Abstract: This report originates from the ‘Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers’ project at the University of Salford, the only substantive research in the UK to focus on the experiences of veterans within the social security benefits system. This report provides an understanding of how the benefits system – and some of the processes and contact channels within the system – are experienced by those who have backgrounds of trauma, making the case for the application of trauma-informed care within this system.
Abstract: The Department of Veterans Affairs provided help for veterans who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offered a housing stipend and 12 months of tuition and fees for veterans to retrain for high-demand occupations. More than 13,000 veterans used the program to enroll in training. VA collected a lot of data from schools and veterans on program benefits and challenges, but doesn't have any plans to use the data to formally evaluate the program. We recommended identifying lessons learned to help VA improve any veteran retraining efforts or other benefits programs where quick implementation is necessary.