Josiah Dahlstrom

The Strategic Plan for the Idaho Division of Veterans Services serves as a comprehensive roadmap to guide decisions, measure performance, and ensure accountability in serving Idaho's Veterans and their families. It is built upon a vision of "Caring for America's Heroes" and a mission to provide superior advocacy, benefits assistance, high-quality long-term care, and respectful interment services. The plan outlines five key goals: providing high-quality advocacy and benefit assistance; ensuring superior long-term care and enhanced quality of life for residents; honoring Veterans with dignified interment services; delivering high-quality education and training programs; and attracting and retaining excellent, compassionate staff and volunteers. The plan also addresses adapting to changing Veteran demographics and expanding services and facilities to meet evolving needs.

The Idaho Veterans Affairs Commission meeting included updates from various divisions and bureaus. Reports were presented on the Boise, Pocatello, Lewiston, and Post Falls Veterans Homes, covering census, customer satisfaction, surveys, events, and projects. The Office of Veterans Advocacy provided statistics and discussed noteworthy issues, including staffing levels and claims processing. The Veterans Cemetery report covered expansion projects, interments, and volunteer hours. The fiscal report included average census comparisons and budget preparations. Business Support and Education highlighted cooperative contract agreements and program activities. Veterans Outreach and Community Support discussed events, engagement, and ongoing projects like Joining Forces Idaho and the Governor's Challenge. Central Support Office Updates covered construction projects and national SVH updates. The meeting also touched on the possibility of a dental program for Idaho veterans and recognized donor contributions.

The Idaho Veterans Affairs Commission meeting included discussions and reports on various topics. These included Boise, Lewiston, Pocatello, and Post Falls Veterans Homes, providing updates on census, maintenance, surveys, staffing, and projects. The Office of Veterans Advocacy (OVA) reported on interviews, claims, appeals, and veterans seen in vet courts, along with noteworthy issues and events. The Veterans Cemetery report covered expansion projects, approved projects for FY2026, veteran interments, and volunteer hours. The Fiscal Report presented average census comparisons and budget information. Business Support and Education discussed LUMA challenges, state pay raises, and VA education benefits. Veterans Outreach and Community Support (VOCS) highlighted events, engagement, and contributions through outreach. Legislative updates and remarks from the Deputy Chief Administrator and Chief Administrator were also provided.

The meeting covered a range of topics including human resources, financial reports, and updates from various Idaho State Veterans Homes (ISVH) in Boise, Pocatello, and Lewiston. Discussions included classified turnover history, CEC appropriation, market equity requests for Lewiston, and personnel budget requests. Financial reports covered per diem costs, occupancy rates, VA State Home Per Diem Program, and budget requests. Updates were provided on DPW projects, community activities, special meals, and miscellaneous items such as marketing and staffing. The commission also discussed cemetery updates, volunteer hours, construction, and upcoming events. The Office of Veterans Advocacy reported on the number of veterans and family members assisted, noteworthy issues with the VA, and significant events within the OVA. Veterans Education updates included compliance visits, training, number of approved facilities, and approximate number of veterans utilizing benefits. The meeting also touched on the Memorials and Monuments Project, the "Have You Served?" campaign, CMS regulations, and the Post Falls Veterans Home. Additionally, there was discussion on the Choice Program, Suicide Prevention in the state of Idaho, and an action plan regarding responses to the Senator's Veterans Survey.

The meeting covered several topics, including legislative proposals for 2020, such as a vaping tax to fund veteran programs and home construction, remodeling the Boise Veterans Home, amending the Veterans Recognition Fund, renaming Title 65 to "Veterans," and repealing conflicting definitions of "Veteran." There were also discussions on issuing state bonds for veterans' homes and facilities, and a nurse retention/recruitment loan compensation program. Bureau reports covered business support services, financial status, and updates from various veterans' homes and the Veterans Cemetery. The Office of Veterans Advocacy reported on claims, appeals, and the impact of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. Updates were provided on the Post Falls Home design and construction.