grinder

Deputy Commissioner

Mark Breece

Cemetery Director Joseph Lindsey

Cemetery Foreman

Robert Million

Equipment Operator

Robert BattleCemetery Caretakers

Ronald GossettLaDarrell RoganWilliam Brown

George JohnstonJoseph HooperMichael BrockDylan Miller

Bradley Noland

Administrative Assistant

Crystal Walker

Secretary

Sharon Decant

Budget Analyst 2 Ky Sychareune

Administrative Services Assistant 2

Tanzania Fuller

HR Analyst 2Dolores Keene

Executive Assistant

Deanna Day

11

TDVS West Division Organizational ChartWest Tennessee

Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder


John Drnek

Cemetery Director

G. Phil Sinclair

Cemetery Foreman

Freddie Willis

Equipment OperatorRico Bates

Cemetery CaretakersCourtney Thomas

Willie GreerWilliam Elms

Charles YoungChristopher Taylor

Webster TaylorDarrell BoddieRegine DavisEric Woods

Markee MarshallDarius Williams

Vacant

Equipment Operator

Patrick Eggers

Administrative AssistantIda Wade

SecretaryVacant

Clerk IIIDarnell Sparrow

Education Coordinator

Vacant

Regional DirectorScott Ziegler

ClarksvilleDave Lewis

DicksonTommy Tomlinson

JacksonUlysses Selvage

MemphisBobbie ShieldsBruce HunterKelly Kilgore


William Pichette


Jasmin Thigpen


r Yvette

Martinez

Deputy Commissioner

Mark Breece

12

East TennesseeCommissioner

Many-Bears Grinder


Lorenza Wills

Cemetery Director Bill Griffith

Cemetery Foreman Kevin Weisner

Equipment Operator

Paul Borum

Cemetery Caretakers- Sevier Hwy

Everette JenkinsAnthony MaplesCharles McAmisJoseph HardenEdward Barry

Lyons View PikeRichard Johnson


Carolyn Douglass

SecretaryDevon Grace

Leigh


Vacant

Regional DirectorTimothy Forte

ChattanoogaJacqueline Lewis

Cynthia coxBrian Heusterberg

Mt. HomeRoger Good

Mark Johnson


Robert Clark

KnoxvilleRay Braden

William Houser


Selena Patterson


Patricia Couk


r Yvette

Martinez

Deputy Commissioner

Mark Breece

13

Appeals Division and Middle Tennessee

CommissionerMany-Bears

Grinder

Assistant CommissionerTravis Murphy

Attorney 3Michael Rogers, Jr

Paralegal Assistants

M. Wayne HowardMilton Sweeney

Regional Director

George M. Scott

NashvilleGarth Arneson

Michael McPherson


Vacant

MurfreesboroGinger Dempsey

Greg Elmore


Carol Martin

Appeals SpecialistJimmie SandersCarol Swindon


Susan Richardson


Vacant


Kritzie Bohorquez

Assistant CommissionerYvette Martinez

Deputy Commissioner

Mark Breece

Regional Commissioners/Directors

Assistant Commissioner John DrnekWest Tennessee Operations

Regional Director Scott ZieglerWest Tennessee Mentorship and Collaborative Partner

Assistant Commissioner Travis MurphyAppeals Division/Middle Tennessee OperationsRegional Director Mike ScottMiddle Tennessee Mentorship and Collaborative Partner

Assistant Commissioner Lorenza WillsEast Tennessee Operations

Regional Director Tim ForteEast Tennessee Mentorship and Collaborative Partner

Benefits of Regional Directors

• Can meet with County partners at any time without closing a field office; strengthen the network

• One point of contact for ongoing collaboration, networking and problem solving

• Consistency in supervision for all field offices in the region

• Leadership track for department employees interested in supervisory roles

• Increased outreach support and involvement without closing a field office

• Continuous customer monitoring to provide feedback in regards to training needs

Improved Appeals Division

• Improved operational oversight to offer consistency in quality control of state and county claims submissions and appeals preparation

• Increased specialized skillset with attorney and paralegals within the Division

• Strengthened partnerships between federal program providers and the VA Regional Office

• Continuous customer monitoring to provide feedback in regards to training needs

• Improved data collection to identify strengths and weaknesses

Improved Training

Tennessee Code Annotated58-3-111 Director of local service office(d) All veterans’ service officers shall successfully complete training and be issued accreditation by the department of veterans’ affairs within one (1) year from the date of appointment. Any veterans’ service officer who does not complete required training and receive accreditation within one (1) year of appointment shall be removed from office by governing body or bodies of the political subdivisions creating the veterans’ service office by which the officer is employed.

Improved Training

Purpose:The Training Division provides the introduction to high-quality claims assistance, quarterly training updates and will now ensure department employees receive state mandated training.

• Keith West the new Training Officer 2

• In the process of hiring a new Training Officer 1

Improved Training

Next Steps:• Monthly fact sheets distributed for updates in

between training sessions• December webinar-seeking training from federal

partners on Citrex• March- (9) in-person regional training sessions• June-webinar • September- (3) in-person regional training sessions

(2-days; will include annual certification test)

Clarification

Email from David Jungquist dated August 7, 2015• Evidence to send directly to Newnan, Georgia

– Change of Address or Direct Deposit Requests– 686c (Dependency establishment forms)

• Note: Before faxing to Newnan, you should first try to submit via eBenefits, SEP or call the VSO line

– Additional evidence in support of an established claim• Note: Verify with the VA first, that the additional evidence is not

of record already. Submitting additional evidence after a Fully Developed Claim has been filed will result in the claim being moved from the FDC processing and placed in “traditional” claim processing.

Improved Training

Regional Directors:• Collaborative partner; strengthen the network• Central contact for problem solving• Mentor for all field offices and county partners• Outreach support• Monitoring feedback to collaborate with the Training

Division on supplemental training needs

Improved Access to Higher Education

• One Veteran Education Coordinator in each region• Serve as subject matter expert on Veteran language,

culture and transitional challenges• Communicate with campus leaders, staff and faculty

about best practices to recruit, retain and support student Veterans through to graduation

• Increase and strengthen Student Veteran Organization network

• Claims assistance• Outreach planning, support and partnerships

One Team

Trends-Improved Customer Service

2013

2014

2015

8687

10588

12840

Claims Submitted By State and County

Pre-Registrations

250

750

1250

1750

2250

Tennessee Veterans

0.50%1.50%2.50%3.50%4.50%5.50%6.50%7.50%

2014

2013

2012

Une

mpl

oym

ent R

ate

Veteran Suicides

2011 2012 2013 2014

938 9561017

945

190 197 214163

On the Decrease

Total Suicides Veterans

Incarcerated Veterans

Prison

Jail

Total

250 750 1250 1750 2250 2750Prison Jail Total

2012 2183 300 2483

2013 1265 224 1489

2014 1229 200 1429

On the Decrease

Looking Forward

• Future Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at Parkers Crossroads-federal funding pending

• Opening of the new Tennessee State Veterans Home in Montgomery County in the coming months

Everything Veteran Transforming Customer Service Many-Bears Grinder, Commissioner.

Documents

Transcript of Everything Veteran Transforming Customer Service Many-Bears Grinder, Commissioner.