Serving Those Who Have Served SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VETERANS ASSESSMENT
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WHO ARE OUR VETERANS AND HOW CAN WE BETTER SERVE THEM?
Veterans Density in Santa Barbara County (Per Capita)
While Santa Barbara County veterans benefit from the support of a caring and patriotic community, they also face unique challenges. Santa Barbara County is home to approximately 22,270 veterans, but unlike major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Santa Barbara County does not have comprehensive Veteran Affairs (VA) resources. Approximately 21.26 percent of Santa Barbara County veterans receive disability, which is slightly higher than the national average of 20.01 percent. Simultaneously, the VA spends substantially less on health care and education per veteran in Santa Barbara County, which means the need for these services are paramount. While there is a VA clinic in Santa Barbara and one in Santa Maria, the closest hospital is two hours away. Many Santa Barbara County veterans do not have the time or resources to make the trip or stay for an extended period of time. Although unemployment for Santa Barbara County veterans was not reported as a major concern, access to educational resources as a means of transition from military to civilian careers is limited. Without accessibility to these benefits, the risk of health and unemployment issues increase significantly. As a result, our veterans do not receive the care they are entitled to. While VA facilities are not in abundance in Santa Barbara County, networks of support for our veterans do exist in the form of a wealth of volunteers, and community leaders who care deeply about the men and women who served our country.
Santa Maria
Lompoc
Santa Barbara
1.3
8.5
27.9
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2011-15 5-year estimates
Veterans Period of Service 100% 14.1
15.4
11.7
7.8
75% 12.4
50% 33.7
15.1 6.8
Other WWII Era
10.5
11.4
Korean War Era
35.5
35.5
Vietnam Era
Gulf War Era 25%
0%
13.6
15.8
18
14.5
14.1
14.1
Santa Barbara County
State of California
United States of America
Post-9/11 Era
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2011-15 5-year estimates
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS Steve Lavagnino, Fifth District Supervisor - County of Santa Barbara Das Williams, First District Supervisor - County of Santa Barbara Highland Santa Barbara Foundation Inc. James S. Bower Foundation June G. Outhwaite Foundation Kirby Foundation in honor of Bob Kirby Lompoc Record Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Maria Times Santa Ynez Valley News Mrs. Margaret Waller
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EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS Health care access stands out as one of the dominant issues affecting veterans in Santa Barbara County. There are many ways to improve health care access, some of which have been deployed successfully by public, private and philanthropic sector organizations across the country. Recommended options include the opening of a new clinic with private or philanthropic funding to operate alongside the two existing VA clinics and/ or the development of a “virtual VA” capability or telehealth resource to help strengthen capacity in Santa Barbara County.
VA Health Utilization $6,451
FY16 Total VA Spend Per Veteran
FY16 Health Spend Per Veteran
$1,790
DEVELOP A MECHANISM FOR COOPERATION AND COORDINATION IN VETERAN SERVICES
$3,380 $2,984
FY16 Health Spend Per Vet Patient
$7,467 $10,716 $6,000
$3,000 Santa Barbara County
$8,868 $8,166
State of California
$9,000
$12,716
$12,000
United States of America
Source: VA Geographic Distribution of Expenditures, 2016; VA Compensation/Pension Per County, 2016
There is a lack of infrastructure and sustainable collaboration among stakeholders and service providers in Santa Barbara County. This lack of a “center of gravity” for the local veterans’ community impedes the ability of public, private and nonprofit sector organizations alike to work collectively and effectively in service to veterans. It is recommended that a neutral or third-party organization that is best suited to convene stakeholders and help coordinate their efforts should host or serve as a platform for creating a central point of activity and information sharing for the veteran community.
EDUCATE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND GRANTMAKERS ABOUT VETERANS While supportive in general, Santa Barbara County’s business and philanthropic communities appear less formally engaged with veterans than is the case in comparable communities across the country. Efforts to inform and engage these constituencies more proactively in the lives of veterans could drive more positive economic activity, increase the profile of business leaders at the community level and promote more grantmaking in support of the veterans’ community.
IMPROVE MILITARY / VETERANS CULTURAL COMPETENCE AMONG COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
Photos courtesy of Nora Wallace and Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down
Santa Barbara County is in some ways rich with resources; numerous providers countywide do excellent work to address basic health and human service needs, and all of them see and serve veterans as a matter of course, regardless of whether veterans factor into their missions specifically. These organizations can easily provide better, more efficient and more effective services to veterans by increasing their understanding of and ability to reference the terms, needs, values and conditions that define veteran “culture.”
If you are interested in supporting our veterans or would like more information, please contact Lynette Muscio at (805) 346 - 6123 or lmuscio@sbfoundation.org. All data is available at SBFoundation.org/SBCVeterans.
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INVESTING TOGETHER IN BUILDING A STRONG FUTURE
PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES The Santa Barbara Foundation makes it easy for donors to give effectively using tax advantaged vehicles and proven giving strategies. We provide on-going donor education opportunities, and facilitate connections between donors and organizations serving the community within a particular area of interest.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & PARTNERSHIP BUILDING The launch of strategic initiatives, which have had their genesis in North County, has enabled the Santa Barbara Foundation to delve deeper into the most complex community issues. The Landscapes, Ecosystems, Agriculture and Food Systems (LEAF) Initiative seeks to advance strategies to increase land conservation, promote ecosystem health, ensure agricultural viability, and improve the local food system. The Community Caregiving Initiative (CCI) is tackling the challenges our community is confronting with a growing aging population and providing a network of support to our 70,000 family caregivers.
SUPPORT THE NONPROFIT SECTOR The Santa Barbara Foundation, together with our donor investors, deploys millions of dollars to support the nonprofit sector whose work impacts every person in the county. Through a combination of technical assistance, grants, impact investments, leadership and capacity building — year after year, the foundation fosters unique and lasting relationships with community based organizations that work every day to sustain and enhance the region.
SBFOUNDATION.ORG NORTH COUNTY HEADQUARTERS
2625 SOUTH MILLER STREET, SUITE 101 SANTA MARIA, CA 93455 PHONE: (805) 346-6123 FAX: (805) 346-6125
SOUTH COUNTY HEADQUARTERS 1111 CHAPALA STREET, SUITE 200 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 PHONE: (805) 963-1873 FAX: (805) 966-2345
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