Veterans' Affairs, Division of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: http://veterans.ny.gov/
Mission
The core mission of the Division of Veterans’ Affairs is to link veterans, members of the armed forces, and their families and dependents, to various personal, medical, and financial benefits available to them as the result of active duty military service. The Division’s professional counseling staff prepares, presents and prosecutes claims, including applications for monthly compensation and pension awards, education benefits, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation training, health care, nursing home care, tax exemptions and other services.
Organization and Staffing
The Division is led by an Executive Director. The agency's workforce primarily consists of Veterans' Counselors located in all state regions to allow veterans better access to services.
The Division is hosted by the Office of General Services, which provides administrative, budgetary and human resources functions.
Budget Highlights
The Executive Budget recommends $19.6 million for the Division. This is an $11,000 net increase in funding from FY 2017, which reflects the elimination of legislative adds and the addition of negotiated collective bargaining agreements, the veterans' indigent burial program, and two new initiatives regarding veterans' treatment court and the access to justice program.
The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 98 FTEs, unchanged from FY 2017 levels.
Program Highlights
Blind Veteran Annuity Assistance Program
Provides annuities to legally blind veterans and eligible surviving spouses.
Veterans' Counseling Services Program
The Counseling Program offers advocacy and assistance services to veterans to secure and maintain Federal VA benefits.
New programs include the administration of the veterans' treatment court program, to ensure statewide access to this diversion program, and the access to justice initiative, to provide grants to law schools to address the unmet legal needs of veterans.
Veterans' Education Program
The Education Program staff investigates and approves educational programs on behalf of veterans who qualify for these benefits.
| Category | Available FY 2017 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2018 |
Change From FY 2017 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 8,409,000 | 8,501,000 | 92,000 | 3,853,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 10,921,000 | 10,656,000 | (265,000) | 9,111,000 |
| Total | 19,330,000 | 19,157,000 | (173,000) | 12,964,000 |
| Program | FY 2017 Estimated FTEs 03/31/17 |
FY 2018 Estimated FTEs 03/31/18 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | |||
| General Fund | 87 | 87 | 0 |
| Veterans Education | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 98 | 98 | 0 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 6,325,000 | 6,358,000 | 33,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 2,084,000 | 2,143,000 | 59,000 |
| Total | 8,409,000 | 8,501,000 | 92,000 |
| Adjustments: | |||
| Transfer(s) From | |||
| Special Pay Bill | |||
| General Fund | (184,000) | ||
| Appropriated FY 2017 | 8,225,000 | ||
| Program | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 480,000 | 480,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | |||
| General Fund | 5,845,000 | 5,878,000 | 33,000 |
| Veterans Education | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 2,084,000 | 2,143,000 | 59,000 |
| Total | 8,409,000 | 8,501,000 | 92,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 367,000 | 0 | 367,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | 5,570,000 | 33,000 | 5,547,000 | 33,000 |
| Total | 5,937,000 | 33,000 | 5,914,000 | 33,000 |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Veterans Counseling Services | 0 | 0 | 23,000 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 23,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 113,000 | 0 | 10,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | 308,000 | 0 | 63,000 | 0 |
| Total | 421,000 | 0 | 73,000 | 0 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 14,000 | 0 | 70,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | 104,000 | 0 | 51,000 | 0 |
| Total | 118,000 | 0 | 121,000 | 0 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 19,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | 90,000 | 0 |
| Total | 109,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Veterans Education | 2,143,000 | 59,000 | 1,275,000 | 38,000 |
| Total | 2,143,000 | 59,000 | 1,275,000 | 38,000 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Veterans Education | 868,000 | 21,000 |
| Total | 868,000 | 21,000 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 10,421,000 | 10,156,000 | (265,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 500,000 | 500,000 | 0 |
| Total | 10,921,000 | 10,656,000 | (265,000) |
| Program | Available FY 2017 |
Recommended FY 2018 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 999,000 | 999,000 | 0 |
| Blind Veteran Annuity Assistance | |||
| General Fund | 6,380,000 | 6,380,000 | 0 |
| Veterans Counseling Services | |||
| General Fund | 3,042,000 | 2,777,000 | (265,000) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 500,000 | 500,000 | 0 |
| Total | 10,921,000 | 10,656,000 | (265,000) |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2017