Department of Veteran’s Affairs
82 Ionia NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-5722
Fax: (616) 632-5723
Mission Statement
The mission of the Kent County Veterans’ Affairs Department is to provide financial aid and other assistance to honorably discharged, wartime veterans or their widow/widower who are residents of Kent County.
Benefit Eligibility
The Kent County Department of Veterans' Affairs was established under PA 192 of 1953 in September of 2008. The KCDVA is funded through Kent County General Funds and exists to serve the veterans of Kent County and their families.
The department assists with:
- Applying for VA service-connected and non service-connected pensions
- Eligibility Verification Reports
- Educational benefits
- Retrieving military service records
- Soldiers and Sailors Relief Fund
- Counseling for veterans, their spouses/widows and their children
- Working with social services and government agencies
- Upgrading of discharges, if possible
- Document notarizing
- Many other veterans’ issues.
Overview
The Kent County Veterans’ Affairs Department provides information, referrals, and support services to honorably discharged, wartime veterans and their families.
The department provides burial assistance for eligible veterans and their spouses; reimbursement of foundation costs to put a Veterans Administration marker on the graves of eligible veterans; non-recurring, emergency financial assistance for eligible veterans or their surviving spouses; and a contact for both the general public and veterans to receive information about other veterans’ services and programs that are available.
Operational Goals
- Increase the awareness of services available to Kent Co • unty veterans and their families
- Diversify funding sources to ensure that the quality of services to veterans and their families is maintained in conjunction with the increasing number of clients served.
- Provide quality services to Kent County veterans.
Selected Performance Measures
Performance Measure |
2008 Actual |
2009 Actual |
2010 Actual |
2011 Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of veterans that received initial phone screening to determine eligibility |
NA |
NA |
100.00% |
100.00% |
| Number of grant applications submitted during fiscal year. | NA |
NA |
1 |
1 |
| Percent of surveys returned with an overall rating of good or higher | NA |
NA |
100.00% |
90.00% |
| Percent of decrease in time in claim application process | NA |
NA |
0.00% |
25.00% |
| Percent of VA claims submitted to the proper VA regional office within 1 business day | NA |
NA |
100.00% |
100.00% |
| Percent of appointments scheduled within 3 weeks of initial phone contact | NA | NA | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Department History of Uses
| Uses |
2008 Actual |
2009 Actual |
2010 Adopted |
2011 Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Personnel |
$69,844 |
$44,056 |
$69,081 |
$73,454 |
Commodities |
692 |
1,501 |
800 |
1,200 |
Contractual Services |
116,701 |
146,605 |
106,404 |
94,855 |
Total Uses |
$187,237 |
$192,163 |
$176,285 |
$169,509 |
Personnel FTE |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Significant Accomplishments
Established a veterans cooperative committee with federal, state and local representation to discuss current issues and resources related to veterans. The department has moved to a new facility that provides adequate space for future expansion and growth as well as accommodating the increasing number of Kent County Veterans. Initiated a volunteer and VA work study program wherein veterans can gain work experience and knowledge related to federal, state and local veteran benefits through the Kent County Department of Veterans’ Affairs while simultaneously providing personnel support at no cost to the department.
