CalVet Update

Welcome to 2023 at CalVet!

A quick look back at 2022 shows a body of work that should make us all very proud:

Construction is well under way on the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility at our Yountville Veterans Home that is scheduled to open in 2024. (Check in on the progress by clicking on this live feed link.)
Our Veterans Homes Division, working with our Information Services Division, went live with the e-Prescribe and CalVet Electronic Health Records (CEHR) projects that will enable us to care for our veterans more efficiently than ever before. CEHR first rolled out in our West Los Angeles home in the fall, and will soon expand to all homes in our network.
We received the Governor’s Award during the annual State Agency Recognition Awards for our support and advocacy for Small Businesses and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises.
We announced our Veterans Support to Self-Reliance (VSSR) Pilot Grant Program, which will provide $20 million in competitive grants to provide enhanced supportive services for veterans aged 55+, veterans who are high acuity, and veterans who receive assistance or have been assisted through HUD-VASH.
We established the California Veterans Health Initiative to bolster awareness, outreach, and education efforts, as well as increase capacity through coordinated support of the community-based systems of care for veteran mental health and suicide prevention.
Our Justice Involved Veterans Initiative, which enables incarcerated veterans to access their available benefits, earned the prestigious Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Our California Transition Assistance Program (CalTAP) continued to help veterans understand and access their benefits by hosting or participating in 103 webinars that reached 3,410 veterans in 2022.
Julian Bond, administrator at our Ventura Home, received the 2022 Spotlight on Excellence Award by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS).
We welcomed new employees in nearly every division.
And for the first time since 2019, we were able to enjoy one another’s company at an in-person winter gathering! I hope you all enjoyed the party as well as your respective holidays of faith.

All of these things impress me, and even more so when you consider that we are now three full years into the pandemic. Your perseverance, strength, and resiliency continue to drive your passion and dedication for our veterans. Those qualities will serve CalVet well as we forge ahead into 2023 to complete the aforementioned projects and all that follow.

And with that, you are free to move about CalVet.

Vito Imbasciani MD
Secretary

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Form W-2
The State Controller’s Office (SCO) will mail 2022 Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement and Form 1095-C no later than January 31, 2023, to each employee’s home address on file. Additionally, Form W-2 is available to employees electronically on Cal Employee Connect via the SCO website under the W-2 tab. Detailed information on W-2s was released to all CalVet employees via two Human Resources announcements.

Open Enrollment
Payroll Deduction Reminder (Health, Dental, Vision, Cash Options, Reimbursement Accounts, Legal, and COBRA Cash Options, Reimbursement Accounts, Legal, and COBRA): All Open Enrollment actions will be effective January 1, 2023. Deductions for benefit changes made during Open Enrollment will be reflected in the December 2022 paycheck, dated January 1, 2023.

Senate Bill 114 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave 2022
SB114 SPSL 2022 is set to expire December 31, 2022. Employees who are eligible for SB 114 SPSL shall request leave by completing the Senate Bill 114 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SB 114 SPSL) 2022 (CV 478) form and submitting the request form and the additional required documentation to their Veterans Home Human Resources Office or Headquarters Manager/Supervisor. If eligible, please submit all requests by January 15, 2023, to ensure timely processing.

COMMUNICATIONS

After many hours of blood, sweat, and aerial photography, the Yountville Master Plan was delivered to the California Legislature on December 30. If you are interested in the plan, the electronic version and hard copies will be distributed in the next few weeks.

We continue to focus on social media audience building. If you haven’t done so already, please follow CalVet on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Share and like our content, we would like to have as many employees supporting the page as possible to help us share important information for veterans and watch for an expansion of our YouTube channel coming this year.

The CalVet Connect blog continues to generate interest as well. In 2022, 55 CalVet Connect posts garnered 48,002 views from 35,562 visitors. An article first posted in October 2020 and titled “New Law Will Make It Easier to Get Disabled Licensed Plates, Placards in 2021” again led the way, with 7,397 views for 2022. It now has been viewed 17,304 times cumulatively. Virtually all of the CalVet Connect posts were shared on Facebook, Instagram and many on LinkedIn, generating traffic for those social media sites as well.

The Communications team is looking forward to tackling many new projects this year including: the naming ceremony for the new SNF facility being built at VHC-Yountville, the new and improved Resource Book, editorial pieces, speeches, and more award-winning video projects.

From the entire Communications team, and we are almost fully staffed, we wish everyone a very HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR in 2023.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE

The CalVet Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) was established by Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-16-22, which directed state agencies and departments to take additional actions to embed equity analysis and considerations in their mission, policies, and practices. This action will help expand opportunity for all by addressing disparities for historically underserved and marginalized communities. Addressing unequal circumstances helps drive equal outcomes so all Californians have the chance to reach their full potential and lead healthy and rewarding lives, and all California communities can thrive and prosper.

If you are interested in joining the Committee please send an email to DEI@calvet.ca.gov.

Current DEIC members are Giovanni Busco, Accounting; Christopher Lowe, Accounting; Sinead Kennedy, Office of Procurement and Contracts; Christina Salazar, Minority Veterans Affairs; Vicente Cuison, Equal Employment Office; and Bruce Kaufman, Administrative Operations. You can reach out to us at DEI@calvet.ca.gov if you have any questions.

Moving forward, the DEIC is excited to bring you opportunities for exploration in 2023 via our DEI Calendar available online soon.

INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION

Cybersecurity Advisory
Cybercriminal activities, such as social engineering and phishing, are on the increase. It is important that all staff remain cautious; do not open email from unexpected sources, click on any suspicious links, or attachments. Types of fraudulent email messages and scams that are widespread include:

Falsified charitable contribution efforts.
Fake gift card and promotional giveaways.
Subscription renewals.
Emails that include gift receipts or order confirmations.
Spoofed tracking shipments.

One example of a scam could be an anti-virus software company sending you a renewal message when in fact, you are not a subscriber. Another example could be an offer coming from a company for a free gift card that in fact is associated with a malicious site.

Here are some definite do’s:

Be cautious when opening email from external organizations; especially, those containing attachments and/or links.
Be careful not to open email and/or click on links within messages coming from suspicious sources, including those allegedly sent from reputable payment companies, businesses, and financial institutions.
Delete unsolicited email. If you do not recognize the sender or did not request the information, simply delete the message.  Remember our business partners will find more than one way to contact us if there is reason to do so!
Do not reply to suspicious email and/or provide information to the sender, including your email address and/or personal contact information.
Contact the ISD Help Desk (916) 653-2521 to report scams, Phishing, and Information Security incidents.

Additionally, the following resources are provided with useful tips:

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to helping us all stay cyber safe!

CEHR Project
The project team continues to make system and process refinements, extract lessons learned, and identify opportunities for improvement for future rollouts. West Los Angeles Home is continuing on reconciling outside medical prior to moving forward with URCC Balance Forward activities. Headquarters Billing continues to work through Month End Close activities with the vendor Netsmart.

Additionally, the project is in process to move the implementation date for the Ventura Home; this will officially make Lancaster the next home to plan and implement the system. In parallel, the Special Project Report #2, Contract Amendment #2, Non-competitive Bid, are all in various stages of the approval processes. The project team is happy to report that Contract Amendment #2 began routing for signatures in December 2022.

If you would like to participate in the project, please contact the Project Management Office at isd_pmo@CalVet.ca.gov. For the latest project status, please refer to the weekly project update. If you are interested in attending weekly project status meetings, they are generally held on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. For any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the PMO (isd_pmo@CalVet.ca.gov), CEHR Project Manager, Rochelle Dann-Castro or CEHR Project Director, Carlos Chavez.

Automatic Drug Dispensing System Replacement Project
The ADDSR Project will replace and modernize CalVet’s existing automatic drug dispensing technology. A Stage 1 Business Analysis (S1BA) has been submitted to California Department of Technology (CDT). In parallel, the project team is conducting market research via Request for Information (RFI) and vendor demos.

CalVet Timekeeping Project
The CalVet Timekeeping Project will procure and implement a timekeeping system agency-wide. After approval of an S1BA and Project Delegation Request, CDT has granted CalVet delegation for this effort. A team of pertinent SMEs collaborated on an RFI which resulted in multiple vendor demos. The project team is actively collaborating on the procurement solicitation with a target to release the Request for Offer in December 2022.

CalVet Emergency Notification Service
CalVet is seeking technology to provide a means to communicate information to staff and residents at the Veterans Homes, District Offices, Cemeteries, and Headquarters. This technology will help notify the 4200 staff and residents of information to shelter in place, emergency staff recalls, health emergencies, wild fires, earthquakes, power outages, extreme weather, or notification of special instructions or guidance for being on-site.

An S1BA for the CENS Project is presently being readied for submission to CDT.

MINORITY AND UNDERREPRESENTED VETERANS

December was our month to reflect and internally identify areas for improvements and additions. Keeping busy, we have planned some exciting events and are looking forward to 2023.

Deputy Secretary Xochitl Rodriguez Murillo attended the 2nd Annual California Veterans of the Building Trades Seminar presented by Helmets to Hardhats and the State Building and Construction Trades Council to present information on veteran benefits. Presentations educated participants on connecting to different Reserve and National Guard Units throughout the state and information on veterans benefits.

Xochitl also participated with the California National Guard Family Readiness Program managers at the Van Nuys Armory to present information about the Pathway to Citizenship Program. Army leadership from San Diego, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Ventura were in attendance.

The Minority and Underrepresented Veteran Division would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

VETERANS HOMES

VHC-Barstow
HAPPY NEW YEAR! As we welcome in the new year and begin 2023, we are focused on the conversion of our ICF (Intermediate Care Facility) Care Unit to transition to RCFE (residential care for the elderly) and an increase of available beds in our SNF (skilled nursing facility) Unit.

VHC-Barstow in 2022 has brought “home” 16 veterans, 9 of whom were experiencing homeless. We are proud to be part of the CalVet team that works diligently in the nationwide goal for preventing and ending homelessness among veterans.

December was a busy month at VHC-Barstow: Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, Holiday Bingo, Fort Irwin 26th Annual Long Walk, a trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific, residents’ lunch with the American Cruisers, a shopping trip to Victoria Gardens, Dempsey’s Christmas Angels, and many generous donors dropped by to treat our residents!

For Christmas dinner, our culinary team served a beautiful prime rib and Cornish game hen, complemented by baked potatoes, a fresh vegetable medley, and topped off by red velvet cake. New Year’s Eve is also a special day for a delicious meal!

For many, December is also a month of a bit more reflection than usual. People are reminded of loved ones who are no longer around, and how important family truly is. They recap what they accomplished throughout the year, as well as where they fell short. We ponder work highlights and low spots; personal life celebrations and shortcomings. And after that, a number move forward, with renewed conviction, on those inevitable lists of New Year’s resolutions. The Barstow Home is on top of that list in moving forward with renewed conviction; let me share with you some reasons why!

Our Five-Star ratings have held constant. Upcoming projects in 2023 include the installation of new flooring throughout the Home, tentatively scheduled to begin this summer. Our Plant Ops team will be completing a home-wide interior painting project to freshen things up. The Home has recently updated our kitchen with new commercial ovens, ranges, refrigerators, steamers, and mixers. Our culinary team knows that well-executed dishes require the right tools and are excited to work with this new equipment! Lastly, new resident beds and furnishings will be acquired for the new RCFE Unit.

From our Home to yours, may you have the brightest of holidays, with our warmest wishes for a wonderful and prosperous Happy New Year!

VHC-Fresno
Santa Clause was very busy Christmas week delivering stockings filled with gifts for all of the residents at the Veterans Home of California-Fresno. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Central California’s Veterans Homes Support Foundation, every resident received a jacket, toiletries, and Holiday Treats to enjoy. During December our residents were also treated with a Christmas party compliments of the Fresno Elks with the Fresno Retired Teachers Association performing Holiday Songs. The Activities Team hosted weekly caroling in the lobby of the Home. They also spent the month creating a winter wonderland village.

Finally, The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) completed their survey of the Skilled Nursing Facility units at Fresno. The Home is now the only state-run Skilled Nursing Veterans Home that is JCAHO certified and only one of five SNFs in California that has this certification.

VHC-Lancaster
December is a time of celebrating the spirit of the Holidays, and those of us at the Lancaster Veterans Home are truly thankful for all the wonderful support our Antelope Valley community has shown for our veterans. While we are still limited on in-person visits, individuals and groups continue to drop off all kinds of treats for our veterans: Christmas stockings filled with various treats, gifts of clothing, popcorn, pumpkin pies, and financial donations.

Our weekly Walmart Shopping and Banking Trips are continuing, and we added another special shopping trip to the Antelope Valley Mall for our residents to do some Christmas shopping as well. We continue to offer Bingo, Band and Karaoke concerts, Movie Matinees, Virtual Vacations, Paint by Wine, Arts and Crafts, and Pool and Golf Tournaments. We also added some virtual Christmas concerts from the Air Force Band of the Golden West: Just Us and Re-Creation.

Our highlight was our Christmas Party, catered by Stonefire Grill with live musical entertainment provided by Miles and Lawrence, playing a mix of Blues, Surf, Jazz, and Rock and Roll with a Holiday theme. Our kitchen served a wonderful ham dinner for Christmas Eve, tamales for Christmas Day, and have roast beef planned for New Year’s Day.

We closed out the month with a visit from the PetPals and our Holiday Wine Tasting!

VHC-Redding
Christmas gift exchanges at the Redding home provided some festive moments and all residents were excited to spend some quality time with Santa.

The New Year will be ushered in with style and comfort, as we look forward to all the normal activities residents enjoy on a day to day basis, and special events for the month:

Celebration of all January birthdays in one bash with music from Jeannie and Friends.
Ring the Chinese (or Lunar) New Year.
Observe Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday.

Connect with families over Facetime, Wii bowling, entertainment by our very own Jam Band, fun outings to special restaurants, and a special ladies day gathering will take place as they brew and sip coffee together in a nice meeting place at the home. The new year is already shaping up to be very special for all residents at the Redding Veterans Home.

VHC-Ventura
December was a month to remember at the Home. The Joint Commission conducted an accreditation survey resulting in an extensive review on our processes, procedures, and strategies to improve safety and quality of care for our residents. Our facility has transformed from being “good to great” to “great to exceptional.” These are not just words, but the result of receiving the accreditation from The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

At Ventura we are committed to serving our nations’ heroes and upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance to include the Ventura County Public Health Department, California Department of Social Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and now The Joint Commission. We are boldly going where very few long-term care facilities go to ensure we provide premier quality of care for our residents.

For the Home, the holiday season was in full bloom with holiday activities, festive decor, holiday caroling, gift bags, and various merchandise cards for all the residents. A special holiday meal was served to include turkey with stuffing, ham, gourmet mash potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, and an assortment of desserts featuring sweet potato pie.

A spirited employee appreciation lunch and gift giveaway brought smiles and cheers to celebrate our staff that go above and beyond to ensure our residents receive customized quality care.

Activities well-received this month included our last monthly Monday Night Football party sponsored by the Ventura Downtown Lions Club. The residents thoroughly enjoyed this year’s Army versus Navy football game, especially our Army veterans as they cheered on the victorious Army Football “Black Knights” to victory. We honored the third anniversary of the U.S. Space Force with a cake cutting, visual electronic displays, and brief history of the Guardians.

We look forward to the month of January to include our upcoming New Year’s Dinner; 70’s New Year’s disco party; group outings such as Chumash Casino, Ventura beaches, and a visit to the Ronald Reagan Library. Our goal is to honor our veterans with respect, dignity, care, and, most importantly, smiles.

VHC-West Los Angeles
December brought plenty of warmth, remembrance, and holiday cheer throughout the Home. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was a well-received event for the Home. The event was adorned with insightful documentaries, live music, Administrator remarks, and an awesome Honor Guard sponsored by VFW Post 2323: Ronald Reagan Det. #597, Marine Corps League. In the Governor’s spirit of diversity and inclusion, the Home celebrated Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and other celebratory events like the U.S. Space Force’s and National Guard’s birthday.

Throughout the month, residents enjoyed live music, fresh air walks, Skype calls, one-on-one therapy sessions, family visits, special holiday meals, and more! To add to these activities, donations from Hallmark Media, Santa Clarita Valley Quilt Guild, and the La Mirada Community provided elaborate holiday décor, warm quilts, and gift cards. Volunteers were also part of the action by helping out in our General Services Department, Pharmacy, Clinic, and other critical areas throughout the Home.

In an effort to maintain and increase resident safety and wellness, the Home’s recruitment efforts remain at a steadfast trajectory. To combat the many obstacles the Home faces in recruitment, it is taking on innovative approaches to increase staffing. We are hopeful that these innovations will bear fruit for the new year.

As the year concludes, the Home is going out in style with a big swing band performance and a special meal for the new year!

January will open with the Ultimate Big Time Party Band: The Smoking Cobras! We anticipate the bar will be raised at the Home for 2023. So, stay tuned!

VHC-Yountville
December was a great month packed with holiday cheer. From festive movies to delicious meals and visits from old friends, our staff, donors, and volunteers made sure that our Home’s members knew how loved and appreciated they were during this holiday season. Also, a special shout out and thank you to our Volunteer Services Department for overseeing the Home’s Holiday Project, in which each and every home member received a gift.

On December 7, 2022, we celebrated a wonderful milestone as we wished home member Bob Heiss a happy 100th birthday! Bob is a staple at the Yountville Home and we couldn’t be happier for him and his family.

Our resident bell choir the “Ding-a-Lings” played a very special holiday performance at the Capitol Rotunda!

On December 17, 2022, the Home, in collaboration with the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, held a very nice ceremony for National Wreaths Across America Day. This annual event is always a beautiful way to honor those who are laid to rest at the Yountville Veterans Home cemetery. Thank you to all who participated in the event. Also, for those interested, now until January 13, 2023, Wreaths Across America will match any wreath donation made to the Yountville Veterans Home cemetery for the 2023 ceremony. See details at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.

ABC7 News Bay Area posted a “Localish” segment regarding last month’s 18th Annual Celebrity Chefs Luncheon. Another big shout out to the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, our incredible staff, and volunteers who make this event possible!

We continue to advertise and recruit for job vacancies at the Home. Please check out, like, share, and tell your friends and family to visit our Facebook page and LinkedIn for job postings and job fair announcements. Spread the word!

Overall, December was a fantastic month and we hope everyone had a wonderful and safe holiday season. We are looking forward to a very happy New Year!

VETERANS SERVICES

California Transition Assistance Program
In December, CalTAP participated in nine events, providing outreach to service members at Joint Forces Training Base-Los Alamitos, Travis AFB, CA Army National Guard, 155th CSSB Army Reserve, and Fort Irwin National Training Center. CalTAP also presented veteran resources with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Additionally, we partnered with the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and hosted a webinar on financial literacy, and also hosted two webinars regarding the Calvet Tuition Fee Waiver and information about County Veteran Service Offices. For more information on CalTAP, visit our webpage.

State Veterans Cemeteries
Holiday Wreaths for Heroes and Wreaths Across America were a big success at all three veterans cemetery locations on December 17. For more information on CalVet’s cemeteries, visit our webpage.

District Offices
The Los Angeles District Office staff continues to provide assistance to veterans and other stakeholders in our community. The LADO staff received and processed a total of 2076 claims in October and November 2022, averaging 1038 claims a month and generated retroactive payments of $1,404,594.41. Our Appeals Team assisted a total of 46 appellants with hearings before the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).

Babes Navarra successfully represented veteran C.A. in a BVA hearing, and the veteran was awarded $303,080.00 in retroactive payments.
Joberde Metellus successfully represented veteran H.M. in his appeal before the BVA. The veteran received $95,373.39 in retroactive payments. A heartfelt thank you note was received by Joberde Metellus from veteran H.M.:
“Mr. Alpasan, Attached is a letter of appreciation to your great employee Mr. Joberde Metellus. His sincerity, hard work, and commitment to the Veterans Community made the difference. Thank you for having a good and deserving employee.”

For more information on the CalVet District Offices, visit our webpage.

Housing and County Support
The CalVet Accreditation Academy completed its most successful year to date, training a total of 80 attendees, 25 more than the previous year. In addition, 57 individual exams were administered by CalVet staff of which 90% achieved a passing grade.

Also, in December VSD received submissions for the Veterans Support to Self-Reliance (VSSR) grant program. VSSR staff are in the scoring and review process and funding announcements will be made during January. The VSSR program will provide a higher level of on-site supportive services for veterans who are aged 55+, high-acuity, and those who reside in permanent supportive housing projects throughout California. Expanded on-site supportive services may include, but are not limited to, skilled nursing care, medication management, peer specialists, and geriatric social workers. For more information on VSSR, visit our webpage.

Prop 63
With yearly funding support from Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), VSD continues to advocate for mental health resources and programs. Each year CalVet assists County Veteran Service Offices (CVSO) throughout California in establishing their own projects to enhance and expand their mental health services to include treatment and other related recovery programs to veterans and their families. The current MHSA grant started July 1, 2022, and 14 participating CVSOs received a total of $1.27 million in yearly funding to help create or expand their mental health program dedicated to veterans and their families. For FY 2022-23, in excess of $315,000 has already been distributed through the first billing cycle. For information regarding the Prop 63 program, visit our webpage.