Jackson County Veteran Services - MN

11/04/2022

Notice from the Auditor Treasurers Office. Jackson County, Minnesota Polling Places!

If you are unsure what city or township you live in, please use the link below to find your polling place location. https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

04/08/2020

Situation Update for Sioux Falls VA Medical Hospital
As of Wednesday, April 1, 2020 10:17 AM CDT

Due to COVID-19 national and state emergency declarations the Sioux Falls VA HCS is implementing numerous actions to safeguard Veterans served by the Sioux Falls VA, our employees and the public.

If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, call us at 605-336-3230 EXT. 5001 before visiting us. For other concerns, you may be able to access VA care from home by phone or using VA virtual care options.

If you are having a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911 or report to the nearest hospital.

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, please call the Veterans crisis line at 800-273-8255 and press 1.

For all other issues, please call the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital at 800-316-8387 and press 0. Evenings, nights, and 24 hours a day on weekends and Federal holidays - call the toll-free Nurse VA Advice Line at 866-687-7382.

At this time the Spirit Lake, IA VA CBOC (Community Based Outpatient Clinic) has its regular hours, restrictions apply. Before you go to the clinic please call ahead at 712-336-6400 x6402 or x6403.

For up to the moment changes and more information please go online to www.siouxfalls.va.gov/

Items addressed on-line include the following:
• Call First!
• Visitor Guidance
• Patient & Visitor Screening
• Valet Parking
• Cancellation of Elective Surgeries and Procedures
• Telehealth (This option is free and eliminates copays for that appointment)
• Wagner Outpatient Clinic Limited Services
• Pharmacy/Medications? (When you order please plan ahead and order at least 10-14 days out so they will arrive in time.)

PHONE NUMBERS OF INTEREST:
• Emergency: 911
• Veterans Crisis Line: 800-273-8255 (Press 1)
• 24 Hour Nurse: 800-316-8387
• Change Your Appointment:
605-336-3230, press 2 or 800-316-8387, press 2
• Media Inquiries: 605-333-6889
• National Veterans Helpline: 800-507-4571
• Patient Locator: 605-336-3230 or 800-316-8387
• Pharmacy Refill: 605-336-3230, press 1 or 800-316-8387, press 1
• Staff Locator: Not Available
• Telephone Care: 605-336-3230 or 800-316-8387

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

04/07/2020

SHORT FUSE! APRIL 9TH! FINANCIAL STRESS PLANNING

Webinar: Helping those you serve deal with financial stress during the COVID-19 emergency

Join us for the CFPB’s (Consumer Finance Protection Bureau) free webinar on Thursday, April 9, from 10-11 a.m. ET to learn how you can help those you serve during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The webinar will include:

Meghaan Lurtz, former President of the Financial Therapy Association, discussing how to recognize and seek support for stress generated from financial concerns.

Alicia Atkinson, of The Prosperity Agenda, will speak on how practitioners can share information about the work they are doing to help families enhance their financial capabilities and how they are transitioning to virtual services during this challenging time.

We will also share the CFPB’s resources for protecting your finances during the coronavirus pandemic.

Join the webinar by dialing 888-455-1968 and using the participant passcode: 9167140

You can follow along with the slides by clicking this link once the webinar has started:

http://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?sigKey=mymeetings&i=745009363&p=&t=c

About the Bureau

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by regularly identifying and addressing outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations; by making rules more effective; by consistently enforcing federal consumer financial law; and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives.

Learn more at www.consumerfinance.gov.

04/07/2020

Comp & Pension Exams

Were you scheduled for a Comp & Pension (C&P) Exam but it was cancelled or postponed? Click here to explain the process as well as some alternatives.

Gmail is email that's intuitive, efficient, and useful. 15 GB of storage, less spam, and mobile access.

04/06/2020

Check out the attached flier concerning grants for Veterans

04/06/2020

“Annie”: New Text Message Service About Coronavirus from the VA

Daily messages from ‘Annie’ can help assure Veterans about their health and possible actions to take
If you’re worried about catching the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19, Annie text messages may be able to help. Annie is VA’s automated text messaging app that sends health information and reminders to you. Any cellphone with texting capabilities can receive Annie messages.

Annie’s Coronavirus Precautions protocol messages can help you monitor symptoms and can advise you when to contact your VA care team or a nurse triage line. The messages also provide general wellness tips and steps you can take to protect yourself.

To sign up for these please go on-line to: www.mobile.va.gov/app/annie-app-veterans

04/01/2020

April "VSO Commo Check" online!

Read it here or for a printable version (.pdf) you can go to www.co.jackson.mn.us/veterans

04/01/2020

The April newsletter is up and ready to read online at www.co.jackson.mn.us/veterans. Lots of good stuff to know in there!

Also, if you are a Jackson or Cottonwood County Resident the DVHHS is focused on providing for the needs of the sick and vulnerable during the spread and treatment of COVID19.

Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services (DVHHS) along with Emergency Management in Jackson and Cottonwood Counties are coordinating their efforts to meet the essential needs of our communities.

To request assistance getting food, medication, or needs, Please call the Essential Services Hotline at 507-847-6839

Please share with contacts/partners and residents

03/25/2020

TODAY IS...

03/17/2020

Our state and nation face uncertainty as we contend with the COVID-19 pandemic together. Your County Veterans Service Officers will continue serving veterans; we remain committed to ensuring that our veterans, families and caregivers obtain the benefits they have earned, especially during this challenging time. Just as we are collectively making changes in our personal lives to mitigate the spread of the virus, CVSOs must make changes in how we care for our veterans. In accordance with the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health protocols, in-person and walk-in meetings are currently suspended. However, our team remains ready to provide personalized assistance over the phone and via email. Do not hesitate to contact your Veterans Service Officer to discuss your important items. Thank you for your continued patience and examples of resiliency, no doubt learned through your military service. We are in this together.

The Jackson office remains in operation but with the following nuances and restrictions:



1) Regardless of the following instructions please call 9-1-1 if you have an emergency or if you are considering hurting yourself or others call the Crisis Hotline immediately at 1-800-273-8255

2) The CVSO operations have moved to an off-site location

3) We will continue to service Veterans as we can

a. There will be no face to face meetings or interviews, contact may be made via:

i. Telephone

1. Calls to the office phone (507-847-4774) will be transferred to the CVSO as long as there is an operator able to do this

2. Direct line to off-site location is 507-933-4576

3. Calls may be made via cellular to 507-530-8378

ii. Email

1. Email contact is acceptable however we must maintain PII protocol to ensure sensitive information is not transmitted, email to [email protected]

iii. Skype

1. Skype may also be used for face-to-face, more information will be forthcoming to include instructions.

2. “Facetime” via cellular is also available to the previously mentioned cellular number

b. All home appointments are suspended

c. Transportation via the Veterans Van is available but at the discretion of this office, the drivers and screening or what the current protocols are at the destination. FYI, Vet Van transportation may be suspended without notice.

d. Until further notice CVSO will not be at the Lakefield Library as previously scheduled for first Monday’s of each month

e. Business may be conducted via telephone in the same manner they are in person

i. Required forms will be completed

1. Forms will be mailed to the Veteran for signatures

2. Veteran will sign the form and return to the VSO

ii. Supporting documentation may be mailed to the VSO via USPS

1. If a scanner is available, documents may be scanned and emailed

2. If you have a “smart phone” a clear photograph may be taken of the document(s) and either emailed or texted to the VSO



Please be patient, times to get information from other offices may be longer than normal due to emergency procedures and limitations that are being implemented to protect everyone’s health during this emergency.



THINGS TO REMEMBER:

1) Follow all posted safety guidelines concerning personal hygiene

2) Use pick-up and delivery as much as possible. The local grocery store in Jackson does provide delivery services.

The Jackson County Food Shelf is open but please call before you go

3) Call ahead – before you go to any office or business call ahead to see they are open, see if they are seeing anyone in person and/or what protocols they might have in place for screening. This pertains especially to clinics and hospitals



Please call this office if you have any questions regarding

Veteran services and current protocols!



Please remain calm, listen to the news, follow recommendations and instructions, be wary of and confirm an information found on the Internet and we’ll all get through this just fine!

02/19/2020

PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT AND THE VA!

This is a presentation that you can interact with on-line that may answer questions about treatment that you may have. Please pass this along to other Veterans, if they don’t have Internet they can attend at my office in Jackson, MN as I’ll be viewing it here otherwise they can watch from their own home, on their tablet or SmartPhone…

Presenter: Bruce Montgomery, M.D.
Staff physician and researcher
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
Date: Monday, Feb.24, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST (12 noon - 1:30pm Central Time)
Location: On-Line

If you can't attend in person, there is an option to hear the lecture online.
Web portal: https://site-332278.bcvp0rtal.com/

VA's Office of Research and Development is sponsoring a presentation by Dr. Bruce Montgomery, co-lead for the Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate (POPCAP)—a partnership between VA and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Montgomery will speak about VA's precision oncology initiative for Veterans with prostate cancer (POPCAP), covering the program's mission, goals, and progress. VA's aim is to inform Veterans Health Administration staff, external partners, Veterans, and the public about the steps it is taking to better treat metastatic prostate cancer.