On September 18, 2024, NYHealth Senior Program Officer Derek Coy submitted the following testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Veterans oversight hearing on increasing veterans’ civic engagement in New York City:
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) and address this important issue of increasing veterans’ civic engagement in New York City. NYHealth is a private, independent, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers—including the more than 133,000 or so veterans who call New York City their home. And I myself am a proud veteran, having served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.
Veterans play a crucial role in our communities, and while most return from service to their lives and communities without issue, some veterans don’t feel ready for civilian life.[1] They may face barriers including limited access to mental health services, health care, and peer support. Ensuring that veterans are civically engaged reduces social isolation, contributes to their overall wellbeing, and strengthens the fabric of New York City’s communities through their active participation.
The Connection Between Civic Engagement and Health
Veterans who feel healthy and connected to their communities are more likely to engage civically, and vice versa. Research indicates that civically active people tend to have better physical and mental health, and healthier people tend to be more civically engaged.[2] For example, veterans with quality health care are likelier to vote, volunteer, and be involved in their communities. At the same time, veterans are at greater risk than their civilian counterparts for social isolation and mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, and substance use, all of which can limit their participation in civic activities.
Fostering Veteran Civic Engagement to Promote Health in New York
It’s perhaps not surprising that veterans have higher levels of civic engagement than their civilian counterparts; separating from the military doesn’t dim veterans’ interest in service. Multiple organizations are operating programs in New York City to capitalize on veterans’ ongoing commitment to service and civic engagement as a means to improve mental health and strengthen their community connections, including programs launched with support from the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services (NYC DVS).
NYHealth has supported several of these efforts in partnership with NYC DVS. For example, the award-winning Mission: VetCheck program trained veteran volunteers to provide buddy checks, peer-to-peer support, and referrals to nearly 30,000 veterans across New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, the program has pivoted to focus on educating veterans about expanded health and mental health benefits available to them through the recently enacted Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
In partnership with NYC DVS, we also supported Black Veterans for Social Justice to mobilize veteran and civilian volunteers to connect food-insecure veterans with healthy, nutritious meals during the pandemic. The program conducted extensive outreach to veterans in the Bronx and other parts of New York City, with a focus on areas hardest hit by the pandemic.
Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization, used an NYHealth grant to mobilize veteran volunteers to provide critical services to New Yorkers in need during the pandemic. They helped coordinate emergency food distribution, medical shelter support, and sanitation efforts; the project offered the added benefit of combating social isolation and promoting cohesion and connection among veterans.
And The Mission Continues, which empowers veterans through community service, organizes “service platoons” that offer veterans a new mission in communities that need their help, from planting community gardens to doing Earth Day clean-ups to laying wreaths on Veterans Day. Veterans who participated in the organization’s fellowship program reported decreased social isolation and an increased sense of social support.[3]
Additionally, peer mentor programs support veterans to draw on their unique experiences to offer practical skills, support, community connection, and hope to fellow veterans. Programs like the statewide and City-run Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans’ Support Program are effective in helping veterans navigate mental health challenges and access services, while also encouraging them to engage in civic activities. And Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs)—a type of problem-solving court that provide an alternative to incarceration for justice-involved veterans—include peer mentorship as a core component. These court programs highlight how peer support and engagement can improve mental health and reduce recidivism. A recent NYHealth data brief, developed with the Office of Court Administration, noted high success rates for veterans who participate in VTC, showing the power of community-based interventions and peer support.[4]
Recommendations for Action
New York City has laid a strong foundation for increasing civic engagement among veterans. I urge the Committee to consider the following steps to continue to improve and leverage existing infrastructure and programs:
Ensure Veterans are Connected to Health Benefits: Veterans who have more access to quality health and mental health services are more likely to have the time and energy to be civically engaged. New York City should continue to take advantage of the recent unprecedented expansions of federal health benefits through the PACT Act. In fact, New York City is responsible for informing veterans and the organizations serving them about these expanded benefits, and has been using one of its core engagement programs to do so. To aid this work, the Foundation is supporting the extension of the Mission: VetCheck program, in partnership with NYC DVS, to ensure all veterans in the five boroughs know about and can access and use their benefits. The City Council also has the opportunity to support these outreach and education efforts and further ensure that all New York City veterans have access to the resources they have earned.
Leverage Civic Engagement as a Pathway to Health Access: Programs such as those led by The Mission Continues and Team Rubicon provide veterans with a sense of purpose and community connection. Expanding and funding initiatives like these can further foster civic involvement as a means to improve health access and outcomes, including responding to medical emergencies and addressing food insecurity. Programs that integrate peer mentors to offer comprehensive support are particularly effective at helping veterans overcome barriers and participate more fully in civic life in New York City. The City Council can help drive additional resources toward peer support programs, including organizations that will be funded through NYC DVS’s open Request for Proposals for Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans’ Support Program initiatives.
Conclusion
Civic engagement is not only a measure of veterans’ involvement in society but also a key indicator and driver of their overall health and wellbeing. By fostering civic participation and expanding access to health services, we can ensure that veterans remain active, valued members of their communities. This approach will benefit our veterans and strengthen the fabric of New York City. I hope you will look to the New York Health Foundation as a resource for your important work. You can learn about our veterans’ health work and more by visiting our website, www.nyhealthfoundation.org.
Thank you.
[1] Pew Research Center, “The American Veteran Experience and the Post-9/11 Generation,” www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/09/10/readjusting-to-civilian-life/#:~:text=While%20most%20veterans%20say%20the,it%20prepared%20them%20somewhat%20well, accessed September 2024.
[2] Healthy Democracy Healthy People, “Health & Democracy Index,” https://democracyindex.hdhp.us/, accessed September 2024.
[3] The Mission Continues. 2020. “The Empowered Veteran Index.” The Mission Continues. Available at: images.missioncontinues.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Empowered-Veteran-Index.pdf.
[4] Coy, D. Cobbs, E. Ford, MM. Havusha, A. Sandman, D. 2024. “Veterans Treatment Courts in New York State: Past and Future.” New York Health Foundation. New York, NY. Available at: https://nyhealthfoundation.org/resource/veterans-treatment-courts-in-new-york-state-past-and-future.
