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Director’s Message

Kelly Fitzpatrick

PACT Act

ODVA and the Portland VA Healthcare System continue to partner to operate VA claims clinics in locations in Central and Eastern Oregon the state to amplify messaging about the need for veterans who have been exposed to toxins during their military service to take advantage of the VA’s free medical screening and file a disability claim under the PACT Act passed by Congress and enacted in August 2022. The Act is a historic expansion of eligibility for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, burn pits, and other toxic environments. ODVA has collaborated with Portland VA since late 2022 on town halls and claims clinics along the I-5 corridor. ODVA staff will participate with federal VA partners in Oregon to conduct PACT Act claims clinics around the state later this month.

Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide

Leadership from ODVA, OHA, Oregon Military Department, federal VA staff in Oregon, counties, and suicide prevention-related nonprofit organizations have been asked to lead the Governor’s Challenge efforts to prevent suicide in Oregon. Members of this initiative attended the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA)/VA Policy Academy in Arlington, Virginia to officially kick off Oregon’s participation in the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, Caregivers, and Military Family Members.

SAMHSA/VA hosted a weeklong symposium for state members May 9-11 where the Oregon team attended training on crisis care and data and evaluation, which provided additional information and resources to Oregon and the many other states that attended the symposium. The Oregon team will provide updates on this important veterans behavioral health effort in the near future.

ODVA Event Highlights

The 2023 Oregon Women Veterans Conference was held May 20-21 at the Salem Convention Center where more than 325 Oregon women veterans and 55 vendors were in attendance. Nearly $16,000 in sponsorships from partner organizations including Lottery, AARP, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), USAA and Air and Space Forces Association (AFA) helped support this biennial event. VIP guest speakers include Major General (retired) Julie Bentz, and Maureen Elias from the Sec VA’s leadership team. Partner organizations such as VA Women Veteran Program Managers, the US Department of Labor, VA Portland Health Care System and County Veterans Service Offices provided workshops that educated and informed attendees on issues impacting women veteran. This was the first time ODVA was able to conduct the Women Veterans Conference in person since 2018, and it was my first in-person WVC since being appointed as director of ODVA, so I was incredibly pleased to be a part of our 2023 WVC!

ODVA’s 2023 Memorial Day event was held in Salem at the Oregon WWII Memorial located on the Capital grounds. This year ODVA’s Deputy Director Daniels hosted the event while I

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