Veterans get one-stop-shop for services

Armed forces veterans will be able to get their needs assessed in one place at one time this week in an effort to streamline the process so services can be delivered in more timely fashion.

The Jobs Corps is bringing service providers together at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Illinois Department of Employment Services office at 406 Elm St. in Peoria in sort of a one-stop-shop for the veterans with needs, said Rhonda Washer, business relations manager for Job Corps in Illinois and Wisconsin.

The cooperative effort for the veterans has not been done before and Washer hopes it will prove fruitful for veterans and providers alike.

Asked why it hasn't been done before Washer replied, "That's a very good question. I have found even the providers don't know what the other providers are doing. This is something I did before at Easter Seals and it worked well for parents of children with special needs and I believe it will work with the veterans, as well."

Washer said many veterans have transportation issues or other problems that make it difficult for them to get around to all the different service providers.

On Wednesday, beginning at 10 a.m., a needs assessment of each veteran that attends will be taken when they arrive. A copy of each assessment will be given to each provider and the providers will meet to determine which can provide best for each veteran. They then will be matched with those providers.

The providers will be on hand Wednesday to meet with veterans after their needs have been assessed, Washer said.

"There is no need for our vets to go place to place to shop around to get their needs met," she said.

Representatives will be available from the following providers:

· Peoria Vet Center

· Peoria County VA Claims and Assistance

· Job Corps

· Services for Homeless Veterans

· CityLink

· U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs

· Illinois Dept. of Employment Services Veteran Representatives

· Congressman Aaron Schock's representative Nate Hurn

· Congresswoman Cheri Bustos' representative Andy Colgan

· Midwest Technical Institute

Washer said she did not know how many veterans she should expect to be there on Wednesday. She hopes the event will be only the first such meeting and that they can be done as often as quarterly.

She also hopes the cooperative effort will be duplicated in other parts of the state and country where it is needed. "Veterans have many needs, from housing to education to health, and so on. Finding the right service provider shouldn't been difficult," she said.

The service providers began meeting to plan the event a couple months ago. "All of us are determined to make this work because it's for our veterans. If we can help just a few veterans by doing this that will be a few more than we've been able to help before," Washer said.

About the Author

Paul Gordon is the editor of The Peorian after spending 29 years of indentured servitude at the Peoria Journal Star. He’s an award-winning writer, raconteur and song-and-dance man. He also went to a high school whose team name is the Alices (that’s Vincennes Lincoln High School in Indiana; you can look it up).