VETERANS UNIVERSITY

1
VETERANS UNIVERSITY

• A Veterans Affairs/California State University
• (Long Beach Dominquez Hills)
• Collaboration To Assist Returning Combat Veterans

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Veterans UniversityThe Concept

• Born from desire to help returning combat
  veterans
• Access to higher educationbefore, during and
  after deploymentVeteran-friendly college
• Coordination of clinical care, societal
  reintegration and career advancement
• Melding of clinical and academic programs
• Create job training opportunities for veterans
  and supply of needed workers for VA healthcare

3
The PartnersVA Long Beach Healthcare System
(VALBHS)

• One of five systems in VA Desert Pacific
  Healthcare Network
• Large, highly affiliated tertiary care HCS
• Annual operating budget gt 500 Million
• 3000 employees
• 100 acre campus adjacent to CUSLB
• Many areas of collaboration with CSLB

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VALBHS Patient Demographics

• Serves 50,000 veterans in LA/Orange Cty
• 500,000 annual outpatient visits
• Nations largest SCI Center 100 beds
• 320 Inpt m/s, mental health and NH beds
• Major center for returning OEF/OIF veterans
• 9,000 seen
• Weekly post-deployment activities
• Affiliations with all DoD facilities

5
The PartnersCalifornia State University Long
Beach (CSULB)

• CSULB is 25th-largest university in
  nation--3rd-largest in California
• Current enrollment nearly 38,000.
• 50 of students are lower-income,
  first-generation, and/or non-white35
  Hispanic/Latino ethnicity
• Consistently ranks among the top universities in
  the nation in the number of undergraduate
  applications
• U.S. News World Report ranked CSULB 4th-best
  among public masters universities in western US
• More than 230,000 living alumni living throughout
  US and world

6
The PartnersCalifornia StateUniversity
Dominquez Hills (CSUDH)

• Founded in 1960, CSUDH is a four year public
  university located minutes away from Los Angeles,
  CA.
• The University offers 45 undergraduate majors, 24
  masters degrees, and a number of certificate
  programs.
• The University is among the most ethnically
  diverse universities in the country.
• Its nationally recognized Orthotics and
  Prosthetics Departments will relocate to the VA
  campus.

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Prior PartnershipVA / CSULB

• Nursing including accelerated BSN program
• Social Work
• Kinesiotherapy
• Research
• Joint publications in peer reviewed journals
• Collaborative educational programmingPTSD
• Child care program
• Security and Police services

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Prior Partnership VA / CSUDH

• Orthotics/Prosthetics ProgramNow co-locating
• Gait training
• Amputation prevention services (PACT)
• Research
• Creation of MS in Occupational Therapy prog
• Joint educational programs

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Evolution of Veterans University

• Initial inquiry by CUSDHProsthetics
• Other programs at CSULB also interested
• Meeting held with interested parties including
• VALBHS DirectorRon Norby
• CSULB Dean, HHSDr. Ron Vogel
• CSUDM Dean, HHSDr. Mitchell Makai
• Many areas of mutual interest identified

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Wouldnt It Be Great If We Could?

• Bring together all of the programs/services
  needed by returning combat veterans
• Create a one-stop center of excellence
• Symbiotically merge the academic, clinical and
  research programs
• Create a unique, collaborative partnership
• Obtain funding for a building to house all this

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First Steps

• Created a concept paperseveral meetings
• Reached consensus as to funding and program
  integration
• Developed a construction funding request
• Obtained buy-in from CSU Presidents and VA
  Network Director
• Presented concept to VA Under Secretary

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Programs/Services Offered Through Veterans
University

• Full-range of VA Healthcare Services
• Post-deployment screening/counseling
• Family support
• Med/Surg, Mental Health, Rehab, SCI, PTSD etc.
• Primary Care and Case Management
• Polytrauma Services
• Linkages to all VA national programs/services
• Blind rehabilitation

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Programs/Services Offered Through Veterans
University

• Jointly OfferedAcademic/Clinical Services
• Communicative Disordersspeech, language,
  cognitive assessment and therapy
• Occupational Therapyeducational and
  complementary therapeutic programs
• Kinesiotherapyexercise, strength/flexibility
  development and psychomotor coordination
• Physical Therapygeneral PT, balance, foot
  pressure assessment

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Programs/Services Offered Through Veterans
University

• Therapeutic Recreationrecreation activities to
  enhance positive lifestyle choices
• Social Workclinical diagnostics, case
  management, community integration, advocacy,
  community outreach referral
• Family Studies, Ed Psychology/Counselingcouples,
  family and child therapy

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Programs/Services Offered Through Veterans
University

• Preparation to enhance employability
• Certification programs through Univ. Extension
• Job counseling and placementVA and State
• Vocational rehabilitation offered through VA
• Workforce development through CSULB Center for
  Career Studiesnon-degrees
• FREE tuition in CSU degree granting programs

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Veteran-To-Student Transition

• Easy enrollment, admission and certified for
  educational benefitsDistance Learning
• Collaborative VA/CSU outreach to returning
  veterans
• Veterans assisted by full-time Veterans
  University Program Director
• Gatherings and group meetings to support
  transition
• New Web site geared for veterans
• Full utilization of Governors Troops to
  College initiative
• Expanded Career Advisory Center for veterans

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Management Recruitment Center

• Prepares students for career success
• Assesses veterans job skills
• Work with industry to identify job trends and
  placement opportunities
• Tailor programs to prepare veterans for specific
  jobs
• Placement assistance
• Internship programs